APPLIQUÉ BOOKMARK
SCALE UP YOUR STITCHING TO CREATE THIS ELEGANT CUSHION DESIGN, BURSTING WITH COLOURFUL BLOOMS
Indulge your sweet tooth with Talia BillsMoore’s baking-inspired page holder
MATERIALS
Ready-made cushion cover: 50x50cm Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of black, light blue, mid blue, dark blue, burgundy, coral pink, fuchsia, gold, light green, dark green, lavender, mint, peach, petrol blue, light pink, dark pink, purple, red, yellow
Water-soluble marking pen or stabiliser
Basic embroidery kit
STITCHES USED
Satin Stitch, Split Stitch
NOTES
Find the template on p62. WS = wrong side(s).
Resize the template as instructed, and
01 then transfer onto the centre of the cushion cover using your preferred method.
You can start stitching wherever you like, but it’s easiest to begin with the large flowers and bumblebee at the top, then work your way down. All the embroidery is worked using six strands of stranded cotton.
Start by stitching the large central flower
02 in Satin Stitch. To keep this looking neat and smooth, avoid making very long stitches. The large petals are split in half down the centre to prevent your work from warping when you remove the hoop – this also adds texture and dimension to the finished design. Work the large outer petals in red, light pink, dark pink and burgundy. Work the inner petals by alternating mid blue and dark blue. Work the centre of the flower in gold. Work the stem as horizontal Satin Stitches in dark green.
Work the centres for the daisies in gold
03 Satin Stitch. Work the petals in Satin Stitch in coral pink, fuchsia, mint and peach. Work the stems in petrol blue with one row of Split Stitch.
Both purple flowers are worked in the
04 same way. Work the inner petals by alternating lavender and purple Satin Stitch.
Work the filaments in dark blue Split Stitch, then the anthers on top in gold Satin Stitch. The stems are worked in petrol blue with two rows of Split Stitch side by side to create the thickness. Work the leaves in light green Satin Stitch.
Work the bee’s body in stripes of yellow
05 and black Satin Stitch and the wings in light blue Satin Stitch. Work the feelers and the bumblebee’s trail in dark blue Split Stitch. When you are finished, remove any
06 markings by gently swishing in cool water. Once dry, press the embroidery on the reverse so you don’t flatten the stitches.