Happy Ostara

Happy Ostara!

Blessed be!

I'm going to celebrate with smashed Pullet ovate in Wisconsin style savory salad

Also finish up this little side quest of a project

Tarot cards are a particular favorite of mine not just for the symbology of it 

but the imagery and art of the different decks is stimulating to my senses

I plan to do more of these "Side Quests" in future.

I am embroidering these with DMC 3 strand 

on a white silk background

I use clover blue water soluble pens for the drawing

I have been using these pens for decades and they have never let me down

The outlining of the hand, cup and cloud is chain stitch

With a majority of the piece done in satin stitch

As you can see demonstrated at the bottom of this picture when you outline in chain stitch and fill it in with satin stitch 

It makes a nice clear stitching line to follow

The bird is the only place I use any other Stitches

Here I also used a bullion for the tail 

cast over for the body of the wings

and raised buttonhole for the longer feathers 

Now for the pond water

I needed very short satin stitches here

I use a crossbreed of satin and stem stitch on the fountain water

to make it look more like there is movement in the stitching

There is just a little bit left to go!

I hope to have it done by the end of the day

But you never know

This Side quest

has already taken 2 weeks to complete 

And I have been neglecting a few other things in the interim

like the parrot

Gotta finish