The Cream and Blue Crossroads

MATERIALS

• 33cm square piece of wool blanketing
• 20cm square piece of cotton voile
• Anchor tapestry wool: one skein each of cream (8006), light blue (8712), medium blue (8734), dark blue (8736) and green (9074)
• Anchor No 3 Perle cotton: one skein of cream (926)
• Anchor No 5 Perle cotton: one skein of cream (926)
• Anchor Stranded Cotton: one skein each of cream (275) and dark blue (977)
• Paterna wool: one skein of pale blue (D392)
• Kacoonda mohair wool: one skein of No 8]
• Mogear mohair wool: one skein of blue No 29
• 2.75m lace
• 32 small cream beads
• Mill Hill glass seed beads: one packet of cream (00123)
• No 18 and No 22 chenille needles
• No 9 and No 10 crewel needles
• 1 spring hoop 12.5cm (Sin) in diameter
• 2B pencil
• Water-soluble marking pen
• Tracing paper
• 25cm zipper
• 30cm cushion insert

DESIGN SIZE
30cm (12 in) square

STITCHES USED
Buttonhole stitch, chain stitch, colonial stitch, feather stitch, fly stitch, lazy daisy stitch, satin stitch, stab stitch, stem stitch, straight stitch, whipped chain stitch

PREPARATION
To transfer the design to the fabric, take a piece of tracing paper the same size as the pattern on the pattern sheet and using a 2B pencil, mark the centre of each flower with a pencil dot or mark the entire flower if you think it is easier for you when doing the embroidery.

With a needle, poke a hole through the tracing paper where you have marked the dots and then place it onto the piece of wool blanketing. If you have a large design it is a good idea to tack the tracing paper onto the fabric, but with a smaller design you can use pins to hold the design in place. Using the water-soluble marking pen and pressing firmly, transfer the markings through the holes in the tracing paper onto the
wool blanketing. You will end up with a series of dots that represent your flowers. Transfer each section in this manner, marking only a small section at a time.
Hint: To remove the water-soluble marking pen, wet the fabric well, once you have completed your embroidery.

EMBROIDERY
Note: The No 18 chenille needle is used for all of the wool embroidery, whether the wool is thick or thin. The No 22 chenille needle is used for all the stranded cotton embroidery.
The No 9 crewel needle is used for sewing the pearl beads onto the centre of the large daisy and the No 10 crewel needle is used to sew the small cream seed beads onto the fabric. STEP 1: Transfer the corner half circles as described above. Stitch the corner sections using a whipped chain stitch with the No 3 Perle cream (926). Stitch all the corners and the inner half circles in this manner. STEP 2: Place the voile into the hoop to stitch the centre of the large daisy. Draw a circle with your water-soluble marking pen the same size as the circle in diagram 1.

