Design Release - Geraldton Wax

Welcome to February.

So happy to be able to release a new design today which I have just finished working on and that is of the Geraldton Wax which, as the name suggests, is endemic to Western Australia.  It's a beautiful and hardy medium to large shrub bearing either white, pink or purple blooms and aromatic leaves and can grow to a height of 4 metres which, as you can imagine, would look just spectacular when in flower en masse.  I can only imagine the fragrance too.  This also makes the plant highly attractive to bees and pollinating insects.  The petals have a unique circular shape which are separated from each other and quite robustly formed.  

The Geraldton Wax is a well known Australian native flower and extensively used in the cut flower industry for its beauty and longevity.  Many years ago when I was doing floral work, Geraldton Wax was pretty much the only standard 'fill-in' flower for arrangements and bridal bouquets - as well as Gypsophilia (Baby's Breath).  Sprigs would be used in corsages and buttonholes to complement the bride's and bridesmaid's bouquet.  What I do remember most about working with the flower was its rustic and heady fragrance and the almost woody feel of the stem in comparison to other more fragile flowers. Today native flower bridal bouquets are quite popular and with such an array of beautiful native flora on the market, it's great to see the Geraldton Wax has stood the test of time.

My design is 64 x 76mm (2.5 x 3in) in dimension when using 14/inch fabric or 35 x 42 stitches.  It uses 8 colours and double strands for the stem and needle-like leaves to give the impression of strength and robustness.  Both stem and leaves are stitched using filament threading whereby a single thread of two different shades or colours are threaded in the needle and then stitched together as one.  Small french knots for the centre of the flower and larger and thicker french knots for buds complete the design. 

As with all my designs, instructions are clearly set out on all kits and charts and available now on my website.  In time, this design will be stitched as an item and listed in my Etsy shop.  I feel as though the shape of the design could lend itself quite well as a needlebook and look quite pretty on complementary evenweave and contrasting cotton.  What a great excuse to buy more fabric!!

Ros

'If you love life, life will love you back' - Arthur Rubenstein

Design Release - Strawflower

Today I am excited to release a design which I have been working on over the past couple of weeks - the Strawflower.  I am also just as proud to mention that this design was inspired by beautiful strawflowers that I have growing in my garden at the moment with the photos below being proof.

Blooming in differing shades of both pale and bright colours they certainly make a striking display in the garden.  What has amazed me though is that, although they flower best in the hot summer months, these beauties have thrived during our winter and in a position that hasn't been receiving much sunlight. 

Strawflowers are found Australia wide growing in many different habitats from rainforests to deserts to subalpine areas and provide a food source for butterflies, bees and insects.  They are a herbaceous shrub growing to a height of up to 80cm high and have lovely leafy green foliage.  But what makes these little beauties so special is the different texture of their petals (or bracts) which are stiff, papery and dry making them a perfect long lasting flower.  Touching them actually does feel like very light cardboard yet they are quite strong and it is because of this texture that they are ideal as dried flowers and for use in the cut flower industry.

Replicating the sharp edges of the strawflower was a challenge when designing this flower and my aim, as always, is to be as authentic as possible so some stitchers may find the design a little intricate.  This is probably the only wildflower design where the availability of different colours for a flower have been included in the one design and therefore a total of 13 colours have been used.  

But with such an array of colours to choose from to portray the Strawflower, it was just too difficult for me to decide on just one.  Or......maybe.....it was just an excuse for the artist in me to experiment with colours and my stash!!!

Ros

'Flowers are those little colourful beacons of the sun from which we get sunshine when dark, sombre skies blanket our thoughts' - Dodinsky

Poppies Birthday Card

Welcome to my blog.

I would like to use this page to showcase not only my own cross stitch designs, but to share with you many of my own personal projects which I've stitched over the years and discuss embroidery and stitching in general.  From time to time, I'd also like to touch on the subject of Australian flora and fauna and how it forms the inspiration for my designs.

First, though, I thought I'd show a birthday card recently stitched for a very special friend.  Sometimes I stitch other's designs and this is such an example because as soon as I saw the bright and cheery poppies, I knew it would be perfect for my friend because it matched her personality so well.  It was in Issue 67 of the Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine.

Incidentally she loved the card and not just because of the beautiful colours but for the time and effort taken to stitch it and the love put into it.