Small Goldfish Done

I finally got back to stitching this piece - the small goldfish is done. I broke down and got the LED clamp lamp, which works better for under-the-fabric lighting.  It clamps to the side of the stand, and casts a small circle of light, but it is not hot and does not interfere as much with my stitching.

And now all three fishes are done. The remaining seaweeds and bubbles should be easier...

For bragging rights from the recent GPR Seminar in Eugene, Oregon - I got First Place ribbon and Judge's choice in East Asian embroidery for Camellia; First Place ribbon for Goldwork for Blue Flower; and First Place ribbon for Beading for Rosy Posy - although for this one I got one point deducted for some scrunching of the yellow beads around the center circle; as it was stitched too tightly. I was not able to submit Falling Stars, which I think is a better piece; since I was only allowed to submit a maximum of three pieces, finished within the past 2 years.

Kikko

Back to Antique Mirrors. I'm improving on the kikko's. The pencil marks certainly helped. Here's the blue kikko - I was attempting to use the diagonal holding to better define the shape. Not a great success, but compared to previous attempts, much improved. I may re-stitch it later.

Then I realize that where the padding cotton does not form a right angle with the top twisted thread - due to the way I stitch the padding cotton - that it requires more padding. So where the angle is shallow, I added 2 more strands of padding cotton. The bottom half done brown kikko is the latest - and the best. I'll see how it looks once I've completed it with the lighter brown color. I also tried to make a better corner by exaggerating the point.

I'm thinking of staying with this piece instead of switching to Goldfish next week, which I had initially planned. I had framed up the Goldfish already. The fabric is a really pretty watery patterned silk.

Japanese beading

Mary Alice taught a Beginning Japanese Beading class that was quite fun. The project is a rose brooch. It is much easier than Antique Mirrors, I will have to make a conscious effort not to neglect Antique Mirrors while working on the beading. Discipline, discipline!

Mary Alice agreed with me that the kikko was badly done, so here's the revision. I made a thinner twisted thread, and used a T-square to line up the weft. It looks better now.

I got two more pieces - one is Midori Matsushima's goldfish, taught at Blue Bonnet Studio a few years ago:

Mary Alice talked me into doing Phase 8 - Fuzzy Effect, with this piece Ducks on rocks (Is that a drink?!) I think I'm set for life.