Samples 2015: Week 51, Christmas Cactus

Pink felt and loose wool fibres embellished onto black felt. Hand embroidery – stem stitch, straight stitch and French knots using stranded cotton. About 5.5cm.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 19/12/15:

“Cactuses are for life, not just for Christmas. The cactus is not the pinnacle of environmental friendliness, but at least it will flower again for the next festive season.”

‘Christmas cactuses are very easy to please.’ Photograph: Getty Images

Sample design
Cropped section to include stamens and the dramatic contrast of bright pink petals against black.

Samples 2015: Week 50, Climate conference

Free machine embroidery worked from the design on the back with gold metallic thread on the bobbin (not on the spool as that never works for me). Numbers cut from Evolon and applied with Bondaweb. Background fabric black cotton drill.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 12/12/15:
“COP 21: UN climate change conference. Eiffel Tower lights up with 'no plan B' warning for Paris climate talks.”

Sample design
I took the general idea of the bright metal criss-cross tower structure, and improvised a section centred on the significant numbers.   

Samples 2015: Week 49, Lips

Blanket stitch in stranded cotton on hand dyed cotton over felt

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 05/12/15:
 “How Jane Austen’s Emma changed the face of fiction. The story of a self-deluded heroine in a small village, Jane Austen’s Emma hardly seems revolutionary. But, 200 years after it was first published, John Mullan argues that it belongs alongside the works of Flaubert, Joyce and Woolf as one of the great experimental novels.”

Illustration by Susie Hogarth.

Sample design
Not my kind of subject (I was desperate!) – but the lips looked very blanket stitch.

Samples 2015: Week 48, DNA

Scribbly free machine embroidery on soluble fabric. I used silver metallic thread on the bobbin and two shades of blue/mauve on top (not at once!). I like the way the silver just peeps through on the front.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 28/11/15:
“Future of human gene editing to be decided at landmark summit. Now that the ability to selectively insert or remove genes from DNA is widespread, a ‘global discussion’ is being convened to agree fresh safeguards.”

Should humans take control of their genetic fate, and rewrite the DNA of future generations? Photograph: nobeastsofierce Science/Alamy Stock Photo

Sample design
I simplified the lovely DNA helix to a flat pattern, but kept the bluey shades and twinkle of the photo. Funny how I ended up with kissing fishes!

Samples 2015: Week 47, Dogwood

Hand embroidery - long straight stitches in single strands of stranded cotton. The base is black cotton over black felt.

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From this article in the Saturday Guardian 21/11/15:
“Gardens: Winning ways for winter. Gardens can bring delights in colder months. Here’s how.”

Photograph: National Trust Images/Mark Bolton

Sample design
This time I thought I could get away with simple straight stitches, no need for curves like last week’s fireworks. I didn’t try and copy the photo, I couldn’t do stitches that long for one thing! So I just layered three colours in random but vaguely upwards directions.