Experiments Part 5: A Cat from the Back

One of my goals for this project is to challenge myself to try new things, whether that be learning new stitches and techniques, trying different fabric and threads, drawing anything, and of course, making embroidery pieces from the back. I did my first piece from the back in March and another in April. I love the back of embroidery; they're works on art in their own ways. Stitches look completely different, and even mysterious, when you look at the back of a piece. As I shared back in March, more traditional embroiderers focused on perfection of both the front and back of a piece. That's how embroidery and other forms of needlework were taught. The back is supposed to be an exact match to the front. No knots in weird places or mis-stitched moments. 

Here's the thing: embroidery is messy. I was chatting on Instagram with a fellow embroidery artist and we both talked about how having dry skin can ruin the stitching experience. Why? Because the thread gets caught on your hand, which can cause tangles. And then you have to de-tangled everything and start again. Knots, not the intentional kind, happen. The messiness of the back of the piece doesn't mean a person is a less talented embroiderer. Thread sucks sometimes (even if you use beeswax or other ways to treat thread - I don't). Fabric doesn't always cooperate. Humans are messy and sometimes, our stitching is too. 

Both of my previous from the back pieces were more abstract in nature. I wanted to focus on the stitches and how they look from the back. A back stitch doesn't actually look like a back stitch on the reverse side of a piece. This is part of my goal to design a piece specifically to be seen from the back. In order to do that well, I have to know how the stitches really look and how they work together. 

Today's piece is not that piece. I wanted to experiment with what a regular design looks like in reverse. When you flip a piece, it doesn't necessarily translate to perfection or a mirror image of what's on the front. I decided to use one of my favorite pieces I've done so far, the cat in the window. In addition to being one of the first times I drew something super adorable, it was also my attempt to create a mood within the scene. I also made it on February 25 and I love a full circle moment. 

I used the same pattern, thread palette, and stitches. Notice how certain features don't really translate, like the cat's whiskers. You know there's a stitch there, but not what the shape is. Some stitches aren't as defined as they would be if we were looking at the "front" of this piece. I also love how the darker background changes the mood of the piece. 

Doing a piece from the back isn't about turning something over and calling it a day. We can appreciate the back of embroidery (or cross stitch or whatever other type of needlework you do) on its own or as a part of the full piece. As I plan my original piece, I have to rethink how stitches work and align with one another and on their own. It's almost like a stitch takes on a new identity when you turn it over, and that's what I have to figure out for the original design. I'm targeting August, but it could be later. Until then, enjoy today's cat in the window.

The back that is now the front

The front that is now the back

A closeup

Details:
Stitches: back, satin, and straight stitches
Thread palette: SS 114, 702, 703, 704 (3 strands)