Sunday 29 July 2007

Slow Progress

I have removed the blue and silver twist and stitched a single strand of flat silk foundation on the left hind wing. I think it balances better with the fore wings. It needs something more and I still want to incorporate some silver but I haven't decided what I will do yet.

© Jennifer Ashley Taylor/Carol-Anne Conway

© Jennifer Ashley Taylor/Carol-Anne Conway

I like to have my frame by the patio door, looking out at the garden. Today it is cloudy, but every now and then the sun breaks through the cloud. When it does the shine off the silk is so intense that I am temporarily dazzled by the glare.

I am making very slow progress with Flutterbys. I am a slow stitcher and I don't have as much stitching time as I would like but that does not account for why I have done so little. The reason I am not progressing is self doubt; my choice of colours and stitches is wrong; my stitching is not good enough. I love this design and the project is very dear to my heart; I should be relishing the stitching. Instead, I am allowing self doubt to paralyse me. I want it to be perfect, but I have to accept the it only need be the best I can do if I am going to get past this and fully enjoy the experience.

4 comments:

Vivian said...

very pretty! how about balancing the silver by adding it as antennae?

Lisa Dunn said...

The butterfly is absolutely beautiful! Maybe you could add some silver on the wing tips? I'm sure whatever you do will be gorgeous.

I understand what you mean about wanting your stitching to be perfect. That is one thing I got reprimanded on at my last session at the JE Center. Masa-san told me I was ripping out too much, and that the stitching wasn't meant to be perfect. It was the growth process, and what we felt inside. Of course, my thought was, that was easy for her to say, her stitching IS perfect! LOL But I did quit ripping, even though that is very hard for me.

You just need to remember, the best you can do is going to be very, very beautiful!

Melissa said...

I can relate I feel the same a lot of the time, over the past year I've come a long way in that area but I do still struggle with that same issue. What's helped me is getting more experience, just doing it, also talking about it helps like you are doing. Your stitching is beautiful and I always think it looks perfect even when you say it's not. For example I can see all the little imperfections in my His and Hers that I just did but most everyone thinks they look perfect...I know they aren't! LOL But I'm okay with them and love the result, the little imperfections prove I hand stitched it.
Keep going you'll find more confidence as you keep going, plus every time you've had to correct what you've done you've learned from it and made the butterfly that much more beautiful! I think the saying is true that we learn more from our mistakes!

Timaree said...

Ah those self doubts. Robin talks about this very thing on her website. It is really worthwhile to read it. She has such a positive attitude. And that butterfly is gorgeous!