Thought this would be an easy one - wrong! Finally finished. I used koma to help stitch the filigree leaves. I also simplified the main flower stem by using grecian twist instead of laying on cut purls, so much easier. I used thinner edging for the flower petals - same gold thread as the leaves; using pearl purl per instruction was too harsh.
Next project is Shades of Blue.
It looks gorgeous! The photo does not do it justice! Now to figure out the framing, and considering the next project...
Only things left are the spangles! This is a beautiful piece, very 3-dimensional. I did not do a perfect job, but it's still gorgeous to look at!
I missed one Grecian stem to the second flower before, and had to stitch it today. I was able to sink both ends using the scotch tape method. So please that I had to stop to jump around a bit.
Alison Cole's Goldwork Masterclass book arrived a couple days ago. There are some discussions of the Tree of Life project in that book! Didn't realize that, or else I would have been very apprehensive to attempt it. No wonder it was so difficult!!
Today's progress. I think it's more than half done, without major boo-boo's. Keeping my fingers cross.
Progress so far. Worked on the Grecian stems and decided that I would not follow the instructions. Sometimes I would succeed in sinking the Grecian by wrapping scotch tape around the thread to make it into a point, and pulled it through the hole I made with the awl. In other places I wasn't able to do that and had to separate the plies in order to sink the thread. Not separating the plies made for a better stem.
Decided to put an edge around the pomegranate - purl edging covers up a host of sins, probably a sign of bad stitching! I forgot to save a gold bead for the snail's head; briefly thought about unstitching one but it's too dangerous - all the beads may fall apart! Will have to come up with something else.
