Van Gogh's Ear and Body

Van Gogh got an ear yesterday.

It's needlewoven, but very loosely. As I worked each row, I carefully moved it back against the previous row. Pulling the tension tight with this thread doesn't work well (it just seems to stretch the thread) so I had to work very slowly and keep the tension even on the whole ear as it was worked. At the end the waste thread holding the tip of the two foundation loops in place was replaced by the thread I was stitching to attach the ear and make a pointed tip.

It looks more like what I wanted although I'm not entirely happy with it. I wish now it was higher on the dog's head, but it does fit in with the rest of the canvas and where it is now, it directs the eye toward the dog's eye and the mermaid he is talking to. I was very afraid of having such a dimensional ear that it would look like a beetle had landed on the canvas so I needed a looser "weave" to the ear. I don't know what thread Amy's lamp was worked in but it looks thicker than my two strands of Burmilana, which probably makes a huge difference.

Here is a close up photograph.

I've also been working the knotted stitch down his body. The arm is worked in the lightest color, the yellowest color, and a blend of the two to indicate shadow. I'll have to do some top stitching once the whole dog is done but so far, so good.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
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