Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Shades of Autumn: Brazilian Embroidery


I have always loved Brazilian embroidery and I have done some small BE projects (4 little ones) before, but a little over a week ago, I decided I was just going to plunge in and try something bigger to see how it would go. The worst that could happen is that I would fall flat on my face and nobody would have been the wiser as it would have remained my own little secret.
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I went online and checked the different designs available and purchased a few. When I received them, I had a good look at them and decided that I would try this one first. It is considered an intermediary level, but I did not like the beginner's. It is a design by Delma Moore from Blackberry Lane (no. 152). I thought the design was interesting and loved the colors.
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I would not say that Brazilian embroidery is as difficult as it appears to be, but at the same time it is not that easy either to do it properly. I do all my embroidery learning with the help of books and when I am lucky enough to find a good video I purchase it as that helps immensely.
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One thing I noticed while working on this project is that the time just flew by without me noticing it, which does not happen all that often, so when it does, I notice it :-) I had done bullions before and there were many on this project. Had the pleasure to do some casting for some flowers and enjoyed that very much. Just loved doing the leaves with an alternating satin stitch. There were some Geron Daisy that seems very easy to do, but I had to hold on to the thread tension while making them as if my life depended on it. Once I got the hang of it, that went well. Doing the spider web and the little spider was so much fun. The spider is done with a little black bead and then you add the little legs.
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Included a close-up photo. For some reason, the shine of the Edmar threads does not show all that well. It would be nice to be a professional photographer and take great pictures as I am never happy with my photos. Perhaps in my next life (big grin).
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I now need to clean up my working space and decide on my next project. Not sure exactly what it will be.
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Pierrette =^..^=

12 comments:

Elizabeth Braun said...

Glorious finish, Pierrette! Well done! I'm really interested in Brazilian work too, but I have trouble with cast on stitch. I can do it OK, (after a few practise runs, they looked fine), it's just that this kind of stitch isn't compatible with viola playing - both attack your left index finger end!!!

Terry said...

This has turned out really well and I know that they are your colours and not mine,however you have made a grand job of it and I will be watching very carefully to see how you will frame and mount this ROFL

I must get my glasses changed as I cannot find your spider, can find the web but it seems the spider has gone looking to catch a fly

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Terry,

Just checked my spider to see if she was still there or gone somewhere, but she is still there.

Look at the close-up photo and follow the thread. She is to the left of the second bud, or between the two buds closest to the spider web :-)

Pierrette =^..^=

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Elisabeth,

I know what you mean by attacking your left index finger. It is very hard to do the casting without being attacked by your needle from time to time (big grin).

How long have you been playing the viola? Are you playing for fun or professionally? How good are you at practicing regularly?

Pierrette =^..^=

Elizabeth Braun said...

Hi P! Good that I looked back here and saw that you'd replied to my comment - most don't come back to a comment box after leaving their words of wisdom. Probably best to leave response on their blog to be sure they'll see them.=)

I've only been learning viola a year or so and I'm not as good as I ought to be at practising, but my teacher seems quite pleased with me. I confess that the idea of my being a pro makes me smile!!! Me being a pro anything is a funny idea!!!!!!!!

Love to Stitch 99 said...

I had started learning the piano many years back, but I am sorry to say that I have never gone very far with it. I was working full time at the time and found it hard to practice.

Pierrette =^..^=

Jeanne said...

Hooray to you for trying a less-familiar technique - and with such great results, too! I recently acquired a bunch of Brazilian threads and _will_ be playing with them at some time!

Anonymous said...

This is fantastic! I'm so jealous - I love the stitches that Brazilian embroidery uses but the threads are too difficult for me to work with.

Celeste

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Jeanne,

I don't know if you are like me, but I just love the feel of the Edmar thread.

Have fun with them and looking forward to see what you will be stitching with them.

Pierrette =^..^=

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Celeste,

Edmar threads can be a bit of a handful at times, but there are some tricks that one discover with time like for example, to pull your thread through the fabric very slowly and you can see the thread untwist itself instead of making knots all over the place.

I have found that you cannot pull an Edmar thread rapidly through the fabric or it will keep making knots, something that you don't want. It drives me nuts when this happens as you loose so much time undoing those knots.

I bet many others could also offer tips about how to manipulate them best.

Pierrette =^..^=

Possibilities, Etc. said...

This is awesome - I hope you'll do some more! It's the first I've been able to find of the Brazilian embroidery.

Love to Stitch 99 said...

Hi there!

Yes, I intend to do more Brazilian embroidery now that I have started, just not right away as I have a bit too much on my plate. One project that I intend to do is a rose from Debbie Kelley. I love her designs.

I also have a few BE kits that are waiting for me to work on.

Pierrette =^..^=