And now for a kingfisher…
Many years ago – but after I first thought of doing a panel for the Conversion of Placidus – I went to a tour of Flag Fen, guided by Francis Pryor who had discovered and excavated it. As we strolled at the side of the fen, having much explained to us, there was a flash of bright orange, and a kingfisher shot across our bows. The effect, in glorious sunshine, with our minds in the Bronze Age, was absolutely electrifying, and I vowed that there would be a kingfisher in Placidus, somehow.
Of course, that’s easier said than done!
You maybe able to see in the first picture that I’d had two goes at drawing the Kingfisher, and started to embroider the larger one. I was intending him to be in the border, so I wanted him larger than a vignette. But that was not the way to do it, he’s too long in the body, and generally adrift. So I decided to go back to the first drawing, and not worry too much about leftover drawing.
It’s always sad to be unpicking, but once I’ve decided it’s necessary, I don’t repine, or even growl (much…). The next version will be better.
So I have started agin. The kingfisher’s breast is a tangle of overlapping feather stitch and feather stitch variation using Marlitt. It’s a good, vibrant colour, and I seem to have not had too trying a time with it, all things considered. Viscose threads such as Marlitt are very lively and twitchy, and if I want a smooth satin stitch, I try to damp out the kinks. For this, not so much, I want the light sparkling off the stitches, the speckles and high spots catching the light.
Well, it’s a start!
Now, a reminder that I shall be giving a talk for the Embroiderers Guild on June 3!
I believe I’ve turned this image into a link to the Eventbrite page, and for anyone not in the right timezone, or otherwise occupied on the day of the talk, the Guild makes recordings available for some time afterwards.
I shall remind you every week until it happens!
It’s often hard to unpick your work but equally often it’s well worth the pain and growling. Mr Kingfisher mark 2 is definitely on the right track.
If Mr Kingfisher is telling you what he wants, I am sure he’ll look lovely when he’s done.
Unpicking something that’s nearly-right is hard on the heart, but once you’ve made the decision, it just needs care not to damage the fabric beneath. And usually very much worth the effort.
IF you had stitched on a piece of fabric that could be replaced, then instead of unpicking, you could have made two Mr Kingfishers.
Like Sue Jones said, it is hard on the heart to unpick something that is nearly right, so if possible, keep it, and start the new design on another piece of foundation fabric. I like to keep half-finished projects, so that I can study and learn from my mistakes later on.
Good luck with your talk at the Guild. I bet it will be of interest to many. You have so much knowledge and experience to share.
Yes, I’m with Queenie, unpicking is the pits.
I have 3 or 4 Kingfishers who drink and wash in my birdbath. They are mesmerising to watch. The one I stitched I put on some waste fabric and then appliquéd it into place on a pin cushion. Worked a treat.
I had a bit of unpicking to do recently – hate it, but worth it in the end. The new shape is definitely better!
It must have been lovely to see an actual kingfisher.
I’m with Queenie with the unpicking.