Dandelion of a Thousand Wishes

My son loves dandelions.  If he sees one in the grass, he picks it and gives it to me.  Making wishes on them is even more fun.  Seeing their seeds fly through the air sets him into reels of laughter and makes my day.  While I was in Durham working on my RSN Goldwork, as I trimmed the ends the Japanese and Rococco threads after I plunged them, the piles of fluffy golden bits reminded me of his dandelions and giggles.  I always save my scraps when doing goldwork, partly because they are expensive and precious materials and partly because that was one thing I remember Tracy saying at my first workshop with her "Save everything, you never know what you might could use them for"--and so I have.  

So, I am starting a new series.  A series of goldwork weeds and wildflowers--outsider flowers using what some may call an outsider art of creative embroidery.  I want them to feel fairly traditional in composition but completely nontraditional in detail and execution.  

For the dandelion, I am using an Aida Rustico 18 count cotton ground fabric.  I thought the rough fabric would be a nice complement to the goldwork, and I loved the slight slub and oatmealy color of it.  All the metal threads I am using are saved ends or "weeds".  Some are tarnished.  Some have barely any metal still wrapped around the fiber core.  All of them are in this pile because they are some kind of damaged or leftover good.  I have decided to embrace these flaws for all the design excitement they could be.  I have to admit, I'm having a lot of fun with this!  I hope you enjoy it too!

 Left Dandelion:  Loose ends with a varigated cotton DMC, stretched smooth purl, and stretched pearl purl. 

 Outside stems:  Stretched silk wrapped purl stitched down with metallic thread.

Inside stem:  Stretched smooth purl cutwork with varigated thread worked over string padding.

 Before her haircut. . . 

 Blossoms finished with a haircut.  

 Dandelion bud:  Bullion knots, stretched smooth purl, and chipping

 Just a bit more to finish . . .