It's a BEE!

I'm hoping to take part in the Hand Embroidery Network On-line Embroidery Exhibition starting on 1st September. I'm a bit behind schedule so I'm not sure if I'm going to make the deadline.

This is what I've been doing.

First make the fabric:




This is black muslin (scrim), needlefelted on the embellisher machine with dyed wool tops (roving), in approximate bee colours and an approximate bee shape.

Then make a pattern:



and cut it out:




Then sew it together with a plain underside, stuff it, shape it and begin to add embroidered detail.


(Click on photo for bigger image)

This is likely to be a rush job, so just a few simple stitches - cretan stitch and bullion knots, and some hand needlefelted eyelash yarn. (You can't see it very well in the photo, but that's trellis stitch around that eyelash yarn!)

This is as far as I can go at the moment, because it's coming up to the August Bank Holiday here and I have a house full of very small people. All my sewing has had to be put away for both their safety and to preserve my stuff!