Needlepoint Stitch Guide for Still Life Vase
Most of this design is stitched in Tent stitch (Basketweave or Continental). You can add some optional pizazz by adding a few decorative stitches like our model. The threads are all used single ply—just as they come.
Blue Vase—Balloon stitch:
We used Brick stitches on the top neck of the vase. If you stitch these first, you can use these stitches to secure the thread for when you start the Balloon stitch. We started the Balloon stitch in the middle to center the stitches.
Lemon Darker Shadow—Diagonal Satin stitches up 2 and over 2:
The compensating stitches are shown in red. This is best worked in columns.
Border—Single row of Alternating Cashmere to form a "frame". We then filled in with Tent stitches.
(This is the trickiest stitch of the design and if you find it too difficult, omit the border, or find an alternative border stitch.)
The blue stitches are the Alternating Cashmere and the stitch diagram shows the top right corner with red Tent stitches filling in around the Cashmere stitches.
Leaf Veins—Back stitch.
A thinner black silk thread is included. We used a Back stitch to stitch the leaf veins. We stitched the veins first and then filled in around them with the green stitches.
Tip: You don’t need to stitch right up to the veins. A small gap, (not crowding the stitches), usually looks better.
You can purchase the Still Life Vase needlepoint kit here...
