6 & 7 November Homework – completing the left hand motif

I have completed the large motif on the left-hand side (centre section) Hooray Hooray!!.  This was the laddering (1 strand of DMC cotton floss) over two threads all around the outside of the pointed shape.  On the inside of this is the trellis work; the horizontals and verticals worked with no.20 Coton à Broder, with a spacing of two threads.  Split stitch around the edge of the trellis and the laddering to provide a firm base for all the trailing around the trellis, laddering and pulled work sections.  I wanted this to be less prominent than the leaf section below so used a two-strand core of no.16 Coton à Broder, instead of a three-strand core. Then finally stitched crosses over the intersections of the trellis with DMC Diamant D5200.  I like the effect of the Diamant, although the photo doesn’t show the sparkle on this section.  Completing this small section of the motif took eight hours.

Completed left hand motif

I found stitching the whole section more difficult than anticipated.  The laddering is not very even in some places as it goes around the curve.  Similarly, the trailing around the curves was difficult as pushing the needle through the tight stitching was tricky.  

The crosses on the trellis took a whole morning to complete as the spacing between each horizontal and vertical is very small.  

Now I have taken a photo of the motif I can also see some holes in the net stitching, these will have to be mended when the organdie is cut away.  

Unfortunately, the Moyra McNeill book I ordered on drawn thread work has not arrived, so I have not been able to practise some designs for the hillocks.  I will have to do this at Tracy’s in my next lesson.