Blackwork Scabious & Wren
BLACKWORK PATTERN READY TO DOWNLOAD, DESIGNED BY Lesley Teare Designs

Right in the center of this design is a little wren, with round body and tail raised in its characteristic way. Lesley Teare is passionate about birds and designs incredibly realistic portraits of them thanks to her exceptional mastery of cross stitch and design.

Pretty meadow flowers surround the bird. The scabious are stitched in Blackwork, with fine lace-like patterns, worked in a palette of purples, contrasting with the lime green of the foliage. Each petal has a particular pattern, which creates effects of different density. Scabious are sometimes refered to a the pin-cushion flower for their particular shape, and here the stamens are accented with white luster seed beads.

This mix of cross stitch and Blackwork motifs is characteristic of Lesley Teare's designs. The stitched effect is really interesting with the blackwork petals giving a light feel to the stitched piece.

The cross stitch chart lists no fewer than 30 colors of DMC embroidery floss. The outline of the large scabious flowers is emphasized by the use of a black Perle thread, giving a dimentional effect.

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 used for instance for the bird's eye.

A Blackwork pattern by Lesley Teare Designs.

>> see more Blackwork patterns by Lesley Teare

>> see more Bird patterns by Lesley Teare 

Chart info & Needlework supplies for the pattern:
Blackwork Scabious & Wren

Chart size in stitches: 140 x 140
Needlework fabric: 14ct Aida or 28ct Linen/Evenweave, white
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Stitches: Cross stitch (fractional stitches), Backstitch, French Knots
Chart: Color
Threads: DMC stranded cotton floss, DMC Pearl cotton 12 in black (310)
Number of colors: 30

Seed beads: Mill Hill white opaque luster

Themes: small bird, meadow flower, purple and lime green
 

>> see all patterns with Birds (all designers)
 

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