It’s three weeks since I last posted my progress on my Flower Lattice. It’s a design by Di van Niekirk which uses ribbon embroidery and stumpwork. I’ve done a little ribbon embroidery before, but I’ve never tried stumpwork, so I’m learning lots to say the least!
This was my progress three weeks ago, I had just finished my second diamond;
I’ve not managed much this time, but I have stitched a bit. We’ve just started major decorations and work on our house, so in the last couple of weeks I’ve painted one room (ceiling and woodwork today!) stripped wallpaper off another two rooms, prepped another… hopefully by the beginning of summer I will have redecorated eight rooms, have new doors and floors and be all sorted, back to normal…the chaos when you start decorating is just not conducive to sitting peacefully embroidering!
Panel three is ‘a lily, narcissus & a ladybird’. I’m trying to be strict with myself and stitch them in the order of the book, so I don’t start with all my favourite ones and leave the tricky looking ones to the end!
The lily is meant to be stitched with silk organza ribbon, I’ve only got the normal silk ribbon, so I used that instead. My silk ribbon was quilt a bright orange, rather than the rich copper shown in the book. I decided to try overdying it with my silk paints, I added some deep pink to a drop of water in a plastic cup and dunked my ribbon in it, gave it a swish and then ironed it dry to set it. I’m pleased with the result, it’s just softened the orange. It’s not quite as bright as it looks in the photo, but it’s probably more tiger-lily than copper coloured!
The buds were stitched first, followed by the main flower and then the leaves. The centre of the flower is filled with french knots and pistil stitches. The long stamen is a cake decorating one. The book showed one big one which was stuck in with a dab of glue, I didn’t fancy that method. I used a smaller one, dipped it in very dark brown silk paint and allowed it to dry thoroughly before I folded it in half, made a hole in the fabric with the biggest chenille needle I could find before threading the stamens through the hole. I just secured them with a few stitches at the back.
At the moment it’s not my favorite flower, but hopefully the daffodils and the ladybird will tone it down a bit! Maybe the cute little ladybird will take centre stage!
The next step is to embroider the basket which the plant sits in, it has like a woven effect using whipped spider web stitches…so that’s another one to learn!
Tomorrow it’s my Embroiderers Guild meeting so I’m planning to take it with me to stitch on in the morning, so hopefully next month you’ll see more progress.
There’s quite a few of us taking part in the stitch-a-long now, all around the world. It’s organised by Avis, so if you fancy joining in just drop her a line. Everyone will hopefully be posting today so why not have a look what everyone else is creating at the moment.
- Avis at http://sewingbesidethesea.wordpress.com
- Claire at http://claire93.wordpress.com
- Gun at http://rutigt.wordpress.com
- Carole at http://aslightobsessionwithbooks.wordpress.com
- LucyAnn at https://lucyannluna.wordpress.com
- Jess at https://everthecrafter.wordpress.com
- Sue at http://sewingmagpie.blogspot.com
- Constanze at https://textiledreamer.wordpress.com
- DebbieRose at https://sewrosey.wordpress.com
- Christina at https://petalsandpins.wordpress.com
- Susan at http://susanpblog.wordpress.com
- Kathy at https://livinginrapidcity.wordpress.com
- Kate at https://talltalesfromchiconia.wordpress.com/
- Cindy at http://homeofaflossjunkie.blogspot.com
- Helen at http://stitchingranny.wordpress.com
- Steph at https://mymakingdoadventure.wordpress.com
- Linda blogs at http://lindascr8tions.wordpress.com
- Catherine blogs at http://hillviewembroidery.com
- Wendy at https://thecraftersapprentice.blogspot.co.uk/
thecraftycreek 
This is so beautiful and I look forward to seeing what you’ve managed to complete every update. Good luck with the decorating. It’ll be worth it.
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So pretty & great progress
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It is quite an assertive flower, but is quite lovely. I think it’ll blend well once you have some more flowers and colours to give it competition!
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This is just spectacular! I love this flower–not at all a wallflower!
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Totally spectacular design. loving seeing this piece progress, you are very talented stitcher.
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lovely vivid orange!
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You’ve been so busy! Decorating is a tiring job. I bet you are looking forward to to it being finished! I actually really like the bright orange! I think it will give you a lovely contrast. Good thinking about the stamen too!
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This project has me hooked. It is so beautiful, you must feel so proud of yourself.
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My daylilies are just a bit duller than you picture, so I think you must have snuck a visit last summer!!!😊 I’m holding out for the daffodils, I am trying to think of how they will become 3-dimensional! Redecorating sounds like a big job…UFDA! it will be wonderful when finished I’m sure.
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Your embroidery is so beautiful! I can´t stop looking at it!
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This piece is beautiful. I love seeing your progress. Good luck with the decorating.
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The orange is a beautiful shade for the flower and the progress you took for the stamens is amazing!
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It’s looking great so far
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I’ve seen tiger lilies that color; I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with it! (I happen to be a fan of orange anyway.) Have fun with that basket weaving – I know I would!
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It looks beautiful! Great idea about dying the ribbon
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Incredibly pretty and very skilled. Ribbon embroidery is much harder than it looks, all about getting the ribbon to lie properly. Terrifc work. Good luck with the decorating.
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I love all your fancy stitches, ingenious how you’ve added the stamen 😀
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It is gorgeous
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