Micro-crochet Silkie chicken report: I’ve moved on to Plan C. This required plucking the chicken again. On the plus side, being able to remove hair/fur strands without destroying the crocheted structure underneath them is a useful skill. On the negative (?) side, I’ve now proven definitively that I possess that skill. Now I’m attempting to demonstrate that I actually can feather a chicken. Plan C involves working from the toes up (and I’m really very happy with those toes), using more long strands and less fuzzing-up with the nylon brush. I’ve also accumulated an assortment of tiny barbering tools. You can see in the first photo where we are now: more strands (not too many) still to add and a lot of trimming and shaping to do.
The second photo shows a single intact thread strand (on the right) next to several split and fuzzed-up strands. It’s really remarkable how much this thread (my usual @sulkythreads 12wt cotton) can be fluffed with careful application of the point of a needle.
Over the last few days as I’ve struggled with getting this piece to have the look I want, I’ve used a mental technique that helps when I’m frustrated, trying things and nothing is working. Before I quit for the evening, I spend a few minutes thinking to figure out the next step, the next thing I’m going to try. I don’t start it yet, I just keep it in mind overnight. Then when I sit down again the next day I’m not lost and having to struggle before getting started; I can jump right in on the next idea. I think I sleep better having a plan, rather than feeling stuck. YMMV but sometimes this trick feels like all I’ve got.
