ED187 FlowersCompleted by Pamela Horton The whispering Platypus

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 I had originally made this card at the same 12cm square size, as the finished photograph, but had neglected to consider that my oval, sometimes called rice beads, were too large for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