Fill the circle with colonial knots using six strands of cream (275). The circle must be packed full of the colonial knots. Then stitch a few cream (00123) beads amongst the colonial knots. Draw a small seam allowance line around the outside of the centre of the knots and cut the circle out around this line. Refer to diagram 2.
Position the centre of the daisy onto your fabric, then using the No 9 crewel needle threaded with two strands of cream (275), fold the seam allowance towards the centre of the knots on the wrong side of the fabric. Stab-stitch around the circle of knots making sure the stab stitches are very close together. Stitch large lazy daisy stitches using the cream (8006), extending the holding stitch.
An easy way to keep your petals all the same length is to draw a circle the size of the outside of the daisy before you start to stitch the petals.
This will make all your petals the same length. Refer to diagram 3. STEP 3: Transfer the feather stitch lines onto your fabric and stitch them using the No 5 Perle cream (926). Start the feather stitch from the outside edge working towards the centre of the design. Stitch three seed beads in cream (00123) onto the end of each of the spokes of the feather stitches, using two strands of cream (275). Stitch two lazy daisy stitches at the edge of the daisy petals using No 5 Perle cream (926). Refer to the pattern sheet for the placement. Transfer the small blue daisies on either side of the row of feather stitch, in front of the half-circle row of stitching. These are stitched with five lazy daisy stitches using a double thread of blue (29). Then using one strand of the 8J, stitch small fly stitches for the leaves. The centre is then stitched with a colonial knot using six strands of cream (275). Refer to the pattern sheet.
STEP 4: Transfer the positions for the wool roses onto the wool blanketing.
Row 1: Using dark blue (8736), work five satin stitches, 4mm (V»in) in length, close together. Refer to diagram 4A. Work seven satin stitches close together over the top of the first five. The stitch length this time is 12mm ('Ain). Extend the length of the stitch on one side only. Refer to diagram 4B.
Row 2: Using the medium blue (8734), bring the needle up at A in the corner. Refer to diagram 4C.
Take it down at the opposite corner at B and then bring it back up at A all in one movement. Take the needle back down just above B, and then up again at A all in one movement, creating a slight angle on the stitch, pushing the needle from one point to the other. Refer to diagram 4D.
Work the next stitch a little below the last stitch, but this time go straight down at B. Refer to diagram 4E.
Bring the needle up at B in the corner and begin the next set of three stitches. Refer to diagram 4F Working in a clockwise direction, repeat the previous instructions three more times so that you cover the four corners of the rose. Refer to diagram 4G.
Row 3: This final step is very important, as it makes a square rose into a round rose. Using light blue (8712), make a large stem stitch, but instead of keeping the wool in a back position, keep it on the top of the rose. This method gives the rose a fluffy look. Work this row in an anticlockwise direction. Refer to diagram 4H.
The size of the stitches are 12mm (Van) in length, but you do not have to measure the size of every stitch. Take an even amount with the needle, 4mm (V»in), front and back to the previous stitch. This means you are moving around the same amount of space for each stitch. When you return to the point where you started, you must go two stitches past the start to make the rose look even. STEP 5: Transfer the leaves onto the wool blanket fabric.
Row 1: Using the green (9074), stitch one fly stitch with a small gap in between the spokes. Refer to diagram 5A.
Row 2: Stitch a fly stitch above the first one, making the gap between the spokes smaller again. Refer to diagram 5B.
Row 3: Stitch a straight stitch in the gap of the previous fly stitch. Refer to diagram 5C. STEP 6: Transfer the wool rosebuds to the wool blanket fabric.
Row 1: Using dark blue (8736), stitch one fly stitch and one straight stitch. Do not make the space between the spokes of the fly stitch too large, as the straight stitch must fit snugly inside the fly stitch. Refer to diagram 6A.
