Dressing - Drifting on the Breeze WIP

More progress on my floating man....

Last you saw this fellow he looked more like some crazy stick-insect gone terribly wrong.

The first pieces of 'clothing', the lower sleeves have been added so that I could finish the padding of torso and he is slowly bulking up and looking more like a person. Of course he does still need a head!

It was a similar thing at the other end. I had to complete the lower legs before the padding for the pants could be added. I didn't want to use satin stitch for the socks so instead opted for stripy socks in raised stem stitch. This is such a awesome stitch for raised smooth shapes and great if you want the colouring along the length instead of across. It is a bit tedious, but so worth the effort. 

With the socks done, I could complete the padding and now the fun part of dressing the figure can really begin. 

Pants first. I didn't set out to make stripy pants, but was more thinking of using a different shade for each leg. I have no real plan for colours and patterns (as usual) only a vague 'feeling' of how it will look. Working that way can be a recipe for a lot 'reverse stitching' but so far so good - the stripes seem to work.

Each trouser leg is stitched individually. You can see where the small one was before it was taken off the card. To make a needle lace piece, you first place a cordonnet around the shape.. This is a doubled length of thread that is couched onto a firm surface (I use card covered with plastic film) to form the shape. It is kind of a support frame for the needle lace.

The the needle lace fabric can be stitched onto the cordonnet, usually some kind of blanket stitch. I primarily use a corded blanket stitch for clothing because I like the dense look and firm finish.
Each little stitch is worked into a stitch in the previous row, trapping the laid thread.

It is quite a therapeutic little stitch once you get going - a little like knitting or crochet, just back and forth in even rows...
I did not think things through when I stitched the first leg from the top down. If I had started from the bottom, I would have been certain that the stripes would match.....

Although these pieces are small, filling them rows and rows of little stitches does take a bit of time and I have to set this one aside for today.. perhaps tomorrow???
It would be nice if this little person had his pants on before I leave on Friday.

Best stitches,
Anna X