When I last posted on this project, I was adding the pearl purl to the outlines of the leaves. I found it so fiddly that I could only work about two of them at a sitting before I had to geI t up and do something else. I was pretty glad to finish them and move on to the bright check. Here I'm adding the bright check to the calyx, but if you look hard, you can barely see that the thread is showing on some of them. I ended up taking them all out right after I took this photo.
By placing each piece very, very carefully, I was able to hide the threads. Much better! I finished with the bright check, added the beads,
and I was finished! In the last post I mentioned that some of the tendrils weren't drawn too well. In fact, one or two of them were pretty thick and I was worried that the pearl purl wouldn't cover the pencil marks. This kit came with three different sizes of pearl purl, so I had just enough of the largest size for the first three tendrils. I then used the medium size for the next three, and the smallest for the rest. Luckily, I was able to cover up all of the pencil marks. Note to self: be more careful when transferring the design.
Here's a side view, showing the sparkle of the gold a bit better. Now to mount it. I'm thinking of a roundel to display it on a plate holder, but I'm open to suggestions. I think I also need to straighten those red beads so that all are sitting on their sides.
Likes and dislikes of this project:
It's a beautiful design, with lovely materials, what's not to like? The kit came with full skeins of Au Ver a Soie, Soie d'Alger and enough of the gold, beads and spangles so I couldn't possibly run out. The designer, Margaret Cobleigh, was in the Persian Peony Tile class I took, so I got to see the original. (Hers looks much better).
The only thing I didn't like was my execution, which is certainly not the fault of Margaret or of Country Bumpkin, which published the design and put the kit together. The stem has a funny bend to it right before the first leaf, and I found that the pearl purl really takes some skill to manipulate it properly. This being only my third goldwork project I've ever worked, it's understandable that I don't have much familiarity with the materials.
To see all of the posts about the Golden Pomegranate, just click here.
So what's next? I have more kits that are waiting so I will set one or two of them up so they are ready to be worked. I have my two dresses to finish, but those are carpooling projects and will take a while to finish, especially as my carpooler is on vacation for the next two weeks. Back in February I took advantage of the sale at Hedgehog Handworks and bought silver materials to match my Silver Swirls project from when I visited the Royal School of Needlework last year. I'm starting to formulate a design to use the materials in a companion piece.
Now I'm off to fix dinner. Have a great rest of the weekend!
Lovely! Just lovely!
ReplyDeleteHope you're having a great weekend, Cynthia!
MGM
Another beautiful piece
ReplyDeletePiece looks lovely, well done!=)
ReplyDeleteCarpooling a dress??? I'm confused. Here in the UK, we carpool only literally, i.e. share lifts/rides!! Do you mean a communal/joint project?
Divided by a common language....=)
It's lovely! I think you've done a great job.
ReplyDeleteA roundel is a good idea, or how about a box lid?
It looks just lovely!!! You are being very intense with your analysis, if this is only your 3rd goldwork piece :-)
ReplyDeleteYou'd think vines would be dead easy - they are 'just lines' but the human eye can pick up the tiniest deviation from an 'expected curve'. Useful for the human eye, but makes it hard for us!
It's delightful! Remember, too, most people who look at it will be too dazzled to see the imperfections you feel are there.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cynthia, it's lovely. I think you did a terrific job! (I would have written sooner, but I've been sick.)
ReplyDeleteYour comments about the leaves reminded how tedious I found them as well. I remember that I got so tired of outlining each leaf, but that every time I finished one I liked it so much it would motivate me to keep going. :-)
I agree that making the red beads 'stand up' is important; it just looks better.
Also, if you have some wobbly lines here and there I've found that using the wide end of a mellore to make the pearl purl behave (by running the mellore gently along the side) can be helpful.
One other little thing that I did on mine was to take some tweezers and ever so subtly add a bit of a curve to each of the pearl purl tips on the green leaves on the surrounding curve (i.e., not so much on the big leaves on the pomegranate). It's not critical, but I did think it gave the piece a bit of polish.
You can also use tweezers to sharpen the points on things like the little crown at the bottom of the pomegranate if you think it needs it.
Again, wonderful work, well done! Thank you for sharing your journey with this project.