Linen Flowers

Linen Flowers

It has taken awhile to get this to this point. I have had one of those 'freezing' experiences where I was too scared (to be blunt) to take a risk with background stitches. I 'ummed and arred' about adding a butterfly, and whether to have coloured circles in the four bottom squares. In short I was not making progress. Except, hahaha, if you count getting to this point, of admitting my fear of risk taking, as making progress of sorts. Well I think it probably is progress of sorts because finally yesterday I thought to myself:  'Hey Gilly this was supposed to be only an exercise right from the beginning - just a design exercise and experiment using only linens'. This freed me up to do the background stitching. Afterall it is the only way to really experiment with different effects.

I have not planned to forever leave a cross-stitch off the bottom left hand square - I am just experimenting. (Ha!) I wonder if the omission balances the overall design somewhat. Also I am not sure whether to make the nine sideways stitches on top right into full cross stitches.

Anyway overall I have achieved my goal of working just with really lovely fabric - these beautiful washed out linen colors are from old table napkins. It is also backed in the same soft linen which makes the whole cloth a very pleasing weight. I am not sure what a book mat is, but it occurred to me that this a good size to lay my reading glasses on when I don't need them for a moment.

So...at close of needle last night I had put the three bottom cross stitches in and decided to post as is, looking forward, as always, to any observations and ideas from my online friends!

Happy Stitching , Gilly