The Stomach

I had an hour free before work one morning and I didn’t want to waste a minute of it. I took a quick look at my box chart to find the colour and got on with laying the foundation for the stomach. I took a lot of care to ensure that my stitches were parallel and even and was very pleased with how it was progressing. When I had completed about 2 thirds, I began to think that Mr Duck did not look very comfortable on the water. I really wanted to press on but thought that I would check the box chart first. Horizontal foundation! I’d been stitching a weft foundation. In this case there is not much difference between the horizontal and the weft so I was tempted to leave it but after a few minutes procrastination, I accepted that I had to do some reverse stitching. Out it came. Out of time, it was a few days before I could restitch the foundation but when I did Mr Duck looked more at home.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

The short stitch holding on his stomach follows a curve so the temporary holding stitches are curved.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

This is the largest area of short stitch holding on the design and I really enjoyed doing it. The thread is a 1->2 katahineri of 345 (the same shade as the foundation) and white. The katahineri gives an irregular twist so the effect is slightly random.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

When I removed the temporary holding stitches there were very pronounced lines marking the rows of short stitch holding. It is these obvious lines that some people dislike about SSH, I have eveen heard SSH as a good foundation ruined! On Mr Duck the curved lines are intended to make him look nice and plump.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

I don’t think that my lines are sufficiently curved. I think that I may redo his stomach but I’m going to stand my frame where I can see it for a couple of days and ponder on it.

© JEC/Carol-Anne Conway

Happy stitching