Queen Bee finished or not?

I finished the Or Nué Queen Bee last week - or the Or Nué part of the design at least.


I am really quite pleased with how it turned out as the honeycomb background turned out to be a lot more tricky to get to look nice and even than I had anticipated. It is by no means perfectly even, but I think I managed to achieve the effect I set out to.


Although this part is finished, it didn't look finished - if that makes any sense. It is kind of just floating on the fabric, not belonging. I am terrible at not planning and testing ideas before I start, instead I just dive in, head first and try to solve what-ever it may be along the way. When I started this it, I thought that perhaps it could be made into a brooch or something like that. Which is why I embroidered straight onto backed quilter's muslin instead of a nice silk ground. Despite it being small, it is still way too large for a brooch - well to my liking anyway. So what to do.....?


Set it into a paperweight perhaps? It does look very neat and the glass really brings out the detail of the stitching. The background fabric would need to be covered to for this option to look nice. That lead to the next idea...

Last year, after finishing my White Daisy, I filled in the area around it with very, very close rows of stem stitch. I know I am possibly slightly nuts, but I could easily fill in enormous areas with rows and rows of stem stitch. I love it - how you can create a super smooth surface. Perhaps I could do something similar with Queen Bee? Pondering the idea for a day or so it occurred to me - why not try and continue the honeycomb pattern onto the background?


It is when I get ideas like that after most of a design is complete, that I really, really wish I had thought of it earlier. If I had worked on layered fabrics I am not sure I would have dared taking it out of the hoop, but for this project I had backed the muslin with a woven fusible interfacing, which gives me a very sturdy and firm ground to stitch on. So out of the hoop it came and back onto the lightbox, trying to line up the honeycomb pattern to continue, keeping my fingers crossed that it would work...


... and this morning I finally had to time to get a good chunk of stitching done. I think it works - [happy face].

Enjoy your Tuesday,
Anna X

Comments

  1. The finished piece looks lovely. I think sometimes that if we leave the final image of a piece to later in the process we allow our creativity to expand; rather than planning the whole piece out before hand. Obviously this is not always the case but with this piece and the daisy I think it really worked. Well done.

    They actually make a very nice set. Don't you think?

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    1. Yes, I am starting to think I might have to think of a third piece to go with these two - three is such a nice number and look much better.two when grouped together.

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  2. Anna, thank you for sharing the twists and turns in the creative process. Queen Bee is lovely. I like the broach idea..and the paperweight too. Or would it work as a clip on a black handbag? You will figure it out!

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    1. Oh, I like the bag idea and will certainly keep that in mind. x

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  3. Beautiful embroidery Anna! Hope this year finds you well and that you are enjoying having more time to do the thing you love most? Trish

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    1. Thanks Trish, I most certainly am. Hope you are keeping well.

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  4. I think the honeycombs turned out great -- I prefer something more organic, rather than too rigid and stiff. You are right on the happy medium! It looks splendid. :)

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    1. Thanks Monica - let's wait and see when it is finished. I think it will 'scrub' up ok.

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  5. Love the stitched background. I hope you'll come to our exhibition. It opened tonight.

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