I just had an idea that was too good to NOT share!
Here's why I got so excited (Right. Doesn't take much to excite me!) -- usually we stitch our butterfly bodies and dragonfly bodies with bullions or French knots, sometimes beads.
If you double-click this photo for a closer look, you'll see that this is a dragonfly in flight -- he's attached at the front end only. Here's what I did.
Using my beading needle and nylon beading thread, I first attached the head, which is a size 11/o seed bead. Next, I threaded 6 slightly smaller size 14/o seed beads onto my needle. Instead of going through the fabric at this point, I threaded a 7th seed bead and went back through the first 6, size 14/o seed beads, and then through the fabric just behind the dragonfly's head, and knotted off.
This makes the dragonfly hover in the air.
He needed wings, so I found my Sulky Holoshimmer thread (see below) and using the thread double in my needle I placed 2 lazy daisy stitches on each side of the body, just behind the dragonfly's "shoulders" (don't ask...).
That's a photo of my size 14/o seed beads and one of the Sliver threads made by Sulky, called "Holoshimmer" (hologram + shimmer), from JoAnn Stores. I like the Sulky threads because they are made for machine embroidery, so I know they are durable for hand embroidery. Visit the Sulky website if you'd like to read more about this thread. You can also use it to edge the loops of your cast-on stitches and add some sparkle to your flowers.
If you want to tuck a little dragonfly in alongside your embroidered flowers, you can stitch it with anything you want, but I'm always looking for a reason to stitch with beads. This little dragonfly provided a really good reason!
If you double-click this photo for a closer look, you'll see that this is a dragonfly in flight -- he's attached at the front end only. Here's what I did.
Using my beading needle and nylon beading thread, I first attached the head, which is a size 11/o seed bead. Next, I threaded 6 slightly smaller size 14/o seed beads onto my needle. Instead of going through the fabric at this point, I threaded a 7th seed bead and went back through the first 6, size 14/o seed beads, and then through the fabric just behind the dragonfly's head, and knotted off.
This makes the dragonfly hover in the air.
He needed wings, so I found my Sulky Holoshimmer thread (see below) and using the thread double in my needle I placed 2 lazy daisy stitches on each side of the body, just behind the dragonfly's "shoulders" (don't ask...).
If you want to tuck a little dragonfly in alongside your embroidered flowers, you can stitch it with anything you want, but I'm always looking for a reason to stitch with beads. This little dragonfly provided a really good reason!
Rosalie
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