The Cat Portrait, Complete!

It’s done.. and it only took me 4 months!

Having COVID last week was at least good for progress on finishing this project. I was able to get the inside of Kitler’s ears done on Tuesday.

Then all I had to do yesterday was was the border and adding the whiskers!

I used a thinner sewing thread for the whiskers, rather than stranded cotton. I found some in an old Christmas cracker sewing kit!

Then I just had to wash off the Fabri-Solvy and give it a quick soak to clean off any grease. I also had to use a hairdryer on the original Pilot Friction pen marks which I’d not covered with stitches. The heat makes them invisible but it doesn’t remove the ink, the marks can come back if it gets really cold… But hopefully that won’t happen!

I’m happy with how it turned out!

When I first started I wasn’t planning to go as detailed with the thread painting but it soon got away from me (as often happens, see last year’s painting for my brother!).

The needle painting for beginners course I took on Domestika (I bought it about 3 years ago!) gave me some useful tips for planning my work which I believe helped. I’m usually a bit more of a “wing it” crafter than a planner, but this sort of work, where you’re layering, does benefit from forethought.

Next I want to focus on working through the pile of Christmas themed kits I’ve collected over the last four years! I’ve got a few things like felt baubles and small hoops that came with my Love Embroidery subscription, and a lot of transfer patterns and magazines of festive projects!