Row 2: Using light blue (8712), work one fly stitch around the first row. Refer to diagram 6B.
Row 3: Using green (9074) split into two threads, stitch one fly stitch around the first and second rows, extending the fly stitch to form the stem of the bud. Bring your needle out to the left of the centre stitch at the top of the bud and slide your needle under the centre stitch using the eye of the needle and then into your fabric at the right of the centre stitch. Refer to diagram 6C. STEP 7: Transfer the forget-me-nots. Stitch the forget-me-nots using cream (8006) with four colonial knots with one small cream pearl bead sewn in the centre. STEP 8: Transfer the lavender. Using the No 5 Perle cream (926), stitch two small lazy daisy stitches. Refer to diagram 7. Stitch another small lazy daisy stitch in the centre of the previous two lazy daisy stitches.
Embroider two colonial knots below the last lazy daisy stitch. Stitch one fly stitch from one lavender bunch to the other, using the same thread. Refer to diagram 7. STEP 9: Transfer the cream daisies in the half circle in the corner sections. Using cream (8006), stitch five evenly-placed lazy daisy stitches for the petals for the daisy. Tip each daisy with a small straight stitch over the end of each petal using the No 5 Perle cream (926). Stitch two lazy daisy stitch leaves at the end of the daisies and one forget-me-not in between each cream wool daisy using the same thread. Each forget-me-not is made up of four colonial knots and one small cream seed bead for the centre.
STEP 10: Transfer the small half-circle pattern to the four corners of the fabric.
CORNER 1: Fill the small half circle with small lazy daisy flowers with five petals, using one strand of pale blue (D392). Embroider the daisy buds with one lazy daisy stitch using the same thread. For the leaves, stitch a lazy daisy stitch with the holding stitch extended, using one strand of No 8J. The greenery around the buds is stitched using the same thread with one fly stitch and extending the holding stitch to form the stem of the bud. CORNER 2: This half circle is filled with groups of four colonial knots forming a forget-me-not using one strand of pale blue (D392). The centre is worked with one colonial knot using three strands of dark blue (977).
Hint: It is a good idea to embroider three forget-me-knots in a group, then stitch the centres.
For the outside flowers, embroider groups of four colonial knots using six strands of dark blue (977). These flowers do not have any centres. The leaves around these flowers are small lazy daisy stitches on either side of each of the groups of four colonial knots. The last group has one leaf at the end. These are worked with mohair No 8J. CORNER 3: These sections are worked with small buttonhole stitched flowers using one strand of pale blue (D392). The buds are stitched with three buttonhole stitches in a fan shape using the same thread.
The vine flowers are made up of one colonial knot using six strands of dark blue (977). The greenery around the vines is stitched with a small fly stitch extending the holding stitch slightly, using one strand of mohair (8J). With the same thread, stitch one lazy daisy stitch either side of the stem for the bud. CORNER 4: The stem-stitched rose is stitched using one strand of pale blue (D392) in this corner. It is important to keep these roses very small. Draw a very small circle with your water-soluble pen for the centre of the rose. Work stem stitches in a circle in an anticlockwise direction towards the centre, keeping the stitches very loose. To finish the flower, take the thread down through the back leaving a loose loop on the top. When finishing off the thread, make sure not to pull the loop too tight. Refer to diagram 8. For the buds, using six strands of (977), stitch a colonial knot for each one following the pattern on the pattern sheet. The greenery is stitched with one small fly stitch around the centre bud and extending the holding stitch back to the stem stitch roses to form the stem of the bud. The remaining stems are a straight stitch with a fly stitch forming at the base of them. All the greenery is stitched with one strand of green (8J) starting with a knot and then a backstitch to secure the knot.

