Cross Stitch Gold( 00012

Spring topiaiy

daffodils Nil

Bring one of the delights of the garden to lite in your living room by stitching this beautiful spring topiary, designed by Maria Diaz

ME ET THE

DESIGNER

MARIA D1AZ

After Maria gained a degree in fine art, she began a career as a freoianco designer, Sho contributes to cross stitch magazines and kit companies,

As a keen gardener, flowers -with thelr uniąue and ever-chnnging blend of textures and colours - have always had a sttong influence on my work.

I think the grey shades of the stonework and the dark hues of the bark pfay an important role in this spring topiary.They throw the vibrant colour of the petals into relief and giue the piece real texture and character, I hape you enjoy stitching the spring topfaryas much as I enjoyed designing it.

IltOiemea lot af Frendi knots iri tViis design, II you have a pioblem with llHssc, liiplflcc ttwm wilii wliito and mam seed bads intlead

Stitcher's guide

This delicate spring topiary is stitched on 28-count white evenweSye, using wtiole cross stitch in twa sirands, half cross sLilch in twa strands, backstitch in one strand, and a lot of French knots in one strand to add texture Maria has used 20 shades of strgndod cotton, and two shades of rayon threads for tire French knot Rower heads. This design is best soi tec to strtchers with sonie experience.

How to stitch the spring topiary

ri Find the centra of the fnbrrc ! by folding ii in hatf, both hori?nnta|ly and wrticaily. Follow the '0' gridiineś on the char t to find the centre. Start stitching irom here io the middle of the fabric

2 Work The cross strtch and lialf aoss stitch using two strands of cotton.

3Work the backstitch using one Strand of cotton

4Work the French knots using one strand of rhread.

SCIieck over your finished stitching and prepare lor making up

MAKIA Ol V/’S

DESIGNERS

SF.CRETS

STONEWORK SECKETS I had a lot af furt creating the beautiful stanę pauern for this design. I wanted to make it as reallstic as possible. without having to use too many different shades of grey. In the end I oniy used five, but I madę surę that several of them wers? very dose in colour, to create subtle shading and shadows that are then reirrforced by the backstitch outline, I am delighted with the effect I haire achieued.

A TEXTUREP TRfASURE I was very aware of the tejetures that my spring topiary should have - from the rough naturę of the bark to the tactile buds of the flowers.

1 wanted my finished piece to have teirture too, and I have created it with four different levels - the half cross stitch background, the cross stitch of the design itself, the French knots of the flowers and the framing window of the border, I think this really adds some depth to the finished piece.

You will need

FA8RIC 2B-óJimt wbite cvenweave •• ■    l

THREAD5 Strandetl cotton .and raynn f In . -, as feted in the tey MEEDLE 3r?e-26 tapesrry.fieedle

FRAME Frsms and momii al your drace with a minimum aptrture uf 33 X 18cm [IKuTinl

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