ED187 Flowers
Stitching with beads and spacers
Photographs from the Community (2)
This is a beautiful design, with instructions and an accurate pattern, which makes it so easy for the sewer to follow and finish with a very accomplished result. I had originally made this card at the same 12cm square size, as the finished photograph, but had neglected to consider that my oval, sometimes called rice beads, were too large for the flowers. An 8mm length oval bead is too large, for the size of the print, I had chosen, together with the size of a 12cm card.
Here are sizes and bead styles I have used on this design. Which has given a beautiful finish.
I used a very old fashioned mercer cotton thread, by J& P Coats. In a pale lime green.
40 glass, pale green, short, 3mm tube beads for the 8 main flowers.
40 yellow gold glass seed beads for the centres of each of the 8 flowers.
3 deep, sea green, glass 8mm tube beads.
27 tiny glass, seed beads, with an orange centre for the upturned spacers. I have instructions below for this.
12 of the same orange seed beads, for the 4 tiny flower buds.
I used a core textured card, 12cm x 12 cm, in a dull yellow shade to the pattern onto.
I began with a single strand of green thread to sew the stitching lines. I needed to use a needle threader each time, to thread the fine sewing needle. I completed the 8 main flowers next, then the 3 separate dark green flower tips. I used silver spaces, that look like little flowers, and measure 0.5cm across. I attached them by their centre hole, convex style. with a thread and attached the tiny orange seed bead to this centre point, as well. This means the beads will sit like a little mound when you add the other 8 seed beads to the remaining little holes. Each mound has a total of 9 beads. The 4 tiny buds, I did last, and threaded the three beads on together before stitching them down. This made them sit up like a little bud.
I used 5 of the nasturtiums from Clare Walker's Birthday Nasturtiums CUP807898_7993, to complete the card front. I mounted the completed sewn topper onto a lime green backing sheet, 12.3cm square with double sided tape. The next backing sheet is attached with the same tape and is a dull muted orange card 1.3cm square. The main card is a white 200gsm card, 28cm x14cm. I used a lime green organza 3cm wide ribbon to attach to the deep leaf green backing sheet and tying a simple bow on the left hand side, before using double sided tape to attach it to the main card front. The completed topper I then attached with padded tape at the back of the orange backing sheet. A beautiful bright design that lends itself to many occasions, depending on the shades of backing sheets and the beading colours. This is definitely a design to use many times . Thank you
Pamela Horton
I spent considerable time deciding how I wanted to present this beautiful pen and water colour original by the amazing artist and designer Clare Walker. I decided to leave the upper most of the finished card vacant, as a special card deserves a special sentiment. I am saving this for a friend, who is most unwell, for just the right moment to say those special words.
I liked the idea of the urn,, with the nasturtiums spilling over and around, so I have included the template I made for the backing urn.
The size is 7cm at the base, central height 9cm and the widest section is 7.75cm, which is just below the neck of the urn.
I printed the sheet supplied twice, once onto copy paper and once onto 200gsm white card. I made the urn from the shade of card, I have attached in the second photograph. I attached a khaki shade of card at the bottom of the urn, to make a ground base, and cut the main element out from the paper copy. This I then cut in half and reversed it, to make it, the top of the urn decoration, attaching both sections overlapping one another where needed, and, using the over hang pieces at the side, I then wrapped them around to the back to keep the urn shape. I then used the card copy to cut out various sections to add to the cascade using thicker padded tape for each layer, and keeping them the right way up. I backed this with a white card 12.5 x 9cm and edged it with an orange permanent pen. The next backing sheet is a muted dusky green 13.5 cm x 10.5cm., which I also edged with the orange pen and attached with double sided tape. The orange backing sheet is 14.25 x 11cm, and is attached with padded double sided tape . I then used the gold satin ribbon 1cm wide, to attach it to the back with magic tape, and wrap around to the front, and tie a bow on the left hand side. I made the white main card 26 x 15, as I wanted the nasturtiums to over hang on the right hand side. To the white card, I attached a backing sheet, the same shade as the urn, using double sided tape. 11.5cm wide and 14.5cm high, keeping it more to the left, but allowing space for the bow. I used padded tape to attach the orange background card to the card front. To finish off I added all the card copies of the nasturtium elements, completing the cascade appearance.
A busy, but very happy look to the finish with such cheerful natural looking flowers. Thank you, Clare, it deserves a big hug.
Pamela Horton