ASK20: Octofleur
Technique: Canvas/Needlepoint Level: Intermediate Ground: Zweigart 18-mesh Levantine blue mono canvas (Access Commodities) Finished Design Size: 7" circle (5 1/4" circle on 24-mesh) Price: $18.00 |
Description:
Octofleur is a small design that forms a flower with a ring of heart-shaped petals. Several types of unusual open patterning embellish the canvas shapes. The petals all have stripes of couched metallics. A blackwork pattern is added to the upright hearts and an open lattice filling is added to the diagonal hearts to form composite patterns. The hearts have counted outlines that are applied with a unique combination of back stitches and running stitches that keep the lines consistent and straight. The flower center is an open trellis formed by intersecting rows of Tied Oblong Cross. The trellis is further embellished with isolated blackwork stars and some metallic accents. All of the open patterns use sequences that conceal the visibility of the traveling threads,and the design introduces many useful techniques for handling open treatments on canvas. The high contrast of the white thread on a dark ground makes the design dramatic, but it would be equally effective in a different interpretation, using either a monochromatic treatment or a two-color treatment.
Octofleur is a small design that forms a flower with a ring of heart-shaped petals. Several types of unusual open patterning embellish the canvas shapes. The petals all have stripes of couched metallics. A blackwork pattern is added to the upright hearts and an open lattice filling is added to the diagonal hearts to form composite patterns. The hearts have counted outlines that are applied with a unique combination of back stitches and running stitches that keep the lines consistent and straight. The flower center is an open trellis formed by intersecting rows of Tied Oblong Cross. The trellis is further embellished with isolated blackwork stars and some metallic accents. All of the open patterns use sequences that conceal the visibility of the traveling threads,and the design introduces many useful techniques for handling open treatments on canvas. The high contrast of the white thread on a dark ground makes the design dramatic, but it would be equally effective in a different interpretation, using either a monochromatic treatment or a two-color treatment.
Materials:
NOTE:
The design could also be adapted to a finer 24-mesh Congress cloth so thread substitutions for this are listed in parentheses below.
Canvas: 12" piece Zweigart 18-mesh Levantine blue canvas (10" piece 24-mesh Congress cloth)
Stretcher frame: 12" square (10" square)
Rainbow Gallery Coronet Braid: 7-8 yards #84B silver (7 yards #44B silver)
1 skein DMC #5 white pearl cotton (1 ball DMC #8 white pearl cotton)
1 ball DMC #8 pearl cotton (1 ball DMC #12 white pearl cotton)
1 skein DMC white floss (2 strands Au Ver a Soie white silk)
12 mother of pearl 4mm round beads (Access Commodities)
50 white seed beads (must fit over a #8 crewel or #28 tapestry needle threaded with #8 pearl)
Tapestry needles: #22, #24, #26, and #28 (for beading)
NOTE:
The design could also be adapted to a finer 24-mesh Congress cloth so thread substitutions for this are listed in parentheses below.
Canvas: 12" piece Zweigart 18-mesh Levantine blue canvas (10" piece 24-mesh Congress cloth)
Stretcher frame: 12" square (10" square)
Rainbow Gallery Coronet Braid: 7-8 yards #84B silver (7 yards #44B silver)
1 skein DMC #5 white pearl cotton (1 ball DMC #8 white pearl cotton)
1 ball DMC #8 pearl cotton (1 ball DMC #12 white pearl cotton)
1 skein DMC white floss (2 strands Au Ver a Soie white silk)
12 mother of pearl 4mm round beads (Access Commodities)
50 white seed beads (must fit over a #8 crewel or #28 tapestry needle threaded with #8 pearl)
Tapestry needles: #22, #24, #26, and #28 (for beading)