For my upcoming comparison of wool and wool blend threads for hand embroidery, I needed a design to embroider. I'll be working on this design, which I thought I'd share with you.
I've adapted the elements of this design from different sources - the flowers come from this embroidery pattern already posted here on Needle 'n Thread, and the rooster is a loose interpretation - crewel-fied - of a cartoony piece of clipart, for which I no longer have the source. Anyway, it's quite altered. Once I started thinking in terms of "embroidery pattern" - and especially "crewel work" - the poor bird underwent a shocking transformation.
What I'll be doing is embroidering this piece on Legacy Linen Twill, using a variety of threads, most of which will be wool or a wool / silk blend. I have a specific color range in mind for the rooster, but I don't have the color range I would like to work with in any one brand of thread. This gives me a good excuse to use a variety of threads, while at the same time allowing me to make comparisons between different threads.
Here's what the rooster looks like:
If you print the following PDF pattern, it fits inside an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper - the height of the whole design is about 8.5 inches, and the width about 5.5". The whole thing should fit ok in a 10" square stretcher bar frame, which is what I'm planning to use, but I actually will reduce the pattern (from the PDF) slightly (maybe 10% smaller). Anyway, play with it to find the size you like, that you think would be manageable.
The Crewel Rooster - PDF
I'll be setting up this project today, and then I'll walk you through what I do with it in the upcoming weeks, including recommendations on threads, fabrics, needles, and so forth.
If there's anything in particular you're curious about concerning this project, or if there's anything in the whole process of completing a project that you would like in-depth coverage of by way of a tutorial, leave a comment below. I'll try to accommodate requests!
Happy Last Day of 2009!!
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