Stumpwork Progress: Dragon Preparations

The preparation is finally, and properly, underway on the stumpwork dragon, which according to my mum is called Cedric. Not sure why, but we'll go with it. 

I'm quite glad that I have had quit a bit to sort out in terms of prep work i.e. padding both felt and stitched and other minor background details to work on as I've been pondering over the colour of the silk threads I want to use for the main details. It's taking me a while to make a decision, partly because I'm relying on computer screens to see colours, and types and it's a little frustrating when the photographs aren't clear and as silk threads can be on the expensive side I don't really want to go down the path of ordering a bunch only to find they aren't what I've been looking for. Its times like this when I REALLY, REALLY, wish there was a damn good haberdashers // craftstore in Farnham. Perhaps one day I'll be the one to run it but until then, I'll have to make do with the internet and attending the occasional fair.

Anyway, back to the thread selection, I'm just waiting on some samples to come through, and I have my toes and fingers cross they are a match. 

Back to the prep layer, thus far I have stitched the padding for the satin for the shield details, and applied the maypole fabric and vintage gold thread. 

I've done the maypole a little weirdly, in that there is a felt layer which has been wrapped round by the silk dupion, only one side of the pole can you see the stab stitches as the other side has been secured underneath the silk....probably the worst explanation ever!

Weird abstract art....otherwise known as padding.

The next bit is the blue felt padding which will make up the dragon, then I'll have to wait till I finally decide on the silk thread, bit annoying having to put it away again, but I do have the Frida pattern to get on with, and oh, and  I might have purchased a few items over the week, so I have them to play with too:

Four fat quarters of various weight printed cottons from Village Haberdashery, I didn't really need them but the excuse is one of them might be chosen to be the curtain for my bedroom. Otherwise, they were really, really pretty and I haven't purchased fabric in a while. Don't judge me. The other, perhaps slightly unnecessary purchase was some new art materials. I've been itching to get back to drawing, and it came about from doodling coats of arms, a bit of a small love affair of mine. I just love the way they are structured from the use of a limited colour range (tinctures) to the symbolism of the images used. I've stitched one or two coats of arms in the past, but I've gotten into the love of making my own up so I've been using watercolours, inks and promarkers. The latter I wanted a few more colours to add to my stash for use when I am designing embroidery patterns and so forth. So they were my naughty spends for the weekend. Which will and are being used.

This one eventually went really, really wrong owing to an accident with the ink but it was good to play around with paint and ink again. 

Do you have a secret passion or not so secret one that's perhaps not entirely associated with what you make create? Or have you purchased any materials lately that you didn't really need, but wanted anyway? Do share!