My list of Elizabethan stitches (posted awhile ago) is still undergoing revision, never mind linking each stitch to blog entries where it is used.

But I thought I’d tick off one of stitches in the list to get it out of the way. I had a suitable leaf waiting.

The first thing I did was an outline in a pair of gold passing threads. I hadn’t done a double outline before – motifs filled in laid passing thread yes, but not just an outline.

Goldwork A-Z taught me how to sink all 4 threads at the bottom of the leaf to get a nice pointy end.

I chose dark teal for the colour, to balance the shaded teal long leaf I’d done on the other side of the bird.

I wanted to use coral stitch to do the vein, but I discovered that making the knots for the coral stitch was disturbing the laid lines of the herringbone stitch, so I just used Outline Stitch instead.

I think the vein looks a bit choppy – the stitches should have been a bit longer, I think. I’ll probably re-do it.

Instead, I’m doing a bud using coral stitch as a filling (another tick in the Stitches list) but that’s a post for tomorrow or the next day.

I think the double passing thread makes a very nice outline. (A lot of tweezer work though!)

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I listed in a post yesterday or the day before the motifs I need to finish in order to mark the halfway point in the sampler. (Except the bird – I’m leaving him for very last).

I missed a couple of things, but it’s all just small stuff now, with the exception of the Dusty Pink Rose up in the top left corner.

.

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Here’s the other half of the sampler :

(and incidentally, you can see the dark teal leaf opposite the shaded teal leaf, although the dark one has come out very dark in the photo)

The “official half way point” is where everything is finished up to the peapods on the left and the pomegranates on the right if you were to draw a horizontal line across.

On the left side, travelling down from the halfway point there are 3 semi-detached peapods, (how could I not do peapods?!), two roses, and a semi-detached tulip.

The centre below the halfway line mirrors the centre of the top half – a pearl rose (like the one I just did, that you can partly see in the top of the photograph), a straight line topped by a dog rose and two buds. Then the confection of strawberries.

On the right side, travelling down from the halfway point, there are 2 pomegranates, 2 honeysuckle and then a marigold.

There is a large variety of insects, buds and leaves (lots and lots of leaves) in amongst all that – I’m only giving the barest of detail.

For your delectation, I’ll show some of my choices for the second half of the sampler.

I was unable to pick only 2 from a final list of 3 pomegranates, so I’ve decided to change one of the roses to a pomegranate.

The 3 pomegranates :

http://2-minute-website.com/site/trustfund.trial/Spence-Collection-at-Bath-23362-23389

http://2-minute-website.com/site/trustfund.trial/Spence-Collection-at-Bath-23362-23389

http://dept.kent.edu/museum/exhibit/embroidery/main.htm

The Marigold :

from a glove at the V&A (dratted broken TinyURLs)

The Tulip :

(or I may do a different one – there are a multitude of choices),

Again, a broken TinyUrl, but there is a very similar one at http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ho/09/euwb/ho_29.23.1.htm

Some buds :

from a V&A glove and

http://www.artsmia.org/viewer/detail.php?v=12&id=4797

and

The Bee :– just one of the insects, but I think he’s adorable.

http://www.artsmia.org/viewer/detail.php?v=12&id=4797

I also intend to do the Plain and Fancy Worms from the Plimouth Project.