Sweeeeeeet Vi-o-lets!

Sorry it's been so long since I've sat down and blogged. I guess I haven't been in much of a chatty mood. Instead, I've been in a focused design-every-idea-that-comes-into-my-head mood and I decided to run with it and see where it takes me. So, needless to say, I've been busy stitching up a storm. Really. (You should see the stack of started canvases on scroll bars I've got piled up in the corner of my office.)

So I reveal a finished piece to you today, as an offering that celebrates the beginning of spring. TA DA! It's called BARGELLO AND VIOLETS:


I wanted to try a four-way bargello piece using - you guessed it, surprise, surprise - variegated thread. This purple version uses Watercolours 259, "Garden Path" (a totally yummy color combo, I must admit) with green and purple #5 pearl cottons and a gold and purple metallic ribbon (I like Ribbon Floss, but it can be hard to find so I also list an alternate Kreinik 1/8th Ribbon color). [ASIDE: I also provide a list of threads to use if you want to stitch a pink or blue version.]

Here are the bargello colors up-close, as well as a bit of the outer border and easy background stitch, done with an antiquey looking #12 pearl cotton 437:


The bargello rows go really fast, so I had them all stitched quickly. And the soft metallic shimmer of the Ribbon Floss threads really make this piece sparkle - I wish you could see the actual model! Then I set the project down and didn't touch it for a year. Ahem. Time flies, etc., etc....

When I pulled it out again last month I realized I just had to figure out how to put the violets in the center. My first idea was to stitch a little tussie mussie of violets in the center or perhaps a whole violet plant. But when I graphed out a violet flower, I realized it would be fairly easy to make the violets geometrical/symetrical to echo the four-way bargello....I then added a few violets in the corner and "VOILA! C'est fini!"

Here's a close-up of the violet center:


You can see that I added a few gold beads in the centers of the flowers, just to add some dimension to the piece.

Originally, I intended to make this into a pillow and not enclose it with a border. But when I finished stitching the bargello and violets part it looked sort of plain just floating there on the canvas. So of course, I started adding one border, then another, and another.....until it was totally encircled to my satisfaction. Now it's a frame-able piece.

So if you're a sweet violet fan (like me) and you like all things purple and green (just like me) and you're in the mood to stitch a springtime project (oh YEAH!) - this might just be the project for you! Please visit my website to see the ordering information for my new BARGELLO AND VIOLETS.

And.....Have a Happy Easter weekend!