To get started on our Mindy Mini Stitch Guide series, we’re starting with this Art Nouveau flower, canvas # 12W from Mindy. These minis are around 2″ square and come in many styles. They are small enough to be finished as charming ornaments. You could also frame several in one frame using a mat with multiple openings. Multiple canvases could also be used as a pillow insert. Each month you’ll have a free stitch guide for a new mini on the second Tuesday.
Materials Needed
To stitch this canvas I used:
- pale butter yellow crewel wool (model used broider wul, now Renaissance, 1410)
- Dream House Baroque Silk in 1302 guacamole
- Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid Petite in PB57 (green)
- 3 colors of Rainbow Gallery Sparkle Braid SK16 (red), SK35 (magenta/orange) and SK29 (peach)
The canvas will be easier to stitch if you use stretcher bars and stitch under good light.
Background: Stitch the background in Four-way Continental, below. Use one strand of crewel wool throughout.
The trick for keeping track of this stitch is that all stitches that slant the same way will be on intersections with the same thread on top (horizontal or vertical). Even so, you may find it easier to stitch the background first.
Leaves & green border: Stitch the green border in Continental using two strands of the green Treasure Braid. Stitch the leaves in Basketweave using one strand (of the three) in Baroque Silk.
Border Squares: Stitch the border squares in Double Smyrna Cross, below, using two strands of the matching color of Sparkle Braid. he darkest squares use red. The middle squares use magenta/orange. The lightest squares use peach.
The diagram shows the steps to making this stitch.
Flower: The flower is stitched in Nobuko using two strands of red Sparkle Braid. This stitch creates a pretty texture and is easiest if you start at the top of each petal and work down from it. You’ll find the stitch easiest to place if you begin with a partial row, below.
Once this is in place, continue to stitch Nobuko, below.
All the petals end in columns of Tent Stitch.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Hi Janet,
If I understand this correctly, we need to purchase a canvas from Mindy Designs. Is that right? If so, Is it possible for you to list all the canvases for this series so I can buy them all at once? thanks,
Jill
Thanks for asking, I’ll make that tomorrow’s blog post.
Keep stitching,
Janet