Spring Tree -- Surface
Designed and Stitched by Nanette Mathe

Materials:

  • 8" x 8" of desired fabric
  • Tree Trunk
    • Frost #056 - two tones of brown
      or
    • DMC floss, colors #300 and 400
  • Leaves
    • Frost # 110 - two tones of green
      or
    • DMC floss, colors #3011 and 472
  • Flowers
    • Frost #600 - two tones, pink and white
      or
    • DMC floss, colors #3713 and white
  • Refer to Finishing Instructions for materials needed for finishing the ornament.

Trace the line design (2" x 3" oval) according to the directions included in the General Instructions.

If working with Frost, use one strand.
If working with DMC floss, use 3 strands.

Tree Trunk and Branches

Work the wrapped chain stitch. Manipulate the brown Frost and work all the chain stitches with the dark brown. Work the chain stitches moving up and down the tree trunk. Wrap the chain stitches with the light brown. Wraps will go both ways and give the trunk dimension.

Chain Stitch Wrapping

Leaves

Work the leaves in single chain stitches. Scatter the leaves in groups of 3 and 4 around the branches. Manipulate the green Frost so there are leaves of both colors evenly disbursed on the tree.

If this is an early spring tree, there will be more flowers than leaves. If it is a later spring tree there will be more leaves than flowers - stitcher's choice.
Single Chain Stitches

Flowers

Stitch the flowers in French knots randomly scattering the pink and white across the tree.

Step 1 Step 2 Finished Knot

Grass

Stitch the grass in straight stitches around the trunk of the tree. Be sure to place grass behind the tree trunk to give the picture depth.  Refer to color images above.

See the finishing instructions to complete the tree as an ornament or as a brooch.

Copyright 1998-2004, National Academy of Needlearts. The contents of this page were expressly posted for individual viewing purposes on the Internet only. No part of this Web site may be published, reproduced, stored in, or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (including electronic, mechanical, photocopy) whatsoever without written permission from the above copyright holder.

Last Updated July 7, 2008