Phase VI - Loving Couple

It wasn't a foregone conclusion that I would stitch Loving Couple at this phase. It is important to me that I like the design, after all, I usually spend a year or more stitching it but for me, what I will learn from stitching a design is equally important and I discuss this with my tutor before making my final selection. While I have always had a soft spot for Loving Couple, my husband really likes Eternal Grace, I would have been happy to stitch either. Margaret advised me the that there was more short stitch holding on Gracie (she is sometimes refered to as 'Grace of the Eternal Short Stitch Holding') but that the Ducks offer greater variety of short stitch holding techniques. There are lots of small elements on Loving Couple that are stitched relatively quickly. That makes this a good design for the 5-day course that I go to each year in Bournemouth.

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With the crest and eye stitched Mr Duck begins to have character and personality.

The colour in the first photograph is awful, it was taken after dark in artificial light. The next one is better but the colours are still not true.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

The breast seems to cause more angst than another part of this design, I was looking forward to it with more than a little trepidation.

The foundation is staight forward, a vertical foundation in flat black silk.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

The guidelines are curved ...

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

and the holding stitches follow these curves.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

My first attempt was awful (unfortunately I didn't take a photograph before I reverse sitched it). Margaret then demonstrated how I should be doing it and with the first 2 rows stitched by her serving as a guide, my second attempt was much improved.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

I forgot to take step-by-step photographs of the side breast feathers. When I stitched the first row of white, I thought that I liked its irregularity but when I stitched the second row, I found I preferred that one. I think that I will rework the first row at a later date but for now I want to move on to the next technique.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

Happy Stitching