Marie On Bullion Stitches

This was part of a recent discussion on the SRESafeHaven mailing list at Yahoo Groups. It has been reprinted her with Marie's explicit consent. Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Bullion work! ...... my next favourite thing to SRE....in fact...love to mix the two for roses especially!

Lynne....some pointers for roses:

Threads....I've used: cotton floss...silk floss...#30 silk...#12 pearl...and many different weights of rayon...everything from a single strand of DMC...to some of the heavier EdMar threads.

Wraps....Kylie mentioned that she uses one centre stitch with 6 - 7 wraps...then 3 with 9 wraps...then 5 with 11 wraps.....and this does make a really nice size rose....or you can try a centre of 3 "grubs"...7 wraps each...then follow with 5 with 9 wraps...and finally 7 with 11 wraps.

The thing to remember....is that the number of wraps you add will dictate the dimension of the petal. To create a bullion that lies flat on the fabric...the length of the wraps on your needle should match the length of fabric between your "in and out" points of the needle. To make the bullion sit up off the fabric....add more wraps! The more you add....the higher it sits.

For roses....I tend to add enough wraps to make it stand up off the fabric. I work the first stitch...then start at the 1/2 way point of it for the second and so on.....working subsequent rounds very close to the previous one. After all my grubs are done...I use the eye end of my needle to lift the stitches up...this adds more dimension to them.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

Attaching a pic of 3 pins....the one on the left.....is all bullions....worked with 1 strand of Kreinik Silk Mori....which is 6-strand silk floss. The lilac filler stitches show a good example of dimension created by adding more wraps...the ratio of length of wrap to fabric between in and out...is about 3 : 1.

The pin in the centre...was my sample piece for the Alton Loop - Variation # 4.

The pin on the right....is a stylized "Bradford Rose"....which is also wrapped work....but the "bullions" are worked by wrapping a straight ribbon stitch. Many SRE books have instructions for this rose. It is so pretty...and so easy...I'm surprised it isn't used more that it is.

Another bullion-type variation that I really like for flora....is the Cast-on Stitch....where instead of wrapping the thread...you cast on stitches to your needle. These really sit up off the fabric! There are instructions and examples of what can be done with it...on my site.

So.......try out some of these stitches....and have fun!

Hugs

Marie
Web Site: http://sredeluxe.tripod.com

(Edited for style only.)