A couple points to reiterate on this crewel embroidery project, which I'm calling (oh-so-appropriately) The Crewel Rooster: 1. The first purpose of the project was to experiment with a variety of wool threads that I have on hand. I've had the opportunity so far to play with seven different wool threads made for surface embroidery. 2. The rooster is stylized. I know he isn't going to turn out looking real! Just take a look at his mouth - that says everything. I just felt the need to clarify those two points so that you don't think I'm positively nuts, going through the whole rooster stitching process the way I am! (Did I say "stitching process"? Stitching? Have I been stitching?...)
Not to let the over-abundance of stitching-in at the end of yesterday's post on the wing outweigh my picking-out, today we're picking out again. I re-stitched the tail feathers that were bothering me. I don't know if you will like this any better, but I guarantee you one thing about the tail:
I'm
Not
Changing
It
Again.
This is where we left off. Ok, fine. I will probably change those "under feathers" below the wing....
The large brick red tail feather has to go. I don't like the satin stitching after all - the direction of it, or the fact that, in the wide parts, without padding underneath, the stitches have loosened up and become somewhat discombobulated.
The lowest feather on the tail - the Pepto-Bismol Pink one - also has to go. It's not that I don't like the pink, because I do. I just don't like it there. And it's the satin stitching again. Something about it. Gosh, I wanted satin stitching, but it just isn't doing it for me on the feathers.
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"Earwig."
"Earwig, who?"
"Earwi-go again!"
As corny as it is, it says it all: here we go again! The feather was sliced open and...
... returned to its bare state.
Into the same spot, with a slight bit of difficulty keeping the edges smooth while trying to work around the feathers already there, I stitched a dark red feather in fishbone stitch. I like the feather better, stitch-wise. The thread is actually a bit brighter. It's still a brick-ish red, but slightly brighter. The wool is from the Renaissance Dying collection.
I like the way the colors line up on the tail. Well, Pepto-Feather has to go. But other than that, I like it so far.
And I like the fishbone stitch.
Now, it's Pepto-Feather's turn. Say good-bye!
All sliced up here - this is Heathway wool. It is soft wool and it makes beautiful satin stitches. It also picks out very easily, without leaving those wooly shards all over the place.
My goodness, the linen twill holds up marvelously. It looks great! You can see where I picked out one of the green chain stitches accidentally....
Mwahahahahaha. Some of you are probably cursing me right now! It's true. I used the dark red again. I like the lower feather of the tail in the dark red. It finishes the tail. I used stem stitch in the dark red Renaissance wool, and filled in the area with rows of stem stitching.
Do you notice anything else? Yes, the body is getting some more color there. It's not all in, so it looks a bit blocky and systematically linear or geometric or something. I don't know. It looks bizarre.
Ok, I've added the rest of the darker gold. It doesn't look AS bizarre. Well, not bizarre-bizarre. Only sort of bizarre. But - wait. Just wait! Once the neck and head are done, trust me. It won't be nearly as noticeable!
Yes, the more I look at it now, the more I'm convinced the colors on the "under feathers" below the wing there have to change. Any suggestions? What color? Body color? Or tail colors?
For further posts on this project, feel free to visit the following links:
Free Hand Embroidery Pattern for The Crewel Rooster
Setting up The Crewel Rooster Project
Choosing Threads for The Crewel Rooster - and the first flower
Crewel Design Books
Stem Stitch Filling on Flower Stems
Scalloped Feathers on the Rooster's Body
The Beginnings of the Rooster's Tail
French Knots on the Wattle
Adding the First Blue Feather using a Raised Backstitch
The Rooster Tail, Finished for Now
The Wing - Three Attempts
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