Advent Calendar 2019 – No. 6

Sheep (1)

When embroidering the sheep, begin with the ear using Satin stitches (2 strands of 6-ply stranded cotton) – work from the bottom of the ear to the top.

Next, the facial outline and the tail are worked.

Depending on whether the sheep should get thick wool on the head or something else, one starts outlining directly on the face or at the back of the head.

If a leg is visible, the lower leg is covered with Satin stitches (2 strands of 6-ply stranded cotton).

Next, we must work its fleece. I have embroidered the same motif as a wall hanging before. At the time I used curved Bullion Knot stitches (Early Schwalm Whitework). This time I want to use the finished piece as tablecloth; Bullion Knot stitches would be too dimensional for this purpose.

So I used Lazy Daisy stitches.

Starting with the area around the ear, the stitches are randomly embroidered; they are stitched in all directions, sometimes narrow, sometime wider, more or less open, some short and some longer, sometimes with a little distance from each other, then overlapping. In this way, the stitches give a woolly appearance. One must not fret over how to place the next stitch.

Even if some parts do not seem to be absolutely to your liking during the process, keep on going – the overall effect will be charming in the end.

I was not satisfied with the appearance of the leg. In my mind it was not sufficiently discernible from the fleece. So I embroidered it again with Satin stitches running horizontal to the leg. I like that better; however, I did not remove the previous stitches but used them as underlay. But now the leg appears too padded.

The sheep covering their legs with their body do not cause these problems.

Now one just has to decide to cover the head with thick wool or not.

If one wants to use curved Bullion Knot stitches for the fleece, one has to use a fine thread and not make too many wraps.