Further shading

Working one colour into another is not as simple as stopping one colour, and then starting the next.  When I shade through colours, I would possibly have four different colours/needles working together at the same time, but I would lessen the first colour, increase the second and third, and introduce a forth, before finishing the first, and then repeat . . . 

If one colour is worked, then stopped, then the next and stopped, and so on, the shading will be striped throughout, rather than softly and gradually shaded throughout.

Blending tones of colour, the angle and length of stitch need to be considered also, especially when working around a curve.

The start of shading . . .

Shading, long & short shading, natural shading, and blending . . . 

Contemporary trellis work . . .

Beginning the trellis . . .

Basic running stitch across the trellis . . .

Using four colours . . .

Using heavy chain stitch for the edging . . . 

Running stitch outside the heavy chain stitch . . .

Back on the crewel work . . .

Back on the crewel work, but only just!  So, so busy with the 'teaching', but hope to do more on this over the summer.  Still experimenting with ideas, and colours.

In the meantime, I have been feeding my creativity exploring textiles arts.  

Coming soon . . . 

An alternative to trellis work . . .

Straight stitch - working with the twill weave of the fabric

Whenever I have any time, when not teaching, I try to return to this crewel work piece.  I am still playing around with a few ideas, including working with the twill weave of the fabric.  

Experimenting with trellis work . . .

Experimenting with Colour

So far . . .

Trellis work ideas

Working on some ideas for this crewel work design.  Still sampling colour, and different approaches to trellis work. 

Framing up and preparation . . .

Framing up on a mini slate frame

Love this frame!

Design transfer onto a blue indigo twill furnishing fabric using a silver gel pen

Design number one

Design number two

I did plan to work these two designs separately, and on plain natural coloured linen, however, I found this fabric in a furnishing fabric shop in Benton in Newcastle upon Tyne (north east England) - Absolutely Fabrics, and thought - Yes - I will try this instead!

I also had to hand, this lovely hand-crafted mini slate-frame - used, but ideal for my next project.

Now ready to start . . . when I have time . . .

Colour for crewel work . . .

These are my proposed colours for my crewel work designs.  I will not use all of them, probably 4-5 for each design, which I am still deciding, or will probably just let it evolve.

The colours are - 724, 933, 185, 303, 313, 293, 643, 156, 325, 967 - Appletons crewel wool.

Crewel work - new designs - new project . . .

I present to you - two new-ish designs for crewel work embroidery, based on traditional Jacobean design, which I had planned to work earlier this year, however due to work commitments, teaching, and life generally, it took a little while to find the right time to start, but now I am ready!!!  

It may take a little while to progress through as I have other on-going work, but I will do my best to keep on top of it all.

I will work through the designs with different ideas based on stitch and detail, and I am happy that anyone uses the designs too.  The designs are roughly, 5 inches square or 12-13 cm square.

Enjoy, if you are following!  

Please tag in my name if you use social media - #tracyafranklin - THANK YOU!

Last few images of Crewel work Acorn

front - side view

front - another side view

front - close view of trellis work

satin stitch and leaves

Back view of trellis work

Back view

A few more shots of the crewel work acorn completed, both front and back of work.

Exhibition - A reminder of Nicola Jarvis's exhibition which runs from 6th July to 22nd September at the William Morris Gallery 

Kits - Kits of the acorn design will be available from Nicola Jarvis -  http://www.nicolajarvisstudio.com/store.html

Thank you for following this post - I have enjoyed working on this project.  If you want to see all the images from start to finish - you can now see these on Pinterest - http://pinterest.com/tracyafranklin/crewel-work-acorn/  Please LIKE the page . . .

Crewel work - Acorn - Finished!

original design

finished and worked by Tracy A Franklin

back of work

angled shot

And finally . . . 

this is it completed, with many more images to come from different angles and perspectives.

Details . . .

final detail

this is what I call 'flicks'

finished!

The final detail is around the big leaves - a sequence of arrows in stitch.  I call this detail 'flicks', but if I am honest I may have made this up - some time ago.

So, this is it - finished!  My next post on this subject, will be the finale - the finished article, although I have many images at various angles, so there more be more than one posting.

more trellis work . . .

finishing trellis work using straight stitch, cross stitch and satin stitch

another view

trellis work complete outlined with stem stitch

There is only one more technique of this design to show, then it will be complete!  Keep watching for the final postings . . . 

trellis work . . .

the start of the trellis

measuring from all angles

holding down the trellis at the cross over

inserting the filling

I started working on the trellis late one evening, hence the mood of the images.  However, there is more to show in detail during daytime in the next posting . . .

crewel work continues . . .

fishbone and stem stitch

so far . . .

more detail

As I continued to work this symmetrical design - I disciplined myself to work both sides in unison as I did not want the right to be too different from the left - or vice versa.