Gemma di Luna is a whimsical piece inspired by the DreamWorks logo. The stitching figure is worked in mostly embroidery stitches, and the fabric on which the girl is working is a real piece of fabric. The moon is studded with various attachments such as sequins, flat backs, paillettes, and beads. In addition, a few stitches that can stand on their own—such as Smyrnas, four-way Continental, and Diamond Cross—are used to fill the moon. I also employed various star shapes, some found in books and online, and some of my own device.

This piece is intended as a small celebration of embroidery and the embroiderer. This is my first time ever working on black canvas, and yes, I have heard all the horror stories. But there are very few counted techniques in the piece, and exact precision was not necessary in most places.

My intention was to stitch a large star at the upper point of the crescent moon, but I couldn’t locate the chart I sought, and finally realized that the earrings I was wearing were the perfect enhancement for the piece. And so, I sacrificed the earrings “for the sake of art”.