Thursday, February 6, 2014

"O" Yay! It's Finished!

Yesterday I finished my little stumpwork "O" for my Embroiderers' Guild project.


I knew I had a good start because I already had most of the dragonfly completed.  The two wings are made from two fabrics fused together at right angles, teal organza and pearlized organdie.


The wires used for the dragonfly wings are a stainless steel fine wire available in most fly fishing departments.

The wires used for the flower petals are paper covered wire.  I buy mine at Global Sugar Arts here.  Technically, they are a floral wire and come in both green and white.  If you buy the white, you can use a marker to color the wire to match your thread.


I prefer the Sunrise brand carried by Global Sugar Arts because it's a Japanese brand and I find that the paper is tighter and doesn't unwind very easily.  You'll note that the wire comes in different sizes or gauges.  The higher the number, the smaller the wire.  The wires used for this flower are 30 gauge.  The wires I used in the lace flowers on my Breakfast at Tiffany's piece were 33 gauge.  I prefer the smaller wires because I like less of an "edge" to my petals.

The square hoop I showed on yesterday's post is a German-made birch wood hoop made by Hardwicke Manor.  These hoops are great for stumpwork because they have a brass screw that you can use a screwdriver to tighten.  The base fabric for stumpwork needs to be drum tight and tightening with a screwdriver will keep it that way until you're finished working on it.


The square hoop is great for use when you are clamping the hoop to a table like I did yesterday.  That being said, it is not as easy to use as a round hoop when you have to shift your fabric around many times in a project.  A round hoop is much easier to manipulate...the square hoop requires you to find the sweet spot to get the fit just right.   

For stumpwork, I position the base fabric once, tighten it and leave it alone...So for that, the square hoop is great.  For other work, I prefer a round hoop.  That being said, many have proclaimed the advantages of the Hardwicke Manor hoops and I can't say enough good things about them. 


I think that's it for the questions I got yesterday.  

Tomorrow I'll show you where this little "O" is going.



Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

21 comments:

Lisa Boni said...

Thanks for answering all our questions! Lovely piece!

Judy S. said...

Wonderful! I love it! That dragonfly is just perfect.

Cath said...

Very sweet. Love the harmonious colour scheme.

Cynthia Nicole said...

Yes. Thank You for the answers, the info and the loveliness.

deanna7trees said...

looks beautiful.

Erica said...

That is looking exquisite; thank you for sharing the journey.

margaret said...

Susan this is truly a work of art, beautifully done and love the delicacy of the colours

Corina said...

Beautiful!

Jules said...

Lovely work! My favourite part is the dragonflies legs. I don't know why, they just really bring the little fella to life!

Rachel said...

It's absolutely exquisite!

Anonymous said...

This is so pretty and beautiful!

gracie said...

Magnificent as usual. I love dragonflies and this one is amazing...well done.

Lorraine said...

A beautiful project Susan! What is your favourite thread to use for your stumpwork - cotton floss or?

Mary Ann Tate said...

Lovely:) I like the dragonfly's furry body...nice.

Anonymous said...

Oh! It turned out so well! Thank you, as well, for the supply sources for your wire and the pros of the Japanese mfg. Happy stitching! ~ Sheila

Createology said...

This is exquisite and soft and elegant. Your dragonfly is beautiful. I love the little "berries" created with French knots and beads. Thank you for answering questions. Your knowledge and skill is beyond amazing. Truly Joyful Susan Dear...

Irene said...

Wow! That's gorgeous! I must try stumpwork myself.

Lilli said...

You are the best!

Suztats said...

Oh, this is just gorgeous! I love stumpwork, and this is a delightful design executed beautifully.

Anne Nicolas-Whitney said...

IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
I've seen lot of flowers, blackberries and dragonfly in stumpwork. Only you make it with a strong red line, a very black "O" and some lace which makes a very intricated pattern and so original work. I love it.
Thank you for sharing the tips and brands.

Catherine said...

Beautiful!

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