Satin Stitch Pansy

Originally written in 2022, this was never published then. It will be out of order in the blog unless I can find a way to reorganize the posts, but it seemed like it should be published, since it was a major step in learning to thread paint.

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By the end of January 2022 I was determined to learn how to paint using thread. I'm usually pretty resistant to doing kits, but I love watching experts create, and I learn more from watching and listening to them than any other way. So I found some videos on YouTube devoted to making thread paintings of flowers. 

I wish I knew whose video inspired me. I recall that she was British, very practical and straightforward in her description, and I could watch the entire process straight through. I immediately rounded up some green fabric from my stash, looked at photos of pansies, which seemed to be the easiest ones because they're flatter and colorful, sketched one on the fabric, chose some threads in shades of orange and purple, and launched into thread painting using long and short stitch.

My first ever thread painting of a pansy! I'm quite pleased with how it came out. It's in a 4" hoop and the flower itself is 2.25" (5.7 cm) high. I used some green cotton fabric I had on hand, and the thread I inherited from my MIL, so it's a mixed bag of all brands. I made a cartoon, then used a chalk pencil to trace it against a window. I'm not sure if doing it in this order was the best way or not, but I theorized that putting in what was behind first would work best. I've learned a tremendous amount!! And I'm totally hooked on embroidery now.