Valentine's Heart: Part 2

For the leaves I choose 2 of my favorite green for roses in DMC floss. Using 2 shades will help give depth and shading to the leaves, creating a more interesting motif.


First I took the darker shade of green DMC floss and with 1 strand embroidered the stems in using the stem and outline stitches.





Then I used the lighter shade of green and with 1 strand DMC floss stitched in the veins and outer edges of the leaves. I used the stem and outline stitches and the occasional straight stitch on tiny spots.


Here is the motif with the tracing paper removed. I had a hard time with removing the paper. I think I need a fine point tweezers, I used a normal slant tip tweezers and kept pulling my stitches along with bits of paper. In those moments I wished I had used Solvey's water soluble stabilizer to transfer the pattern so that you could just stick it in water and let it melt away.


Now to tack the loose and loopy stitches down so the motif looks nice and tidy.
First I'm taking the needle up on one side of the loose stitch.






Now I'm taking the needle and thread right over the stitch creating a very tiny tacking stitch.







This is the finished tack...can you see it? LOL You'd need a magnifying glass to see it but hey that is the point right? To make the stitches look tidy without being obvious that it's being fixed.

Here is the motif with all the loopy or pulled stitches tacked down. Ah much more neat looking.







Now that this motif on my Valentine's heart is complete I can move on to my next step. I'm planning on adding the word "Love" and a rose leaf...to be continued...

Click Here for Part 3