FINISHING
To make up the back for the cushion, cut two rectangles of fabric 35cm x 20cm (14in x Sin) and join them together with the zipper. Open the zipper 10cm (4in).
For the frill, cut two and a half strips across the width of the fabric 15cm (6in) wide. Join them to form a circle and fold the seam allowance
to one side. Fold the frill in half, wrong sides together and press with an iron. Cut the lace to measure the same length as the frill and then stitch the raw edges, right sides together. Place the top edge of the lace onto the raw edge of the frill and join both together with two rows of gathering stitches, 6mm ('Ain) apart starting the first row 6mm ('/tin) down from the raw edges.
Divide the frill into quarters and place a pin or a coloured thread at these points. Pull the gathering threads until the frill fits the cushion, slightly rounding it at the corners. Adjust the gathers evenly between the quarter-way marks. Place the frill with the top edge to the raw edge of the cushion top, and pin it in place, slightly rounding the frill in the corners, then stitch it in place.
Place the back for the cushion, right side to the right side of the cushion top and pin it in place. Stitch all layers together following the stitching line of the frill. Trim the edges and zigzag or overlock to neaten them. Turn the cushion right side out and place the cushion insert inside.

Polish Embroidery

Embroideries of Poland are as varied as the ethic make-up of its people. Ranging from brightly-coloured and Whitework floral designs, sashes, and white rabbit fur lined embroidered coats and hats to Goldworked religious robes, many examples can still be seen today either in Poland or in the adopted countries of Polish emigrants.
With a population of just under 40 million, Poland is bordered on the north by the Baltic Sea, and from the east to the south-west, by Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Russia. The history of Poland has been likened to the story of the phoenix, the miraculous bird that dies in fire every thousand years only to rise once more. Since 1772, Poland has been partitioned and annexed by Russia, Austria and Prussia. However the establishment of the Kingdom of Poland in 1815, peasant revolts throughout the 1800s, WWI, the Russian Revolution, dictatorial reigns, WWII and finally the dissolution of the Soviet Union have all left their mark on this country.
The word 'Pole' means 'lowlander' or 'plain-dweller' and apart from the southern mountainous region, the remainder of the country is relatively flat by European standards. The Polish people are the western branch of the 'Slavic' people who were driven northward, firstly by the Romans and then the Avars (Hungary) until they settled in the land along the river Vistula. With the origins of the people in mind, Polish embroideries are similar to the colourful floral Ukrainian and eastern Slovakian embroideries worked on coats and men's woollen trousers. The Silesian
region of Poland is famous for its Goldwork and negative pattern cross-stitch designs similar to Assissi embroidery. The couched gold thread embroidery is worked over card templates based on designs from medieval Christian vestments and altar frontals.
There are several embroidery styles unique to Poland. One is Snutki, or spiderweb embroidery, featured in a previous issue of this magazine and made up of a pattern of buttonhole-edged eyelets linked with thread bars across cutwork areas. The other unique style is called Kurpie, named after the forested region to the north, halfway between the Russian border and the capital, Warsaw. Kurpie embroidery is surface stitchery in mainly red with black highlights and designs based on a series of circles, half circles and stylised plants in satin stitch, chain stitch, running stitch, overcast stitch, feather stitch and Kurpie stitch.
Kurpie stitch is worked similar to the pulled-fabric single faggot stitch, however instead of forming a pattern by pulling the stitches firmly, it is worked as a surface stitch. The front of the work has continuous V-shapes forming a zigzag with what looks like running stitches on the back. The unusual combination of red on the outer rows of Kurpie stitch 'A', with a row of black on the next row in a V-shape, looks like a two-toned chain stitch and is very effective.
The featured tablecloth and six napkins are worked on ecru linen and finished off with a 5mm (Vioin) hand-stitched hem. The first outer row in black is worked over this hem, then followed by one row of red, a row of closely-worked Kurpie stitch, separate black row and finally a continuous row of red Kurpie stitch (a total of five rows of Kurpie stitch). The corners of the cloth are embroidered with three circles outside the semicircular stylised plant design. The semicircle is worked in satin stitch, running stitch, Kurpie stitch and chain stitch with what looks like crossed hockey sticks being worked in chain stitch. The evenness of the circles is amazing, as it is extremely difficult to maintain the intregrity of the shape when working freehand. These triple-corner circles are similar to the designs worked on everyday shirts, whereas wedding shirts are only embroidered in white on white linen. The photographed ladies' blouse is worked with red and white No. 8 Perle Cotton in a floral design with gathered and smocked cuffs and shoulders with rolled-edged hems on the yoke, double collar and cuffs.
Today, Polish national costumes are worn for religious and social ceremonies not as everyday wear.

In the past, costumes were used to distinguish between regions, villages and occupation as well as signifying wealth. Several communities have retained their regional costumes, including the highlanders of Polhale, Kurpie and Lowicz near Warsaw. Silk sashes known as 'kontuszy' were an indispensable part of a Polish nobleman's costume. The sashes were several metres in length, wrapped around the waist and tied in a decorative knot so that the fringed ends hung downwards. These sashes were initially imported from Persia in the 17th century, however Armenian weavers established workshops in many areas of Poland to produce local versions of Persian designs. Double-sided weaving techniques meant the sashes could be folded in half to show two totally different designs or colour schemes. While these sashes were reserved for nobility, sashes are still worn as part of the costumes of Cracow. The knotted sashes are beautifully embroidered and edged with tassels along the lower edge. Waistcoats and hats known as square-buttoned 'rogatiwka' were embroidered, whereas in Cracow, the trousers are left plain.
In Cracow, ladies' costumes have beautifully-embroidered hats, skirts, and waistcoats worked predominantly in red, with black highlights. Their white aprons, a feature of the costume, are embroidered with white geometric patterns. Cracow is also renowned for its Whitework consisting of cut-eyelet embroidery in floral trailings similar to broderie anglaise.
A book titled Old World Stitchery for Today, written in English by Grazyna J. Kozaczka, is one of the few recently published books available on Polish embroidery. This book has working instructions, a good bibliography useful for further research, along with traditional designs adapted from costumes and antique linens, the origins of the styles and the development of embroideries throughout the centuries.

Rose Spray

The opportunity does not always arise to take 'time to smell the roses'. Margot Hammonds has designed and stitched this glorious spray of roses for all to admire and to take pride of place in your home when the real ones are not available for picking.


