Lotus Kimono, Stems and Small Flowers

May 12, 2019, 2:30 pm
Filed under: ANG Main Line Stitchers Chapter, Lotus Kimono

It’s been awhile since I pulled out Lotus Kimono by Lee (SPM 279) to work but we’re trying to wrap up our painted canvas stitch guide comparisons. One Main Line Stitchers Chapter member is stitching it based on a stitch guide from Fireside Stitchery and another from Amy Bunger. I am selecting my own threads and stitches.

For the red and blue flowers, I used long and short stitch from what I found in the Needlepoint Now July/August 2018 issue. I hadn’t seen it diagrammed on canvas with such short stitches. They are over 2, 3, or 4. And, I angled them according to each petal. The red is Needlepoint Inc Silk (NIS) Scarlet 501 and 501A, NIS Melon 571, and NIS Moonlight Pastel 877. There are 5 blues in the package of Chameleon Shades of Africa Two Oceans. The white for both flowers is Chameleon Spilt Milk 77. Chameleon is Au Ver a Soie hand-dyed in South Africa. I used 2 threads on the small upright bulbs but will use 3 threads on the red blooming flower and 4 threads on the blue blooming flower to see if I can create some depth. The large blooming flowers are not stitched yet. They’ll be next!

The gold around the leaves is Kreinik #4 Braid 002V couched with the same thread for the 2 small bulbs. For the 2 blooming flowers, Kreinik #8 Braid 002V will be couched with Kreinik #4 Braid 002V. I’ll have to get more Kreinik because all the green leaves need edging too. I still have to decide couching or outline/stem stitch for that part.

The stems are diagonal gobelin stitches using Gloriana Summer Foliage 096 (2 stands on the 3 right ones and 3 stands on all the left ones). Each side of the stems has an irregular Thorn Stitch. I modified the stitch from Jo Ippolito Christensen’s The Needlepoint Book, 2nd Edition to follow the canvas.

Melita LotusKimono