Saturday, July 11, 2020

Frida take 2



Frida Kahlo, she is so iconic and fascinating. If anyone is an inspiration for getting through rough times, it's her! She lived an amazing, and often very sad and painful life.

I recently reworked my beloved Frida embroidery sampler with a technique I've wanted to try for awhile now, filling in the whole design with Split Stitches!



I really love the lush texture this gives to embroidery art.  It's very touch-able. :) Stitching it was also very relaxing! Split Stitch is probably my favorite embroidery stitch, it is easy and very calming for me.

(if you're not sure how to do it, check out this tutorial!)


I already had the outlines in place, so I started by filling in her cheeks, lips and eyes with stitches, just going around and around the shapes from outside in. Then I started at the outer edge of her face, again stitching around and around until I filled the whole thing up to the center. I did the same with the flowers. On her hair and the heart, I stitched rows, just curving them to fit the shapes.


What do you think, do you like this version, or the line art version at the top? I can't decide, I like them both. :) I do want to use this technique more often! You can try out either one for yourself, Frida samplers are available at my shop: littledear.etsy.com





6 comments:

  1. I love both versions, I really do.

    I love how you have done the stitching in the second (I enjoy a good longer stitching project). You have used traditional directional contouring techniques for the stitching, rather than just one directional stitching. The contouring gives extra shape and form to the features I think. I love texture so I love how you have done this version. Both are really great though. I also want to say I love the squirrels in Bobs hair in the Bob Ross portrait.

    Louisa May Alcott might make a good portrait as it is a face with character, Anna Pavlova would be beautiful as a portrait (or as a fuller study), with pretty tutus, hair detail etc. I like Emily Dickinson too. A bearded man would be fun like Renoir, perhaps. Or Janice Joplin with her wild hair. Any number of people would be interesting to see with your take on them.

    Sadly I don't feel able to buy screen printed designs however because of postage and customs VAT (am in UK). I always buy pdf patterns as a preference. A PDF would work for your portraits, to be interpreted fully as you have done here with filling in all areas, or outlining only, with everything between - even tinting with crayon, pencils etc. I do understand though, that lots of your work is already available as PDFs and that the printed designs maybe something you want to keep that way.

    Anyway, I always love what you do, so whoever you pick I'm sure you will do a great job.
    Sara

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments Sara! I'm so glad you've enjoyed this. Those are great suggestions, I'll keep them in mind! I do hate that our international shipping costs so much, I'm planning on making more of my printed samplers available as PDFs though. I really appreciate your insights! xo

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  2. I really like the filled in version. Good job!

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  3. Both versions are spectacular! As for who's portrait to design next... What about Shakespear, Edgar Allan Poe or maybe Georgia O'Keeffe inspired with floral and longhorn skulls. Possibilities are endless. Can't wait to see what you come up with next!

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Thanks for your comments! I love hearing from you! :)