During the hot days of summer, I really want something light and easy to work on. Nothing hard or too complex with multiple layers of stitches that will get me frustrated and sweaty. Do you know that feeling??
Anyway, I grabbed a handful of serene, cool threads - Watercolours 257, "Spearmint" in soft blues and greens, a few matching #5 pearl cottons, and a soft gold metallic ribbon thread. And then I started playing around with some fun stitches and borders, centering around a flower center that reminds me of a creamy white magnolia bloom. And here it is, my new "SUMMER MAGNOLIAS":
I've stitched my 9.5" x 9.5" piece on the slightly tanned sandstone 18 ct. canvas, so the creamy magnolia flowers show up better than on the paler eggshell canvas (they'd also look lovely stitched on the sage green or light blue canvas). I loved using the variegated Watercolours for the various borders, then stitching the sweet flower rows. Lots of soft gold accent stitches give it an elegant feel; and I especially enjoyed creating the "woven triangles" that fit inside the zig zag borders and give the piece a white wicker or white trellis look. Lots of summery fun in this design!
And while I was craving something blue, green and gold to stitch this summer, I also thought it would look lovely in a mauve version... so I've also included a soft pink colorway on the pattern, that uses Watercolours 020 - "Autumn Leaves" as its foundation.
Here's a look at "SUMMER MAGNOLIAS" up close, and although you can't really see them, there are small gold seed beads in the flower centers, for a bit more fun and texture:
Does this design appeal to you in these last hot days of summer? Something to work on that reminds you of sitting on a porch swing under a shady magnolia tree, sipping iced tea?
If so, please pick up your lacy parasol and sashay on over to my website to see all the pattern information on my new "SUMMER MAGNOLIAS"....
Have a cool and restful weekend, Y'all!
