TULIPS! Stitching Tutorial For Pattern

I just finished up my newest design “Tulips” and hope to have the pattern for this ready to sell on Monday. 

I hung it on my wall to take a picture and it looks so pretty, I think I’ll just keep it hanging there!

This measures about 27” long which gives this a good 3” of center candle/vase space.  It can easily be made longer if you wish more space in the center.

I’m going to show ya’all how this is made, (almost) step-by-step.

All those stems and leaves in there might seem intimidating and difficult but once I show you the pictures, I really believe that even a beginner stitcher would be able to handle making this tablerunner.

That doesn’t mean that I’m giving you permission to make this without purchasing the pattern.  I know, I know, I make it really easy for people to steal from me but I really REALLY believe that it’s so helpful to those of you who want to make this, that I’m willing to risk the certain thievery that will go along with the tutorial.

Now, let’s first talk about the wools that I used for this. 

I will be selling the wool colors to go along with the pattern but if you have your own stash at home, here’s some help when choosing…

I did try using non-mottled wools for the tulips and they looked pretty but the mottled wools are what make these tulips really stand out.  So, to get the best, most vibrant looking tulips, look for boldly mottled colors. 

And just because I used assorted colors for this doesn’t mean that YOU have to make it this way.  This would be pretty with all the same colored tulips or perhaps red and yellow tulips or … well, you get the idea! 

I used a dark green for the stems and a mottled green for the leaves.  I tried using the same dark green for the leaves, but the dark color just took too much away from the tulips.  Using a lighter green for the leaves made them blend into the background better.  The green that you use wouldn’t have to be mottled. Using any lighter green shade would work well, I think.

I used a matching green mottled background for this but I think any color that is used for the tulips would look pretty for the backing color.

Ok, Let’s get started!

The pattern itself will give the instructions for cutting the background edge shape.  Once the background wool is cut and ready, the center tulip stem is pinned in place. 

This can be whipped stitched or if you prefer, a blanket stitch can be used too.  I personally like the look of the whip stitch on all of the applique, so that’s what I’ve used.

Once that center stem is in position, then place the two longer stems right beside the center stem….

They are arched slightly and if you want, you can measure to make sure that they are exactly equal but it’s easy enough to just eyeball it to get them placed equally centered.

Those stems can now be whip stitched in place.

The two leaves are placed right beside the stems.  I stem stitched right up the center of the leaves.  The pictures will show the leaves with just the stem stitch up the center. Later, I decided to whip stitch the edges of the leaves.  I recommend whip stitching the edges down now.

Once the leaves are in place ….

The next set of stems are placed and pinned onto the leaves. Notice how these two stems have their top corner edges lined right up with the edge of the leaves. This makes it super easy to get the correct arch for the stems.

  See what I mean about it being easy?  When looking at the finished picture, it looks like it would take a tremendous amount of measuring to get them placed right.  But really, once the center stem is in place, everything else just goes right in perfectly.

Now the next two set of stems are placed.  They are placed right beside that center stem and overlap the other stems. 

Once all those stems are whip stitched in place ….

I pinned the last stem right above the center tulip, tucking the bottom of the stem under the tulip.  That’s whip stitched in place. 

Now comes the really fun part!  The Tulips!

All the tulips except for the two bottom tulips, can now be whip stitched on … the pattern instructions will show the exact placement for each petal.

Now I pin in place the bottom set of leaves.  These will cover up all those little stem ends.  I stem stitched up the center of the leaves and then whip stitched the edges.  

Now, just flip the wool to the other side and do these steps all over again!

The bottom two tulips are stitched on now and you can see, I’ve pinned the green backing onto the background. 

I blanket stitched around the white edge and also around the green edging.  I didn’t use a backing on the green back simply because it’s such a pretty mottled green, I hated to cover it up and because the mat is heavy enough with all the applique, that it lays really nicely without any additional weight.

 

That’s it!  Tulips made easy!

 

Watch for the new pattern for this as well as lots of pretty mottled wools , to be ready hopefully by Sunday or Monday

 

Happy Day everyone!