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SEA
OTTER - NEEDLE PAINTING
WORK IN PROGRESS
The
sea otter was embroidered for my sister and brother in law's
Christmas present.
The
sea otter is worked in the method of needle painting which is the
blending of straight long and short stitches using different shades
of DMC floss.
The
embroidery is worked on a blue satin fabric in a 12 inch by 12 inch
stretcher bar frame. The fabric is pinned onto the stretcher bar
frame so that it is drum tight.
The
embroidery is worked from the background to the foreground so that a
dimensional picture is created.
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First
I paint the outline of the sea otter onto the fabric and then I
painted the water using 3 shades of blue acrylic paint.
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Next
I couch down either a single strand of silver No. 7 Japan thread or
a single strand of Silver No. 5 Japan thread along the edges of the.
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I
then work the left paw as it comes behind all other areas of the
body in long and short stitch.
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Next
I work the right shoulder, neck and behind the ears in long and
short stitch.
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I
work a split stitch around the head to raise it above the neck and
the back ground fabric, then work around the edge of the head in long
and short stitch.
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4:
Right Shoulder and Neck |
5:
Edge of the Head |
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I
continue working rows of long and short stitch around the head
finishing at the center leaving spaces for the eyes and nose.
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Next
I work the right paw beginning at the end of the paw and working
towards the right shoulder.
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I
finish the right paw taking care to blend the last few stitches into
the shoulder of the sea otter
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I
work the nostrils and the first layer of satin stitch for the eye of
the otter.
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8:
Right Paw |
9:
Nostrils and Eyes |
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I
add a second layer of satin stitch to the eyes and finish of the
nose in long and short stitch.
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For
the finishing touches I add a glint in the eye with a couple of
satin stitches, I also add defining stitches in the face above the
eyes to give the otter more expression. In the water I added French
knots to the waves in two different shades of blue to give the water depth.
EMBROIDERY SIZE
Height: 7
1/2 inches (18
3/4 cm) Width: 3
3/4 inches (9 1/4 cm)
PREPARATION TIME
Tracing
the design, prick and pounce method of transfer, painting on the
design and placing the fabric into the stretcher bar frame: 3 hours
EMBROIDERY TIME
60
hours
BACKGROUND FABRIC USED
Blue
satin, smooth with no slubs, easy to paint.
THREADS USED
8
shades of DMC embroidery floss, using one strand in the needle at
one time. |
