Melitastitches4fun's Blog

Rainbow Butterfly by Danji, Laurel Burch Artwork & The Stitching Club with Ellen Johnson/Serendipity

I fell in love with this canvas at NJ Needle Fest a couple of years ago, and Linda had it in her stash and gave hers to me for my birthday! Thanks again, Linda. I’m finally getting to it. Kristen has the canvas, too, and we are going to stitch it for discussion at our ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter meetings. I introduced the canvas at our Monday night meeting earlier this month.

There is so much going on this 6.5″ wide x 4.5″ tall canvas that it is kind of tough to decide where to start. I joined Ellen Johnson’s Stitching Club where she has amassed a series of videos on “Evaluating Your Canvas”. I went through them and immediately knew that I was learning to read my canvas better.

I want this to be a flat ornament hanging at an angle like it is flying.

I decided the focal is the red and orange portions on the wings – not the whole butterfly as I thought initially. Those areas contrast in temperature (warmest) and are completely outlined in black compared to the transition area where red changes to purple (warmer to cooler) and which is partially outlined in black. The opening along the bottom takes you into the cooler portions of the lower part of the wings.

I also read up on butterflies. Butterflies have 4 wings – not 2 wings as I thought initially! The 2 top wings are the forewings and the 2 lower are the hindwings.

The body may be the entry point that takes you to the antennae, which leads you to the wings. It may be a focal point, too.

There is balance within the design. The right and left sides are symmetrical (alike on left and right sides) but there is also some asymmetrical balance between the larger forewings on the top and the smaller hindwings below because of the large flower motifs.

My research also found that there is texture to the butterfly’s wings – not smooth and flat as I initially thought. The wings are covered in tiny scales that possess a microscopic texture that can produce iridescent colors by reflective interference. That sounds like what we see when stitching alternating scotch or cashmere with silks.

Possible textured stitches include Rhodes, French Knots, couching, surface embroidery, beading, and sequins. Possible thread suggestions from members of my chapter included memory wire, Petite Facets, and fuzzy threads. Kristen expects hers will be so embellished it will be too heavy to fly!

For the body, possible ideas include stuffing beads inside Flair, chipping with goldwork (would look good but would tarnish), and padding with kid leather.

I’ll be selecting threads tomorrow at our chapter’s monthly Saturday Stitch-in and the first time at Fireside Stitchery!

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