Tuesday 10 July 2007

Right Wing Revisited

When I first completed the stitching on the right forewing, I was rather pleased with it. It was my best attempt at long and short stitch and I thought the dark blue and light blue had blended well. I have left the last section of the wing for now as I am thinking I might try something different there. I turned my attention to the left forewing. Even as I worked it, I felt the stitching was better than on the right wing by the time stitched to the same stage as the right wing, there was a noticeable difference between the two wings. I am always reluctant to unpick work and redo it. I was especially reluctant to here. It took a long time for me to do the stitching and I was not certain that I would make as good a job the second time. When I showed J my progress, he commented on the difference between the two wings. It had to come out! (J is complimentary about my work, but I can depend on him to give an honest critic when necessary. He knows that this project is very import to me, and that I want it to be the best I can do.)

© Jennifer Ashley Taylor/Carol-Anne Conway

At first, I thought I would only need to remove the blended section, but kept removing progressively more until only the foundation row remained.

© Jennifer Ashley Taylor/Carol-Anne Conway

Before I removed the stitches, I tried to analyse why the left wing looked better than the right wing. I concluded that it was because the stitches lay in the same direction on the left wing but on the right wing the angle twisted slightly as I got closer to the body. The second time, I took more care to keep them in line.

© Jennifer Ashley Taylor/Carol-Anne Conway

As reluctant as I was to redo the wing, I am now pleased that I did. I think that I have made a better job of it the second time and the two wings look better matched now.

Happy Stitching

3 comments:

Melissa said...

Wow it's looking beautiful! Thanks for sharing about redoing sometimes it's hard to know when to let things slide or to redo but I think you did the right thing, it looks very smooth and even now!

Jo in NZ said...

You have done a great job with this, and the end result shows it. I am not brave enough to tackle this stitch in any kind of serious way.

Kate said...

Looks great! I hate taking things out, but your butterfly does look much more symmetrical.