LandScape Craft and Cookery Special

A
SINGLE STEM OF bluebells creates an enchanting picture,
embroidered in simple stem and satin stitches. It takes advantage of
the fact that embroidery thread is made up of six individual strands,
loosely twisted together. This allows parts of the design to be worked
with a mixture of thread colours, producing a subtle blending that is more
natural. The linen used was originally part of a tray cloth. The embroidery is
left in the hoop which forms a simple frame. A piece of string is attached to
the screw at the top to hang it from.
STITCHES USED
A
C
B
Stem stitch
Bring needle up at A and down at B. Bring needle
back up halfway between A and B at C, just slightly
above the first stitch. Keep thread below the needle.
C A
Satin stitch
Come up at A and take the needle down
at B. Come up again at C and repeat.
B
MATERIALS
• 1 skein each of Coats Anchor stranded embroidery
thread: light blue 7876, dark blue 7110, light green
6842, dark green 6876
• Embroidery needle
• Heat-erasable pen
• 10in (25cm) square linen (the fabric used here
was salvaged from a vintage tray cloth)
• 10in (25cm) square Stitch-N-Tear
• Glue stick
• 8in (20cm) embroidery hoop
Stitch-N-Tear is a flexible paper that gives extra
support to the linen, keeping stitches looking neat. It
also prevents any colour showing through where the
threads are carried across at the back.
AZURE BELLS
The seasonal beauty of bluebells is captured in
this picture created with thread
Creating the embroidery
1. A 15½in (40cm) length of the required colour is cut and
three strands drawn out. These are held together and
threaded through the needle.
2. The outline is transferred onto the linen, using a
heat-erasable pen. The linen is placed over the Stitch–N-Tear
and both layers are mounted in the embroidery hoop, with
the screw at the centre top.
3. The stalk is embroidered with three rows of small stem
stitches. For the top row, one strand of light blue and two of
light green are used, and three light green for the other two
rows. The leaf is also worked with three strands of light
green, in satin stitch. Each side is worked separately, so that
the stitches slant in opposite directions.
4. Each bluebell and the centre bud on the left-hand side
are outlined in stem stitch, using three strands of dark blue.
The shapes between are filled in with three strands of light
blue, in stem stitch. The top bud is outlined and filled in with
three strands of light blue and the lower bud with one strand
of dark blue and two of light blue.
5. Using two strands of light green and one of dark green,
the bluebell stalks are worked in stem stitch. The tendrils
that grow from the stalks are embroidered in different
colours, for a more natural appearance. From left to right,
the first two are stitched in three strands of dark green, the
next with two strands of dark blue and one of light blue.
Three strands of light blue are used for the next two and the
final one with one strand of dark blue and two of light blue.
6. Removed from the hoop, the piece is lightly pressed from
the wrong side. This removes the heat-erasable pen. Once
refitted in the hoop, the layer of Stitch-N-Tear is trimmed
flush with the frame, then the linen is trimmed back to ½in
(1cm) all round. The inside of the frame is coated with glue
and the fabric folded back so it adheres to the wood.
▯ Project: Lucinda Ganderton ▯ Photography: Richard Faulks
TEMPLATE
25