Here I am back again with another section of my woodland quilt. I decided since it was woodlands I needed to finally add some mushrooms. Got a bit carried away, as I tend to do, with the moss but like enough that I won't be removing any.
When trying to decide on threads I came across a box of old flower threads I bought ages ago. I have some Ginnie Thompson and some DMC. DMC isn't making the thread any more but they do some some new eco threads that would be nice for this section. I decided I wanted the matte look of the threads for most of the embroidery. To substitute regular DMC for the flower thread just leave off the 2 at the front then you have the regular floss number. Flower thread comes in 1 strand that has the thickness of about 3 strands of floss, at least that's what it seems to me.
Using a Frixon pen I doodled where I wanted the log first. It's 2 layers of brown felt. I used 2 to give the log some dimension. They were basted down the center to hold them in place. Then I used DMC 839 brown size 3 pearl cotton. I just did long straight stitches next to each other to cover the felt.
Next came the moss. Again I used 2 layers of felt and cut them in rough circles. I used gray but green would be good, too. For the french knots I doubled the thread. The knots are a variety of wraps so that they are different sizes. I did 2,3, and 4 wraps. The threads were Ginnie Thompson: 409 (like a dark olive green), 448 (sage), and 470 (dark green). Then just because I thought it would add more texture, I used DMC 2730 (olive) and 2318 (grey for pebbles). You can see in the photo I covered the ends of the log with the knots. If you use grey felt you could leave areas bare to look like the moss is growing over a rock.
Since I'm not using any red in this piece I decided to make the mushrooms light purple. I marked 3 lined where I wanted the mushrooms. The stems are 2 strands of Ginnie Thompson 100 which is white, though since the thread is so old it's taken on a creamy white look. I made long straight stitches so the stems are about 1/8" wide. The cap is 2 strands of Ginnie Thompson 610, a light purple. I filled in a dome shape with straight stitches. The french knots are 2 strands of the creamy white, 1 and 2 wraps. I used 1 strand of DMC 2642 (light tan) to stitch a few straight lines along the bottom of the purple and a stitch across the stem. I also did a few stitches on top of the log between the 2 larger mushrooms.
I thought the mushrooms and moss needed a snail and for it I used regular DMC embroidery floss. The body is 12 strands of 898 to make at least 4 stem stitches curving up one end for the head. I used a single strand for the antennae. The shell is 3 strands of 841 and 6 strands of 746 mixed together. I couched it in a spiral using 2 strands of 841. After finishing I saw that I lost the look of a shell but decided to leave it,at least for now.
The flowering plant is made with 1 strand of Ginnie Thompson 448 to stem stitch the stems. I used 2 strands for the lazy daisy leaves and the 1 wrap french knots. The french knot flowers are 2 strands 260.
I decided it also needed some grass so I used Ginnie Thompson 412 to make some straight stitches.
Only 2 more sections to do! I already started on the one above this one and may make some of it's embroidery down in the empty area above the log. See you next month :)
