Wednesday, October 3, 2012

As most of you know, I love the insect world............

It is full of amazing colors and design............
I decided that I would capture the image of  this yellow Longhorn Beetle in embroidery, after one of these flew and landed on my arm while out in the garden.

I drew up this design............

and have decided to stitch the bug first and work on flowers and leaves later.

To separate the wings, a closed buttonhole stitch works well, stitched down the middle of the wings. .

The spots were stitched using the short stitches almost like satin stitch.

I embroidered the outline of the wings and then filled them in using long and short stitches.

I then worked on the thorax and the head, using long and short stitches in black floss. I used a strand of metallic blue, using only a few stitches,  to give the thorax a jeweled effect on the black. I separated the head and thorax with a yellow ring, using a whipped satin stitch.

For the antennae, I couched 3 strands of floss along the outline of antennae,

then with one strand each of black and blue gray, in whipped satin stitched, changing the colors off and on.

I then embroidered the legs. Now the beetle is finished and I will begin the embroidery work on the flowers. How about you?
What insect, in the insect world, do you find the most inspirational?
A graceful butterfly, a lady bug........or a buzzing bee?
I would love to hear!


14 comments:

  1. Kathleen, you've captured every detail of the bug, perfectly! I wish I could take lessons from you, since I just found a scarf as a WIP, and your work has inspired me to finish it.

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  2. Hello Kathleen,

    It is going to be so beautiful, enjoyed seeing your progress on your new design. Love the antenna colours you have chosen. Imagine a world without insects, well some I could but they do so much for us pollinating plants.

    Happy days.
    Bev.xoxo

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  3. Oh that is marvelous! i love bugs too! I have made that Hungarian Goulash 3 times since I posted it! I love it!
    Sherry

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  4. You are absolutely amazing, what a talent you have!
    Thanks for stopping by and leaving the nice comment. I was glad to hear from you.
    Keep sharing your wonderful work with us, it is so inspiring.
    Hugs,
    Julie

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  5. The beetle looks so life like! You did such a good job. You'll have to show the finished project. I am going to blog about praying mantises. I'm afraid of them, but intrigued as well:)

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  6. What an artist you are.. You have been blessed with a wonderful talent!

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  7. You have done a very beautiful embroidery! :) waiting to see the leaves done in background too !!

    My hands always itch to embroider whenever I see new patterns. I am not doing justice to that part of my hobby. I always pick up new crochet projects as I find that much easier . Let me keep some goals for embroidery too:)

    I like ladybug, I had made a ladybug soft toy for my daughter. My daughter draws cute bumble bee pictures so I like that too but only in her pictures :)

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  8. this is lovely how you create straight from nature! it is very beautiful! keep it up!

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  9. You are so talented and creative.

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  10. Gosh -- you really are amazing. Beautiful bug embroidery. My youngest son would freak if anything like that landed on his arm. He doesn't even like seeing bugs flying around outside. :/ Have a great weekend. Tammu

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  11. That is one beautiful beetle, the real one and the embroidered one. Isn't nature amazing??

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  12. What a lovely blog you have! It is not often I come across someone who is passionate about hand embroidery as I am as well. Such beautiful work. Elizabeth

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  13. Beautiful work. Thanks for the clear instructions. You create beauty in everyday form.

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