Ana's Mermaid

Hi Guys,

Oh, the eve of a three day weekend, is there anything better? Yes! A three day weekend that starts off with fireworks! Happy Independence Day everyone! Do you have any plans this weekend? We have a little and a lot to do, does that make any sense? Kind of a weird weekend. Me personally, I have A LOT to do, like stitch, stitch, stitch! Next Friday I am going to be the featured artist at The Rowan Tree for Lodi Arts Commission Art Hop! Eeeep! I'm stitching like a mad woman to have enough to show, plus making a display and a sign, eeegads! Where does the time go?

Speaking of time, it's time I finally shared about this lovely lady! This Urban Threads Dark Fairy Tales Mermaid is something I stitched for my niece, Ana. It was meant to be for Christmas, and it ended up being for her birthday 5 months later. Oh, the shame...

I am *SO* behind with my birthday gift makings this year. There are a couple people who probably think I've forgotten them. I haven't peeps! I'm just notoriously late! I need to replicate myself so I can stitch twice as much, so many ideas so little time... 

Rather than hoop this embroidery up once complete, I decided to stretch the fabric over an artists canvas, I really like the clean, contemporary look.

Hair! An embroiderers favorite thing to stitch! I jest. It's really not that bad, just tedious, but I'm generally happy with the results, I did all of this mermaids hair in stem stitch. You can see some other hair stitchery I've done here & here.

Her body is also stitched in single strand perle cotton, simple backstitch.

As I mentioned I stretched this piece over artists canvas, I did gallery corners at each corner and was very pleased with how neat & tidy they came out.

I trimmed the back with some lacy printed black ribbon just to make things look more finished and I had the hanging hardware added at Aaron Brothers, they do that you know, for $5! What a bargain.

Ana told me that she loves her Little Mermaid and has hung it in her house, yay! I love to hear that kind of thing as does anyone who makes handmade gifts, you want the person to love them as much as you loved making them and sometimes that comes with a risk. This risk paid off, woo!

So what are you all doing this weekend? Do tell!

oxo,

Lisa