Friday, January 21, 2011

Oh, Lydia the Queen of Tattoo

Lydia oh Lydia, say have you met Lydia,
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady.
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady

She has eyes that folks adore so,
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady (face detail)


And a torso even more so.
Lydia, the Tattooed Lady (torso detail)

She once swept an Admiral clear off his feet.
The ships on her hips made his heart skip a beat.


Lydia, the Tattooed Lady (legs detail)
Okay, maybe you can't see the ships on her hips. But you get the gist of it!
This is probably the most colorful piece I've every stitched. She's made from the Circus Palooza pattern from Sew Lovely Embroidery, which is chock-full of other beautifully creepy designs.
Most of the design was done with a simple backstitch, though I did improvise some stitching on the more delicate work. The beads I added for a touch of texture and sparkle, reminiscent of retro showgirl costumes.
The color palette for her outfit was loosely based on Laffing Sal's, who, though not sporting any visible tattoos, is the symbol for all things weird, wacky, and side-show for this Bay Area girl. (Next time you're in San Francisco, visit the Musee Mecanique. It's free, fun, and educational.)
Next up on my project plate? I'm going back to my cross stitchin' roots, and testing out a new crafting skill thanks to my mom-in-law: crochet!
[Lyrics used above are from Lydia the Tattooed Lady, sung by Groucho Marx. Quite fitting, no?]

11 comments:

Drake Sigar said...

From the picture furthest away she looks a little like a mermaid.

Sherezada said...

A tattooed mermaid design would be awesome!

SewHappyGeek said...

Oh wow, that's really brilliant! The beads really make it jump out! Good picture, too :)

Brook said...

WWAAAHHHHHHHH I love this sooo much! You did an AMAZING job! The beads are a great touch! LOVE IT like always!

Desi said...

Absolutely amazing work! A piece of art.
Desi

Sherezada said...

Thank you so much! :)

Dana said...

That looks amazing! I love the color choices, especially the changing thread colors in the hair.

PeachyCheek said...

Oh I love this!! I have been thinking about making a tattooed lady and this gave me the motiviation to sketch it out and paint it up! :)

Sherezada said...

I'm so honored my stitching inspired your work! I'd love to see your tattooed lady!

happy zombie said...

Mad crushing in love with your embroidery!

Sherezada said...

Thanks, Happy Zombie!