Whew…
It’s finally done.
Mom had given me as a Christmas Present the needles, threads, hoops, and whatnot that I needed to do Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery. What is Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery? Uhmm… The best I can tell is it is just plain old hand crafted needle point using synthetic threads such as Rayon. The threads where frist made in Brazil, hence the name. The shiney, silky smooth threads make doing complex stitches like Bullion stiches easier then with a corser thread.
Do you think I used one of the many patterns mother had for my first project with my new presents? HELL NO! First thing I have to do is decide to make a flower that I can’t find ANYWHERE. An hour of searching the web found a postage stamp size photo of an embroidered Columbine. Columbine – no, not THAT Columbine – you know, the flower, the one you used to pick and eat the tips off of, Honeysuckle? GREAT! At least I know it can be done. A search for photos finds a couple of photos and a line drawing that I used to start from. I did it from scratch from there.
I had started all gung-ho. Life caught up with me. I decided tonight that I was going to finish a project I had started – get at least one checked off my list for the calendar year, right? So, a long story not much shorter. I finished it tonight.
Here is the finished project still on the stitching hoop. You can see the blue watermarker drawing I had made for my pattern. To the right and left edges are a few practice stitched I made when I was getting the knack of my Bullion stitches and sizing my French Knots. The ones you see are the ones that were good enough I didn’t cut them off.
I have read somewhere that you can judge the quality of a needle point peice by looking at the back of it. Well, here is the back of mine. How does it look? Did I do well? I don’t think it is as nice looking as the front, but that is just me.
I think the neatest part of Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery is the stitches come off the material. It is truly almost 3D! Look how the flower petals stand up off the fabric. You should really see this in person, you just want to reach out and touch it. Wipe that fingerprint of your screen silly, I said in person!
Here is the final piece all washed and dried and framed and whatnot. You can really see how shiney the thread is in this photograph.
All in all, I think Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery is a rewarding needlepoint craft. I doubt I will ever go back to counted cross stitch.
Now what to do for my next project…. 
mi piace