Angel Hair

Petei Angel Before 

When you last saw the Petei angel, she looked like this.  Her hair wasn't finished, though.  Should her hair look like a young Brooke Shields?
http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/2013/01/angel-progress-head-and-shoulders-shot.html

Or perhaps her hair should be blowing in the breeze like the Queen of the Seas' lovely tresses?
http://stitcherie.ning.com/photo/queen-of-the-sea?context=user

Styling Bo Derek's Hair

No, I was thinking of copying Bo Derek's look in Ten.  Anyone remember that movie?
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Bo-Derek-10-Posters_i7968675_.htm?AID=96280778&ProductTarget=53105935183

I started giving the angel a Bo Derek look by laying long stem stitches using Wool Crepe from Fabulous Fibers and Embellishments on top of the straight vertical stitches (using Lorikeet wool) I'd already done. Wool Crepe is a wool-rayon blend that is very tightly twisted together.  This gives you a strand a bit smaller than #8 perle cotton but with a ridged look due to the tight twist.  I used Sand Daffodil #003 which gave the angel blonde highlights.  You can see more of this fiber at the Fabulous Fibers website.
http://www.fabulousfibers.com/detail.asp?c=Wool+Crepe

I added a bullion and a French knot or two with my Wool Crepe, then switched back to 1-2 plies of my Lorikeet wool to add more French knots, a bullion or two more, stem stitches and chain stitches here and there.  I also tossed in a few beads, using a gorgeous tan faceted Delica bead from Miyuki called Varied Taupe #6276.  It has a lot of shine.  The photos don't really show the beads well, but below is my Petei angel all finished with Bo Derek hair.  What fun!

Petei's Angel is Finished

I never knew that chain stitch would give a braided look to hair, or that beads would also add to the flowing effect.  Probably a smoother hairstyle would look nicer on this angel but I wanted to experiment a little.  Small pieces like this 4x7 angel are perfect for trying something new, just to see how it looks. I like how she turned out and hope she tempts you to experiment on some of your smaller pieces as well.

It's the experiments that we do with our needle that make us better stitchers, after all!

The Petei angel has gone into the drawer with other finished canvases I have yet to make up.  I hate finishing so I tend to accumulate a pile of it, then turn everything into finished pieces all at once.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com