Embroidery Project - Blue Butterfly

I downloaded this pattern as a PDF from Hoop Embroidery Co on Esty as my first attempt at the technique known as "thread painting" (or sometimes long and short stitch) because your are attempting to colour in and shade with thread. It uses quite tiny, overlapping satin stitches in varying shades. You go very close to one another and each shade layers over the previous one.

I like it because despite appearances, it is actually very forgiving and I'm having fun exploring how to vary up the stitches and their placement for different effects. I learnt a lot from Trish Burr Embroidery on YouTube (as with all my YouTubing - I watch at at least 1.5x speed because they go too slowly!).

I think I did OK for my first attempt and I have collected quite a lot of images for future inspiration for more butterflies and other insects, flowers and birds. So much inspiration, so little time!