Blackwork Oriental Beauty
BLACKWORK PATTERN READY TO DOWNLOAD, DESIGNED BY Lesley Teare Designs

Are you an experimented stitcher, looking for a bit of challenge?

Here is an exquisitely designed Blackwork project worth getting your teeth into!

This portrait shows a lady wearing a very fine kimono, each piece of fabric, braid or ribbon decorated with a pattern of extreme delicacy. The lady's long black hair is elegantly raised, exposing her graceful neck, and adorned with accessories, pins and jewelry. Her face itself is treated with extreme delicacy, a real feat in embroidery.

The chart seems to be black and white at first glance, but it is actually 7 different colors, including a metallic gold thread. Black and gold seed beads further embellish the embroidery.

The design is in fact composed of numerous "compartments", each decorated with a blackwork pattern of different density therefore realistically reproducing the contrasting effects of the different fabrics. Expert Blackwork designer Lesley Teare also plays with different thread thickness of to give a dimensional aspect to the embroidery. Thus no less than 3 types of black threads are used: Perlé 8 for thick borders, 2 strands of floss for certain contours and in 1 single strand for delicate ornamental patterns.

Like cross stitch, Blackwork is a counted thread technique, with stitches represented on a grid. A majority of stitches are backstitch, with some cross stitch filling certain areas. The chart comes with an extensive Stitching Guide detailing all stitches including fractional stitches.

A Blackwork pattern by Lesley Teare Designs.

>> see all Blackwork patterns designed by Lesley Teare
 

Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
Blackwork Oriental Beauty

Chart size in stitches: 168 x 196 (wide x high)
Needlework fabric: 14ct Aida or 28ct Linen/Evenweave
>> View size in my choice of fabric (fabric calculator)
Stitches: Cross stitch, Backstitch, French Knots
Chart: Color
Threads: DMC
Number of colors: 7

Other supplies; Mill Hills in Gold and Antique Blackl

Themes: lady in kimono, traditional women's garment, hairstyle, hairpins, hair embellishments
 

>> see more Lesley Teare cross stitch portraits

>> see all cross stitch patterns related to Japan (all designers)
 

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