Angle fromHollyhock House, 2004

My smallest ever face: one stitch less than half the width of Tree Top Angel.

Years after Tree Top Angel,

I had started to manipulate the space for more expression.

From Constellation

Not too many years ago I stitched this face, just 10 stitches wide and it was a step forward for me: I had learned to use overstitching, and it helped add some distinct expressing to the face.

If I were to do all three faces again, I would add the suggestion of a nose with a single stitch.

Tree Top Angel's Face, 1980s?

The first face I ever stitched, I am guessing sometime in the 1980's, now nearly 40 years ago.

My Favorite.

Eleanor. Did I know she would be be my favorite?  Did I have control over what I was stitching? Noo, 90% is accidental, serendipity.

This is true of all my needlework, but most so of faces. A drawing is a different medium and the translation doesn't work. I learned years ago,  I have to think in stitches.

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How about this as a face? Solves the problem, doesn't it: no face at all.

Jane Wood sent this to me, a detail from Leigh Designs' Water Babies series and stitched by Sue of West Coast Finishing using Jane's stitch guide.  Thanks, Jane.

A different idea, a different presentation, a nice contrast and a good reminder that there are as many different styles as there are people who stitch.

Over time consensus about my four queens seems to be that Elizabeth is the most difficult to stitch, while Victoria by far the easiest.

It always makes me chuckle because hands down the most difficult for me was Victoria.

Her face was the most difficult because I had to try and make her look a bit like the real Victoria, except that she had to be very pretty, all in about 28 stitches across.

It was a struggle, but it wasn't the end of my struggles with Victoria. I also had the problem of a brunette wearing a white dress.