The schools around here make a big deal of the Chinese New Year, which made me think of an old Piecework issue that had instructions for making a cute embroidered felt rooster for 2005. Of course, I never got around to doing it then, and subsequent years would need a different animal, but last week I decided to try my hand at designing my own pattern.
I studied the old pattern and the pictures of silk and cotton dragons in the accompanying article. I also read up on Chinese dragons, and how they are shaped like snakes, with four (usually) legs and no wings, and then sketched out the little guy. I decided the legs, tail feathers (or whatever) and head crest would be easier to manage if they were separate felt pieces attached to the body. I used the fly stitch to give the appearance of scales, and embroidered a few more details for the face and tail. The orange thingies are supposed to be flames coming out of the mouth; it didn't quite come out the way I'd intended. Otherwise, I'm quite pleased with the cutie.
Mr. Beadgirl reminded me that this is not the first Chinese dragon I've made. Years ago I made one out of beads and wire, and gave it to Mr. Beadgirl because he was so taken with it (usually he is indifferent to my work). Mr. Beadgirl christened it Edgar, and he sits on his desk at work.
Mr. Beadgirl just emailed me a picture of Edgar:
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