"My Major Textiles Project is a Textile Art embroidery inspired by my interpretation of two characteristics of Australiana; Flora and Fauna. The embroidery itself is (30cm x 40cm) and is encompassed in a cherry- red frame, making the finished concept size of 55cm x 66cm. The innovative design is composed of mainly natural fibres; 100% Ahisma silk, 100% cotton embroidery threads and the 100% calico stabilising backing. Initially using green tea, the silk was naturally dyed to a suitable background colour, fawn, showing off my embroidery to its best advantage. The central portrait of an emu, created by the arrangement of straight Gutermann thread machine stitches, was inspired heavily by John Williamsons song Old Man Emu and Artist Jos Coufreur. The beak of the emu is hand embroidered using three different coloured skeins. The nostril and top and bottom lip of the beak are all satin stitched, however, to emphasise the top lip, chain stitch is overlaid with satin stitch whereas the beak and nostril of the emu is outlined in chain stich. The eyes are all satin stitched. At the base of the Emus neck sits an Australiana hand embroidered flora crown which creates the illusion of the emu sitting perched behind. To the right of his flora crown is a waratah embroidered, using fly stitches for the centre, blanket stitch for the leaves, with satin stitch for inside the leaves and stump-work to outline the leaves. To the immediate left is an interpretation of a flannel flower sewn using woven picots and French knots which has no leaves attached. Left of the flannel flower sits both the wattle and gum nuts. The gum nuts are placed beneath the wattle, and are mostly satin stitches except for the French knots on the tip of the flower. The wattle is both hand-embroidered and beaded. The wattle balls are all embroidered with yellow seeds beads, sewn with invisible nylon thread. The wattle branches are embroidered using backstitch while the leaves are satin stitched. Upon the completion of marking, my embroidery piece has been professionally framed to achieve my design inspiration of a wall hanging. The greatest challenge was beading the wattle where the invisible thread made it extremely difficult to sew and anchor securely. Most rewardingly, was seeing the development of my skills and confidence, refining known stitches, creating my own stitch guide and learning new techniques."
