Some time ago I read about piecing curves and decided to try it. I put together a few pieces of fabric and, since I had no plan or project, that was that. I may or may not have taken a picture. (I need to file all my saved photos together someday.)

Last week, I was looking for something to stitch on and found that pieced patch. I started stitching without taking a picture. When I thought about it I’d already done some stitching. I wanted to try some yarns my sister gave me and stitched the rose.

These pictures were all taken at night and are not lying flat. (They’re on a pillow because it was the biggest smooth surface in the light.) I’ve removed the background in the first to pare it back down to the original patch and in the second to remove distractions.

Except that the outer edges were raw this is what I was working with. I found it was awkward to stitch on it. I don’t know if it was the size or shape or both. I decided to add to it. I had a difficult time finding something that looked good to me, since I was limiting myself to my scraps.

Another not great picture, but it gives the idea.

I’m still not delighted with every piece. I didn’t balance the colors as well as I maybe could have. I can only partly blame that on what I had to work with, and fitting the sizes I had into the spaces I had. There are also some stitch glitches in the piecing. I was probably trying to go too fast, so I could get to the embroidery. I do get impatient sometimes. I am considering removing all the added on pieces and simply “framing” it with something contrasting. (Something in my head is screaming “Deep teal!” I do love peach and teal, or terra cotta and turquoise, any such combination.)

This photo has been cropped, but nothing else. After stitching on Tuesday night:

I’m just going. I have no real plan how it will turn out. I’m trying to keep in mind all I’ve learned about design, balance, and color, but it’s really not part of my conscious thought as I stitch. I want it to be encrusted embroidery. Maybe I can spread colors more evenly with that. Hopefully, it will all come together in the end.

I’m torn between wanting to do things totally freestyle, with no preconceived plan, and creating on paper first, so I have a plan, even if I end up deviating from it.

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I really need to redo that dark blue-green swatch.

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(WP limits my image size, despite having to limits on my site. If I remember, and decide it’s necessary, I’ll upload and link the full size images later. But it’s late now and I’d rather read, or stitch or do a puzzle instead of fighting with computers any more tonight.)