When I was a preschool art teacher, some of my favorite moments were the mornings during arrivals when I could just sit and draw with the kiddos.
One day, several years ago, I drew a pink dolphin and added some 90s style decorations. When the mood struck me to pick up embroidery again, I decided this would be a fun design to practice with.
So I refined the drawing to make the dolphin look more realistic, grabbed a scrap of muslin, and went to town with the thread painting.
I tried to pad out the body of the dolphin to make it a little 3D, though I kinda failed in that. But the design itself, I LOVE.
Kinda bummed I used such basic fabric, because this practice piece is some of my best work.
Though I never counted it as finished, because I intended to add a little bit of an 80s style grid behind it. But I had a lot of trouble determining the best proportion and placement. And so, sometimes you can still see the remnants of the Frixion pen I was using to plan it out.
(pro tip: these pens seem like they’ll be fantastic for this, but the color comes back if it gets too cold, and I’m not sure it’s archival. It may yellow or otherwise return over time).
As of now, I don’t think I’m going to bother adding that grid, but the piece is still unfinished. Because Toby clawed at it and now some of the stitches are snagged out. And I just haven’t felt like repairing it. But it’s still one of my favorite things I’ve made.
My Pink Dolphin
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