Blue Box Progress--Finished

There are two previous posts about the blue box...so check those out to get the progress as I've moved along.
For today, let me walk you through the stitching on the mermaid herself. First a reminder of how she looked when I started....

Since she is already a redhead...and I like that...here are the colors of silk thread I shall use for her.

These particular threads came from Thailand, off of Ebay. Gorgeous colors, but I have to tell you to beware because when they arrived (about 50 spools) I thought I'd have to throw them away...they smelled so badly. I could not determine if it was from being stored too long...mildewy...or from something else. I loaded them into a plastic container...sprayed (soaked!) them in Febreze...and closed the lid. After about 3 months...they smelled better. So, I sprayed them again...and 3 months later...all is well. The colors did not bleed either..and I was glad and fortunate for that!

Okay, here is the beginning of the hair. I stitched usually in a simple split stitch...and back stitch sometimes to fill in space. I use a divide and conquer method...by stitching along the direction the hair would be flowing...and use the image to guide me in that.

Then I continue this process until all the areas are divided up, and I can clearly see the direction the hair would be flowing...that is the direction of my stitching.

Truly...this is not a difficult thing to do. Just use really thin thread...and do lots of "rows". If you don't have any silk thread...use any type of rayon embroidery thread. It will give you a good sheen and is fairly thin. Combine three colors (as I did here)...or even 3 threads of the same color. The stitching actually goes pretty fast. Here is the final hair...it took about 2 hours to stitch it all.

Next, I debated several ideas for the "fins". They are very fluid with all the dips and valleys and creases in the artwork...and I didn't want to loose that. In the end...I decided to let the art speak and only accent it by stitching along the outside edges of the fins.

And, here is a closeup of the jewelry she is wearing...now she is ready to swim back home to Eileen! She'll be arriving soon gal!