Honeysuckle: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     double running stitch, Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, pistol stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch, stumpwork

While Camellia may have been the taster that reeled us in, Honeysuckle has been one of my favourites of the Elaine’s Botanicals range right from the moment they arrived in store at Victoria House Needlecraft.

I cannot say whether it is the faithful rendering of the delicacy of the flowers or the whimsy of the ladybird.  I just love it, and you will too.

It is a little more complicated than the flowers from the last couple of months posts, so would probably be a stretch for a novice.  The embroidery design features pistol stitch, double running stitch, stem stitch, satin stitch and some beginner stumpwork for the working on the ladybird.  This design is well worth the effort and is truly beautiful.

Grape Hyacinth: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     double running stitch, Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, satin stitch

Here again is another flower I have absolutely no knowledge of and only a vague recollection of having seen it once or twice before in an old-style cottage garden.  Elaine’s Botanicals has provided another design that is perfect for the novice.

This design looks a lot more complicated than it is, Grape hyacinth requires only double running stitch and satin stitch to complete.

Fuchsia: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     double running stitch, Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, fuchsia, satin stitch

Ahem! Confession time, I have been dodging this post and the next post on the Gardenia will not be much prettier!! I have killed these, lots of them. I think these are amongst the few plants I really don’t like. Harsh, unkind, uncalled for and unfair, … yes I know, I am a horrible person, what on earth has the poor Fuchsia done do me?
Nothing!
There were 5 in the garden bed at the front of the house when I moved in back in December 2001. I had pulled them out within a month. No other reason than I didn’t want them there, or anywhere in my garden. Cannot say what has triggered this immense dislike, no horrible memories, just the absolute certainty that I do not want them.

Elaine Lye’s embroidery rendering of the Fuchsia is in double running stitch and satin stitch and makes me feel mildly guilty, but not enough to plant them.  Maybe I might have a crack at stitching one … or not!

Frangipani: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, long and short satin stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch

Colours are limited only by your imagination

I have lived my life in temperate and cold climates with big winds blowing for a significant part of the year.  The Frangipani has very few associations for me.  One memory that does stand out is my cousins wedding in Railay Beach, Thailand.  The frangipani there were a deeper pink than I have ever seen before or since.

Elaine’s Botanicals provide a reliable template for embroidery design, while her representation is a soft white frangipani, there is nothing stopping you from choosing your own colours to stitch this simple flower in stem stitch and long and short satin stitch.

Foxglove: Elaine’s Botanicals

Dionne    Embroidery and Crewel     double running stitch, Elaine's botanicals, embroidery, french knots, satin stitch, stem stitch

It’s funny, I always think of Foxgloves as being pinks and coral colours so this palatte surprised me.  I do rather like it, and it would be a great companion piece with the Hollyhock, although I could be having more flashbacks to Grandma’s fairy garden again.  It is, of course, entirely possible my pink and coral visions are of another plant entirely, given my track record with anything containing chorophyll.  Elaine has completed her Foxglove embroidery design with a range of stitches including double running stitch, stem stitch, french knots and pistol stitch.