GBCW.....Tulip

                        Last two post GBCW 1 and  2 , we worked on Butterfly. Now we shall work upper flower which i call ' Tulip '.

                   To work two lower leaf of tulip, first add guidelines at the center of  leaf as shown in below picture. Start working ' fly stitch '  with 3 strands of thread and shade no 889 ( olive green )

Add guidelines to leaf

Fly stitch 

Fly stitch

                  Lets concentrate on center portion of tulip, work ' satin stitch '  horizontally with 3 strands of thread, shade no 10 (peach color).

Tulip, satin stitch

                Now work ' chain stitch ' on outer part of leaf covering center bud with 2 strands of thread, shade no 246 ( dark green ).

Tulip covering leaf, chain stitch

                     Now again work second line of ' chain stitch ' around outer part of leaf with 2 strands of thread, shade no 267.

Second line of chain stitch 

           
                 Once again work third line of chain stitch around outer part of leaf with 2 strands of thread shade no 256 ( light green). So first line will be dark green, second line is medium green and third line is light green. Same way finish inner part of leaf, work three lines of chain stitch with three tones of green.

Third line of chain stitch

                 Have look at below picture, working of all three lines of chain stitch.

Tulip leaf

                      Work ' stem stitch ' to mark center vine of leaf with 3 strands of thread , shade no 304. Work ' Detached chain ' on either sides of vine and also on left leaf with 3 strands of thread, shade no 329.

Highlight tulip

Tulip

                 
                    Work ' Laid work ' for bud. Over satin stitch add diagonal lines as shown in below picture with 3 strands of thread, shade no 304. Also work ' satin stitch ' diagonally on left leaf ( which shows inner portion of leaf, tiny area ) with 3 strands of thread, shade no 889. Its a very small area, satin stitch is worked diagonally inwards direction.

Laid work on bud

                   Again work diagonal lines in opposite direction on bud as shown in below picture.    Work ' straight stitch ' at intersection of two diagonal lines with 2 strands of thread, shade no 246.

Laid work 

                 

                       Finish top of bud by working ' stem stitch ' with 2 strands of thread, shade no 329.

Finishing Tulip

                         Have a look at finished Tulip.

Tulip 

                      Keep stitching. Next post, we shall deal with Grapes.  

Crewel Work

         Crewel work is worked in fine " crewel 2 ply wool " on linen in its traditional form.  It was popular in 17th century and earliest forms of English surface embroidery, which is also sometimes known as " Jacobean Embroidery ". Crewel work patterns are bold,stylized flowers, birds, animals, trees, insects which links back to Elizabethan era of working style.

Crewel / Jacobean work

                  Most of the design is worked with " laid work " across the pattern from one side to other with only small stitch on back of fabric and then these laid stitch are held with couching , later finishing is done with stem stitch across the pattern.


            Most famous piece of  Crewel work is " Bayeux Tapestry ", commemorate the battle of 1066 between Britons and Normans using only eight shades of wool on linen.

Crewel / Jacobean work

             Above my work is done using cotton threads and not with wool. Many embroider say if a crewel work is not worked with wool, just say it as surface embroidery and not crewel work.


               Crewel work uses most of surface embroidery stitches, but laid work and different forms of filling stitches like brick satin filling, honeycomb filling, trellis, battlement couching are majorly worked. Apart from these stitches, chain, stem, buttonhole, herringbone, satin, long and short, bullion, french knots.... are used to complete a pattern.

              This being my first attempt, i personally enjoyed working it and simply loved this form because any shape can be worked with filling stitch in no time, time consumption is less compared to other form if we use filling stitches. And it gives bold effect.