AN ELIZABETHAN DRESS-FORM PINCUSHION

I started embroidering this before the earthquakes 2 1/2 years ago! Now that winter is here I thought now would be a good time to get it out & finish it. Being a retired dress designer/maker the dress-form shape appealed to me. I designed the embroidered patterns which are worked in hand dyed cotton threads on a fine linen. The technique is Elizabethan which I love.
My next project is stylized fish in on a silk background for my bathroom with hopefully a seahorse to follow.

 How lovely to be this flat - back & front!

 And this small!

Dream on!

 STUMPWORK PEACOCK

I worked this peacock quite a while ago before our awful quakes & quite forgot to post it here! I did it in the Stumpwork tecnique but it does not show to advantage here. Used DMC rayon threads plus metallic threads to simulate the shimmer on the peacock's feathers.

 Flowers are also raised like the peacock's body. Each petal worked then applied to the background fabric.

 The tail.

The body & crest on the head.

All five cushions now in situ!

FINAL CUSHION!

This is the final cushion in the series of five for my bed.
Cream on cream with a touch of gold & pearls.
I used Pearl 8 & 12, stranded cotton & rayon.
Stitches used were, Heavy Chain, Reverse Chain, Trellis, Herringbone, Spider web, Buttonhole & Needlelace stitches.
Now I have to sew them up & place them in situ!
I very much enjoyed doing this piece. The design was one I found on the net, which I have made a few minor changes to plus of course the embroidery itself.

 ANOTHER DRAGONFLY CUSHION!

This is cushion number 4 for the assortment on my bed. Hand dyed threads used with needle lace stitches & embellished with beads. Well on the way now with cushion number 5.
Watch this space!

Close-up of one corner of the work.

ANOTHER CUSHION!

This is another one for my bed. I took the design from a quilting pattern & worked it as an embroidered piece. I used various hand dyed threads in varying thicknesses, dull & shiny, thick & thin to create texture. Then added the beads, pearls & sequins for a bit of bling.

This is a close-up of one corner of the embroidery.
As you can see I have used needle-lace for some of the fillings. This is a progression from the cream & gold cushion worked in my previous post.

CREWEL WITH A TWIST!

This is a cushion I created from a pattern from the book called, "Crewel Twists", by Hazel Blomkamp.

I love cream & gold! It always looks very rich.

The cushion was made to compliment my brass bedhead in the same colours.

The stitches used are different from the usual crewel stitches hence the 'twist'. There are various threads used, some dull, some shiny  trimmed with twisted bugles, gold &  cream beads.