MATERIALS
• One piece of background fabric with printed leaves and stems, available from Creative Diversions
• Margot's hand-dyed 25mm (1 in) soft satin ribbon: 2m magnolia
• Kacoonda 13mm silk ribbon: 1.5m waratah; 1 m  306
• Kacoonda 7 mm silk ribbon: 1 m each of 306, 316
• Mokuba 25mm (1 in) organza ribbon: lm of 15
• Kacoonda 4 mm silk ribbon: 1 m each of 107, 306
• ET Diffussion wire-edged ribbon: 60cm 238
• Cascade stranded silk: one packet of 7490
• No 9 crewel needle
• No 14, 22 and 24 chenille needles
• Machine-sewing cottons to match the ribbons
• 30cm (12 in) embroidery hoop
• Water-soluble marking pen

DESIGN SIZE
18cm x 25cm (7 in x 10 in)

STITCHES USED
Folded ribbon roses, ribbon stitch, stab stitch, straight stitch whipped running stitch
Note: The rose spray is very easily arranged on a painted background of leaves and stems. The roses are placed on a gentle curve on the background stem, with the largest leaves and buds towards the base, and all the stems of the buds and leaves coming towards the large rose. This gives your arrangement a pleasing natural flow.

EMBROIDERY 

Foreground ribbon roses: Using the magnolia hand-dyed soft satin ribbon, make three folded ribbon roses and one bud. The bud is a folded rose with only one soft fold. For the large rose, cut three 6cm pieces of the magnolia ribbon for the small petals and three 8cm pieces for medium petals. For the second rose, make three small petals and one medium petal. Refer to diagram 1.

Place the lowest folded ribbon rose in position, referring to the pattern sheet for the placement, and stab-stitch it firmly into place using the machine-sewing cotton to match the ribbon threaded in a No 9 crewel needle. Place the petals, overlapping each one, attaching each end with a stab stitch and placing them so that they give the rose a balanced shape. Now stab-stitch the second rose in position and attach the petals to give the face of the rose a slightly upward tilt.

The third ribbon rose is placed just above the second rose, slightly to the left-hand side.
Bud: Thread the No 22 chenille needle with a small length of the 13mm (306) silk ribbon, and attach the bud to the background fabric with three ribbon stitches and a small straight stitch for the calyx.

Leaves: Cut four 13cm (5in) lengths of the wire-edged ribbon and fold each of them in half. Pull the wires tightly on one edge to gather the   ribbon,   then   overcast   the
gathered edge with a machine-sewing cotton in the No 9 crewel needle to match the ribbon. Refer to diagram 2. Stitch these leaves in place surrounding the large rose.
For the finer detail in your picture, make three folded ribbon roses in the 13mm waratah silk ribbon. Mark where the rosebuds are to be placed with a dot and stitch a soft ribbon stitch in the direction of the rosebud with the same ribbon in the No 22 chenille needle. Place the folded ribbon rose to come to the curl of the ribbon stitch and, using the matching machine-sewing cotton in the No 9 crewel needle, attach it firmly in place. With the 13 mm waratah ribbon in the No 22 chenille needle, stitch two or three ribbon stitches around the folded rose, with one of these stitches in front of the rose. Refer to diagram 3.
For the calyx, stitch a straight stitch with the 7mm (306) silk ribbon, threaded in the No 22 chenille needle, then bringing the ribbon back up through the fabric, twist it to form a stem. Take it back through to the back of the fabric where you want the stem to finish.
The small buds are stitched with the 7mm (316) silk ribbon threaded in the No 22 chenille needle, and are made up of three ribbon stitches with soft curls. The calyx is stitched with a straight stitch using the 4mm (306) silk ribbon in the No 24 chenille needle and the stem is formed by bringing the needle up through the fabric and twisting it in the same way as you did for the folded ribbon roses.
With small lengths of the organza (15) ribbon threaded in the No 14 chenille needle, stitch soft ribbon stitches so that the tips form a curve.
For the silk leaves, stitch a single ribbon stitch for the lower leaves, and a double ribbon stitch made up of two stitches worked 'top to tail'. These are stitched with the 13 mm (306) silk ribbon.
Draw lines with your water-soluble marking pen for the foliage and stitch a whipped running stitch line for the stem using one strand of the 7490 in the No 9 crewel needle. With the 4mm (107) silk ribbon in the No 24 chenille needle, stitch ribbon stitches at 45-degree angles
at intervals up the stem. Do not make them any wider as the flow of the stem seems interrupted if they are too open.
To complete your picture, make twisted ribbon stems and whipped running stitch stems as you did before, giving a variety in thicknesses and length.