This is a small piece using the original images from the Mayan Glyphs with wax resist. I like the colours and worked bullion knots just because I fancied doing some for the great texture.
I had forgotten how to work these, one of my favourite stitches. I knew there was an easier more successful technique and eventually remembered that I had learned it from Tracy Franklin’s book ‘Contemporary Whitework’; a book which I don’t own but have borrowed from the local library. I had to order it and this time plan to copy the instructions as I am sure to forget by the time I want to work them again.
Most of the machine embroidery was done after the hand stitching.
I used perle thread and some hand dyed cotton thread and quite a large needle with a big eye (don’t know the technical name,probably crewel).
This post relates to a request from Kathi who is about to do some work based on a photograph of a dandelion. Funnily enough I had thought recently to throw away some of the design boards from what I worked out as being 17 years ago. The stitching is quite heavy and mostly on felt, which I thought related to the subject but which the tutor didn’t like as she thought it killed the light. Some of the sketchs I remember doing in the car whilst waiting for my son to finish swimming lessons; you can see from my last post what he's doing now.
The piece I actually liked, which was based on the delicate tufts of seed heads, was sold and I didn’t unfortunately photograph my work at the time.
Well have fun with those dandelions. I can’t let you sample the dandelion wine I made; I assure you that you had a lucky escape - it was rough!! 
