Working on a Dimensional Dragonfly

Took a few days off. We had a new furnace/heatpump installed. I can't believe how exhausting all these stressor are.

I felt like I sleepwalked for a few days.

Today I finally started.

I'm aiming for a little drama in each panel so a LARGE Dragonfly was a natural.

The wings on the smaller embroidered ones are all loose with only the body anchored so this one is going to be worked the same.

But

Since its going to be several times larger, in your face so to speak I needed to looked hard at making it truly 3 dimensional.

So this is the first version.

I watched a video on constructing dragonfly wings using a stumpwork method, that is, using thread/cord stitches on a wire frame. To do that I needed to source some thicker metallic cordage.

At this time, I wasn't going to do that. Then I stumbled upon a beaded Dragonfly broach.

Bingo.

After drawing the insect to the rough scale I started on the wings.

I may not have enough beads to make the wings all the same colour, but I don't see that as a problem.

So here is how I started.

The paper cut out is roughly hand sized.

Using the pins as a guide, stiff wire was bent and shaped, close to the original paper pattern.

The wing structure outlined with large beads show real promise here.

I know I don't have enough gold beads to do four wings so now its just a case of decided what colours I want to mix.

When finished I will need to construct a suitable body into which I can bury the wing wires, as I did with the Mushroom in a former piece.