Last night's adventures in #blackwork #embroidery were frustrating.

I've been stitching on 32ct linen over two recently, so I figured a 16/18ct Aida would make #The100DayProject piece work faster and easier: the stiffness of the fabric would require less care. I hooped my fabric and started with a single strand, but I didn't like the appearance of the stitches: they got lost in the black Aida. So, I frogged it and switched to double strand and I *still* disliked it. WTF?

#BlackworkEmbroidery

I went back to swatching the #blackwork #embroidery pattern on a single strand, taking extra care. It turns out that the single strand actually looks fine, it's the pattern I don't really like. I don't like how the pattern's lines and angles converge.

This was not an auspicious start to #The100DayProject. 🥺

A mental reset was in order. I picked an adjacent diamond and decided to work it in a single strand.

Beautiful! Day 1 in the books!
Day 1.5 will be frogging. 😅

#BlackworkEmbroidery

I spent about 15 minutes removing the unfinished diamond fragments on my #The100DayProject #blackwork #embroidery before tackling Day 2's diamond.

I'm thinking about ditching the pattern entirely of that center diamond and stitching "2023" or "T100DP"inside it instead. 🤔

Day 2 went smoothly and quickly. It was easy to craft a smooth path through this pattern. I'm stitching the patterns first, then finishing it with the outline. I like the results so far!

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 3 of #The100DayProject!

I *love* how this colour pops against the black background. I've not done a pattern like this in blackwork and I found it rhythmic and satisfying (and quick!) to stitch.

When I first started #blackwork #embroidery, using black floss against white Aida, I waxed the floss to get it smooth. I stopped regularly using sometime last year, as I didn't think it was needed. I noticed floss fuzziness against the black, so I have returned to waxing.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 4 of #The100DayProject!

I am getting back into the daily rhythm of this #blackwork #embroidery project. Because I have a lot of new relationship energy with this pattern, I need to resist working on it constantly: I have to remind myself this is a walking marathon project.

I love the medium cornflower blue against the black Aida. It feels low-vibe INTENSE. The pattern is fun, but a diagonal stitching path may have been more efficient over the vertical one I used.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 5 of #The100DayProject!

It is no surprise that blue is my favourite colour, but I prefer my blues to be either true blue or blue leaning red: the purple blues. I am not a fan of blue leaning green or the teals. However, this teal against the black? AMAZING! I love how it pops, a vibrant cyberpunk-y Miami glow.

I kept thinking of The Matrix as I stitched this #blackwork #embroidery. The pattern feels very modern, computational. I would like to do more of this.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 6 of #The100DayProject!

The patterns in this #blackwork #embroidery project feel really modern. I like it! This reminded me of an oscilloscope. I messed up doing one side, so I had to do some significant undoing and restitching, but no evidence of that mistake appears to show up. 😅

The designer of this project released a freebie pattern, "100 Days of Tiny" featuring 126 little blocks. I'm tempted to start it, on black Aida with just Threadworx Bradley's Balloons. 🤔

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 7 of #The100DayProject!

Today's #blackwork #embroidery pattern reminds me of arabesque tiles. Islamic geometric art is something I've been increasingly interested in the past few years. I am attracted to the tesselations and the overlapping/interlacing of lines and forms. So pretty! I would like to do a piece heavily influenced by this.

This colour is Dark Delft Blue. I think this is my shade. It doesn't pop or feel intense against the black, but it feels calming.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

I've been keeping up with my daily #blackwork #embroidery for #The100DaysProject, but I keep neglecting to upload my progress. I have a bunch of stitching and adventures to share. This upcoming (hopefully) quiet weekend will allow me to re-engage with social media.

So, to Day 8!

I wasn't sure a colour this dark would show up against the black well, but it looks really pretty, even with a single strand! The pattern reminds me of soap bubbles, very quick and easy. 😍

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 9 of #The100DayProject!

After Day 8's craziness of acquiring tickets for Yoongi's tour (D2 NYC!), it was nice to settle into the contrast of Day 8's #blackwork #embroidery diamond with Day 9's.

Where Day 8 was this open, super fast and quick pattern, Day 9 is tighter and denser with a four-pack of the tiniest squares woven with thin connections. An intense chain-linked fence. Stitching this allowed me to release the tensions of the previous day into my work.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 10 of #The100DayProject!

I have been debating what "path" I should take through the pattern. I will finish the tilted diamond row and their tops, then start working up to the top. This path gives me maximum time to consider how to handle that pesky middle diamond that I don't like. 😕 Should I give it another go? Should I replace it with "100D2023"? 🤷

Today's #blackwork #embroidery pattern stitched up quickly and easily. Enjoyable but not memorable.

#BlackworkEmbroidery

Day 11 of #The100DayProject.

Red.
On black.
I did not expect to like this, as I am not a fan of red (I am Team Blue), and it seemed very low contrast even against the black.

But, I think I like this. It is the subtlest diamond I have worked so far, in regards to its colour against the black Aida. The #blackwork #embroidery pattern worked up quickly and it was easy but not necessarily simple. I enjoy how my brain switches figure/ground as I examine it. Fun!

#BlackworkEmbroidery