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KING
CHARLES CAVALIER SPANIELS - NEEDLE PAINTING
The
Spaniels are worked in the method of needle painting which is the
blending of straight long and short stitches using different shades
of DMC floss.
Charlie
and Riley are King Charles Cavalier Spaniels one is two years old
and the other is ten months old and have been commissioned to be
stitched as a pair in the technique of needle painting.
WORK IN PROGRESS
The
photograph of the spaniels is enlarged to 6 1/2 inches by 8 3/4
inches, the outline of the design is traced onto velum tracing paper
and then the design is transferred onto the fabric using the prick
and pounce method, the design is hand painted onto
the silk fabric using white acrylic paint.
The
embroidery is worked in a 17 inch by 15 inch stretcher bar frame.
The silk fabric is backed with muslin fabric for support and the two
fabrics are pinned together onto the stretcher bar frame so that the
fabric is drum tight.
The
embroidery is worked from the background to the foreground so that a
dimensional picture is created. I begin with the chest of the right
hand dog as he is slightly behind the other spaniel, the chest is
also worked first as it is behind the feet of the dog. The fur is
worked in long and short stitch.
A
split stitch line is then worked around the left paw and I begin the
paw at the front working towards the chest. I stitch the long and
short stitch of the fur so that it looks like real fur in the
direction in which is lays and how each hair lays on top of one
another. The split stitch line is covered and gives the edge of the
foot a smoother appearance.
Both
paws are worked from front of the foot to the back of the leg in
long and short stitch in white and off white shades of floss, the
long and short stitch is then worked up the chest of the dog to the chin.
I
could continue with the right hand dog until he is complete but I
prefer to work the body of the left dog while I am in the swing of
working in the white shades for the body.
I
begin on the left dog with the tail as it is the most behind area
working from the tip of the tail to the bottom off the dog. I then
work the underneath leg working from the foot and under the belly.
I
work the left hind leg of the left dog working from the tip of the
pay to the top of the haunch, I work the leg in rows to the top of
the leg.
The
front legs of the left dog are worked slightly differently starting
at the tip of the paws, working the paw and then up the sides of the
leg to establish the angle of the fur which is diagonal on the sides
of the legs but will be straight up the leg in the center.
The
center of the legs are worked in long and short stitch is worked
across the chest of the dog.
The
ears and the side of the the face of the right dog are worked before
the left dog as the head of the right dog is slightly behind the head
of the left dog, the ears are worked from the tip of the ears to the
top of the head. The white face of the right dog is then worked from
the top of the head down to the nose and from the chin and up the
sides of the face to the nose.
The
ears and face of the left dog are worked in the same method as the
right dog.
The
eyes and nose of each dog is worked in satin stitch with
highlighting stitches to portray the reflections on the eye balls and
the nose caused by moisture.
Finally
whiskers are worked on the jowls of each dog using a fine silk
thread and some finishing stitches are worked on the feet to make the
toes stand out.
EMBROIDERY SIZE
Height: 6
1/2 inches (17 cm) Width: 8
3/4 inches (23 cm)
PREPARATION TIME
Tracing
the dogs, prick and pounce method of transfer, painting on the
design and placing the fabric into the stretcher bar frame: 5 hours
EMBROIDERY TIME
110
hours
BACKGROUND FABRIC USED
Blue
duppionni silk fabric, smooth with few slubs.
THREADS USED
6
shades of white DMC embroidery floss and 7 shades of brown DMC
floss, fine silk thread, using one strand in the needle at one time.
CLOSE
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Spaniels Faces
 
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