Phase 2: Silver Fan Complete

It's done! After nearly four months, my Phase 2 Japanese embroidery piece is complete, and I am so thrilled with how it turned out! This is easily the most beautiful thing I've ever stitched.

After completing the dreaded cords, the last step was to finish all the goldwork. First up was couching down a pair of #5 silver threads in between each fan segment:

I love the effect this simple step had. It covered up all the slightly messy edges where the different segments coincided, and that dainty line of silver trim along every fan blade just makes it feel so much more polished.

Next, I had to add the border for the left and top sides of the fan. I started with a pair of #5 silver threads, couched them down all the way around, and sank the ends:

Once that was done, it was time to add the third strand of #5 silver thread to the left and top sides (to create a slightly wider border for the outer edge):

To achieve the bricking effect, I couched over both the new strand and the outer strand of the pair I'd couched down first. But it was tricky to get the needle in between the already couched pair, so I switched from a #3 needle to a #2, which is thinner and fit more easily:

Things went much more smoothly after changing my needle. When I'd finished the couching, I sank the ends. And voila, here is my lovely phase 2 completed:

Perhaps I shouldn't say so, but I am in raptures over this fan! I absolutely adore it! 😍 The soft, elegant color scheme just sings to me. And the silver, though perhaps not apropos for a fan called Golden Fan, feels just right. I should probably rechristen this Silver Fan. But regardless, I'm so glad I decided to choose my own colors. I'm really pleased with the aesthetic. It feels very me.

I know this piece has its fair share of mistakes, but to me it represents so many new skills and so much progress in my JE journey. I am very proud of myself for achieving this. It's a moment of pure bliss, and after all, the mistakes aren't so very noticeable when you see it all complete. 😊