A rustic wood frame for this hand-embroidery project means it really and truly is completed.
I’m thinking about architect David Rockwell who once said: Every project is an opportunity to learn, to figure out problems and challenges, to invent and reinvent.
Framing projects as an opportunity to learn frees up creativity. Yes, I am wanting an outcome, but I am also experiencing creative growth.
Here’s what I learned on this kingfisher project:
I’d rather do long and short stitches than stem stitches for tree trunks or branches.
Having the frame before beginning helps me think more effectively about how big the project should be.
Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. (In a perfect world, the background fabric would be different, either a sharp white or a greenish blue instead of this very pale yellow-green. But I don’t think I’ll start over with new fabric.
I’ve blogged about this piece a few times, here and here
It feels helpful to write down these things so when I start the next bird project — an osprey — I can put what the kingfisher taught me to good use.
Susan Palmer's Exquisite Now 