Lookin' good

Finally, I have something impressive to show!  And I'm going to use a different backdrop than the basement carpet!!!! (*commence Muppet!flail dance*)

Behold, my ongoing efforts of the last few weeks:

As you can see, I have completed the designs and transferral of said designs to my skirt via long stitch, and filled in three.

Here is a nice hi-res photo I'm using for reference:

My goal is to finish this half of the "vertical" embroidery by the end of the week (one design per day).

When I begin the second half I will document the transfer process for the benefit of my lovely blog readers and also upload some handy scans of the drawings themselves.

The only thing that's causing me some annoyance is the middle petal of the 2nd design.  With such a wide stitch to fill in the design, it's particularly susceptible to puckering.  It wouldn't eve be as bad as it is, except it just so happens I jammed the edge of the embroidery frame right over it, causing it to loosen a bit.  I will probably go back when the bulk of the work is done and fill that one in a little more.

Astute students of Rapunzel's costume will note that there is also embroidery along the hem. Oh, and the "dots" trailing away from each of these designs.  While my ultimate intention is to complete the hem embroidery as well, I am not going to stress about that part for my Dragon Con deadline.  Summer has just begun and I have got a lot of great stuff coming up: The Sound of Music, my trip to Paris, a potential promotion at work, a friend coming to visit over my birthday in August... all sorts of distractions.  And after the embroidery shown above is complete, my focus must, must, must be the completion of the bustier.

(I will probably go back and fill in the trailing "dots" too.  Those won't be hard).