I got stuck at this point pictured <- here for a while as I just could NOT get the last petal to look decent! I tried it twice and pulled it out in exasperation. You would have expected it to be the easiest, being more or less flat, but it was a real challenge to get a flat petal with no real colour change to look even passable! In the end, I just did it - not exactly 'third time lucky' as I'm still far from content with it, and it'll have to do.

Then it was on to the spider's web. This was a bit challenging as there is a slight give in the fabric and, if I had it taut in a hoop, then when it was released, the long stitches in the web would certainly sag. So, I put it in a snap frame and have it held firm, but not tight, then caught in the slack on the reverse for anything that hung a bit. It looked at first like it went a little too far the other way now and seemed a bit too tight, but it ironed out just perfectly. It's not needed for months yet, but I'm not keen to re-do parts - I have other projects planned!
The gauge of the Kreinik Cord can easily be seen here. It's rather fine, isn't it? I think it works perfectly here. I didn't have the prescribed Madeira thread and hadn't access to any - and I didn't want to spend money on any more stuff when I surely had something perfectly adequate in my ridiculously large stash!! So, it was good to finally have something to use the Kreiniks on as I stocked up on a goodly number of those a few years ago in about two thirds of the shades they do. Time to try and use them more, methinks!
So, drum roll please - here's the finished thing:
Hope you've enjoyed the WIP discussion and like the finished embroidery and also that I can produce one or two in the months to come.=)
© Elizabeth Braun 2012