Lotus Kimono by Lee (SPM 279) is a project that we discussed differences in two stitch guides at my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter. And, I’ve finished it!
At our Saturday Stitch-in Time in August, I finished the black seam lines using a variation of the Tramme (or Trame) stitch. I laid 2 long threads of Elegance E801 and selected a 1 x 3 cross stitch to go on top using one strand of Splendor S801. It appears that The Needlepoint Book by Jo Ippolito Christensen would have you stitch the crosses first and then run the long tramme stitch under them. I preferred an elongated cross stitch (not spaced apart from each other) to alternating gobelin stitches so you could not see there were 2 laid threads and because I seemed to pull too tight with the gobelin stitches which pulled the long laid thread out of the well towards the shared canvas thread.
For the center of the flowers, I matched the painted canvas by using the same threads as the large leaves in a simple basketweave stitch. Both the French knots and the beads suggested by the stitch guides seemed too prominent considering how lightly I had stitched most of the canvas.
The gold along the bottom and side sleeves was also a tramme of 2 long laid threads of Kreinik #12 Braid 002V and one strand of Kreinik #4 Braid 002V with gobelin stitches placed evenly apart. I didn’t have the same problem pulling the laid theads out of the well probably because the #12 Braid is a thicker thread than Elegance.
The Kreinik #12 Braid 002V was couched with Kreinik #4 Braid 002V all around the leaves and flowers.
Now, do I flat finish the kimono and mount it, get a custom cut mat, or hang it through the sleeves? So many options! Thoughts?
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Melitastitches4fun's Blog 
It looks lovely. I would flat finish it and put it on a stick, but that’s me. A friend of mine sometimes stitched a light-coverage background and framed it, rather than go for a custom-cut mat.
Comment by Remedial Stitcher September 11, 2019 @ 7:55 amSo, by “on a stick”, that’s an upright stick to make a standing piece?
Comment by melitastitches4fun September 11, 2019 @ 8:10 amYes.
Comment by Remedial Stitcher September 11, 2019 @ 9:54 pmI love the piece, Melita! Think about where you would like t9 display it and that might tell you how to finish it. Sue
Comment by suesci September 11, 2019 @ 8:01 pm