It’s three weeks since I last shared my garden embroidery, progress has been slower than I would have liked on this one, possibly because its the last big one and I want to get my garden book finished, it’s one of those projects that has grown somewhat since the original idea, rather apt for a garden book really!

Anyway, three weeks ago I was just starting the buddleia in the corner of my Amber and Amethyst garden…

I finished the buddleia using lots of French knots for the flowers. I then thought I’d better stitch down some of the circles as a couple were looking a little loose. The one by the rose arbour is meant to be a skimmia, the one down by the standard rose which looks like it has an attack of green measles, is meant to be a hebe. I think I might put a few more French knots in a lighter green and maybe a few light mauve ones for the flowers.

I then decided to be a bit more methodical and just work my way round the beds, rather than jumping from one side to the other, hoping it will spur me on more…

So, I’ve stitched a purple geranium under the standard rose and a hellebore next to the hebe, this is the deep purple one which is one of my favourites;

…only I’ve just realised I’ve stitched it on the wrong side of the hebe and maybe a bit too dark! Artistic license! I’ve stitched the honeysuckle up the arch with split stitch for the stems and open chain stitch for the flowers. This is wishful thinking as although it did have some nice flowers this year it’s pretty weedy really!

I’ve also started stitching one of the big rosebushes, this one is called Port Sunlight and it’s a lovely warm tangerine colour. I’ve used three strands of DMC for a French knot in the middle and surrounded it with stem stitch.

Hopefully by the time it’s due for the next update I will have finished the right hand side.

This Stitch-a-long is organised by Avis from Stitching by the Sea, we share our progress on our chose piece every three weeks, just enough to keep us motivated. There’s some amazing embroidery, so please follow the links and see what everyone else has been stitching.

Avis, Claire, Gun, Christina, Kathy, Margaret, 

Heidi, Jackie, Sunny, Megan, Deborah, Sharon, 

Daisy, Cathie, Linda, Helen, Cindy, MaryMargaret