Pansy Ball

New Zealand designer Cherry Parker created a fun 12-sided ball with a single chart. Each side is stitched with a different colorway. Constructing the ball is a matter of matching sides, and then couching metallic thread along the edges to provide added di

Skill Level: Confident Beginner Materials • 8"x 12" piece each color 25- count Lugana from Zweigart®: white (100), angel blush (443), daffodil (274), little boy blue (513) • One skein each DMC® or Sullivans®

USA six-strand embroidery floss* • One skein each DMC® Color Variations

embroidery floss* • Size 24 tapestry needle *See Where to Find It on page 64.

Stitch Count: 26H x 25W each pansy Design Size: 17/8" x 17/8" each pansy

Instructions: Three pansies are stitched on each color fabric. Refer to red lines on chart to space pansies apart on fabric. Blue lines on chart indicate fold lines for panel.

Cross stitch over two threads using two strands of floss. When stitching with DMC Color Variations floss, complete each stitch individually to obtain a good definition of color.

Backstitch each pansy over two threads with the darker petal color using two strands of floss. Finishing Materials & Instructions • Template material

(stiff cardboard or plastic) • 1/8"-thick iron- on batting • Polyester fiberfill • Sewing needle and thread • Kreinik Medium Braid #16 gold high

lustre 002HL • DMC 6-strand embroidery floss 437 *See Where to Find It on page 64.

Press stitched pieces from the reverse side, straightening as much as possible. Make a template by copying the red outline on the chart onto template material. With pansy centered, use template to mark and cut out each pentagonshaped panel, making sure to align the bottom edge of template with the straight grain of the fabric.

Following blue lines on pattern, cut 12 pentagon shapes from batting. Center the design on the batting and follow the manufacturer's instructions to iron the batting to the wrong side of each stitched-pansy pentagon-shaped panel. Note: Pansy pentagon shape should be at least 1/4" larger on each side than batting shape. Fold in fabric edges for hem and tack in place. Repeat for all 12 pansy panels. Note: Refer to Assembly Diagram for

placement of panels. Working from the wrong side, slip-stitch five panels to a center panel. Stitch remaining panels in the same fashion, with one center panel surrounded by five panels.

With right sides together, slipstitch edges of two panels as show in diagram. Continue stitching panels together to create a ball shape. With two seams still to be sewn, turn the ball to the right side and stuff firmly with fiberfill. Slip-stitch the opening closed.

Use one strand embroidery floss to couch Medium Braid to seams. Stitched and finished by Linda Nelson