Making Dragonfly Wings II

Here is the rest of the first Dragonfly Wing. It is hard to know what to call this technique - the best description I have is "stumpwork meets needle-lace".

The first part was a bit difficult, as I need to have one long thread of metallic to do the blanket stitch right around the wire. When it finished I went through the fabric where the wires join and anchored it well away so I have leftover thread (there is a picture at the end)

Once I have blanket-stitched around the wire, I then repeat the process, with a new thread, but not quite as long. So I then blanket-stitch through the previous row of blanket stitch. And then go around again (still using the same thread) - and this is where this picture, below, is at - once around the wire, once around through the blanket stitch (bit looser) and I am halfway around again - quite loose.

When I have gone around two and a half times (so the thread is up at the round end), I add a very small bead.

Then I just run a line down the centre of the wing, drawing the two sides together, and finish with several blanket stitches to anchor it where the wires touch, and then go through the fabric and anchor well away from the wing - so I have excess thread for later.

Remember - it is important to go through the fabric only when starting and finishing each thread.

Below is what the back of the hoop then looks like for this wing. I have anchored the couching thread well away, although that wasn't totally necessary. But you can see where I started the metallic thread and then finished it well away from the point where it goes through the fabric. This is important for later.

I now need to make three more wings, and this may take a couple of days, before I attach them. So Part III will be back in a few days.