Ladye Water & Some Special Bling

Water side Panel Ladye

  When working stumpwork figures, it is good to study your pattern and visualize it in your head as finished~ get a paper and pencil, and list each element of the design you wish to work, then you can go back and number them in correct order~ for example~ I cant attach Ladye's left hand until I have worked her vessel beneath it...and her right hand cannot go on until I work the fish~ but, the fish cannot go on until I have worked the dress underneath of it~ ect ect. It helps to write down a list, then you can go back over it and make changes as you think things thru. I worked Msr. Fish first because I was bored one day, and just really wanted to make him! He is worked same as the little one in the water, with real fish scales and an antique white opal bead for an eye

 Ladye's shoes were worked in a dark putty ovale over shaped padding, with grey gimp rands and soles on the heels. Little cream silk rosettes with red beads adorn their throats

 The bottom of her skirt was worked in stages like Earth Ladye's

 Once the lower skirt was complete, I worked her vessel, then attached her fish and both hands. Gimp was added to her bodice to define her stomacher and waist tabs

 Sleeves, cuffs and falling band were next, hers I trimmed in gold squiggle plate with antique gold lace on her cuffs

 Even after her hair and string of pearls were added, she still told me she was not quite complete and wanted a brooch...something special she said. I got to thinking....and yes, indeed, something very special ....I had just the perfect 'thing' so I was off to dig thru drawers and boxes until I found it

  This was absolutely perfect. It was one of my Mother's earrings, 14k gold and opal~ I always loved it when I was little, she had lost the other at some point and had this in a jar....when I left home to join the Navy...or perhaps it was when I got stationed back in the States...anyway, at some point I absconded with it.  Several times over the years I have thought it would make a nice dollye brooch, but never the right dolly needed it~ but when Ladye Water saw it, oh yes, she had to have it

~

I snipped the back off and stitched it on with gold silk, its just perfect and makes this panel even more special to me now....so if you have some special little bit of broken jewelry....a button, a single earring....a broken bit of necklace or ring~ you may look at it differently and try and figure out how you could work it into a special piece of your embroidery.