Issue
112 Create a blaze of summer colours with a floral
design to use for a cushion or picture. There's a
pretty trinket pot in Pulled work and a tablecloth
with a look of Italian lace. Remember times past with
a vintage steam tractor, or Cross stitch a handsome
country stag. Also another look at using multi-coloured
threads.
Feature Designs
Hot
Summer Colours There are few countries that can compare
with England for its delight in gardens. Country
houses, municipal parks, tiny cottages, pubs
and the many modest dwellings that are home
to most of us will be surrounded by colour at
this time of year. Although our climate may
have its shortcomings, there is no doubt that
plants in their millions are happy to grow here.
Favourites for many are those that begin the
season as tiny seeds and are nurtured early
on to be planted out for a summer display. Here
are just a few of them - Cosmos, English Marigold,
French Marigold, Campanula, Antirrhinum, Petunia,
Nemesia, Phlox, Bellis, Pink Cornflower and
Golden Eye - all in those wonderful hot colours
of summer.
Orange
Visitors to Purple Flowers Although we may admire them from afar,
or desperately try to eradicate them from our
gardens, thistles are firm favourites with many
of the butterfly world. Neither the Painted
Lady nor the Silver-washed Fritillary use them
as feed plants for their caterpillars, but as
a source of nectar for the adult butterflies
they are invaluable. You can capture a fleeting
moment of summer in these two embroideries and,
for nature loving friends, stitch an unusual,
lasting card.
Fallow
Deer Stag This fine fellow is a member of the most
widespread deer family in Britain, although
he is less common in Scotland than elsewhere.
He is not a native though; his ancestors are
believed to have come to this country with the
Normans whose love of hunting is renowned. These
days herds may be found in many areas of old
woodland such as the New Forest, Epping forest
and the Forest of Dean as well as in domestic
herds in parklands.
Colours
of Africa These African-style designs combine strong,
striking colours with traditional patterns of
geometric shapes. They can be made into perfect
coasters for a mug of tea or a more exotic summer
drink.
Steam
Tractor The first two decades of the last century
saw the steam tractor in its heyday. Many were
built for the War Department in the first instance
then sold off after the First World War to local
authorities, hauliers, quarry owners and growers
of all kinds. Today, of course, they are treasured
machines; immaculately kept by their owners
and proudly shown off at events during the summer
months throughout the British Isles. I would
rather like to have a go at driving one, but
suspect it is one of those things that is not
at all easy. Safer perhaps to sit and stitch
one.
Taking a
look at ...
New Multi-coloured threads... Part
2 Stranded cottons must be well known to
us all, but have you caught sight of the multi-coloured
ones available from Anchor to which they have
added a further six mixtures to the range. We
looked at the Pearl No 5 versions of these last
month and the shade mixtures for the stranded
cottons are the same, which means, of course,
that they can be used in conjunction with each
other. The main advantage with stranded cottons
over Pearls is that the thickness of thread
can be varied simply by using more or fewer
strands. It is also easy to mix a strand of
multi-colour with a plain shade and here, as
is so often the case, the sky becomes the limit.
Italian Lace
The origins of Reticella lace are Italian
and date from the 16th century. Worked on fine
linen, very much of the fabric was cut away leaving
a few threads as a basic mesh. The patterns were
built from detached buttonhole stitch in geometrical
forms and buttonhole bars connected one part of
a design to another. Over the course of time the
fabric came to be omitted altogether and threads
laid as a foundation were worked on to produce
'Punto in Aria' - stitches in air. Like all lace
techniques Reticella was time consuming, but this
Cross stitch and back stitch embroidery will take
a fraction of the time and still giving something
of the look of the traditional lace.
White
Rosette The delicacy of the effect made by Pulledwork
belies its strength. used for a trinket pot top it
makes a wonderful gift that will last a long time
even when regularly handled. Although little fabric
and thread is used, the finished piece is something
that money cannot buy. Enjoy yourself and give pleasure
to another.
