How to embroider a landscape in ribbon embroidery – Chapter 4

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Blog > How to embroider a landscape in ribbon embroidery – Chapter 4

♥ If you like, you can purchase the complete kit for all six chapters here or you can purchase individual packs for the chapters below. It is however easier to purchase the complete kit as you will save on the courier fee.

This is Chapter 4 of the Pink Delight project, a project that I have been teaching online.

If you are seeing this for the first time, please see:

chapter 1 here
chapter 2 here
chapter 3 here

Pink Delight from the Magical Gardens series is turning out to be a beauty – a most enjoyable project. I hope that those of you who already have the kit for chapter 1, 2 and 3 are enjoying yourselves! It is a fun, colourful project and if you would like to follow the step-by-step tutorials for this lovely panel, you are welcome to purchase the following:

the embroidery panel is in A3 size - the same size that I am stitching on.
the first set of threads and ribbons for chapters 1, 2 and 3.
If you need to purchase needles, we now have a very useful multipurpose pack of needles, especially for ribbon embroidery and stumpwork.

As I progressed, the second set of threads and ribbons have now been made available for Chapter 4 onward and you will find the kit here.

If you are not sure what you need for this project, please email us at info@dicraft.co.za to ask for assistance. Please mention the Pink Delight project.

To stay in touch with the latest blog posts and kits, you are welcome to subscribe here.

For this chapter (Chapter 4) I completed section D, added more colour to section G and created sections H, I, J and started working on section K.

Click on the images to enlarge...

Let’s start. Enjoy!

Step 1: Complete section D. Fill in pale yellow and orange detail.

Use the yellow thread 112 (1 or 2 strands) and work between the silk ribbon stitches. Make loose French knots, 2 or 3 wraps around your needle.

Add a few single-knotted stitches for the longer petals and use loop stitches for shorter petals.

Change to orange 4124 thread and as you did above, add some orange petals, in the same way, working between the ribbon stitches.

Change to the 253 thread and make a few more French knots (two wraps) to add a soft shade of coral.

Add more green leaves and stems.

With 1 or 2 strands of 723 make fly stitches (with long anchoring stitches) to add some light green stems between the dark green ones.

Add a few pistil stitches and straight stitches in between.

Then use long single-knotted stitches and cut the loops to form grass-like foliage as shown above.

Secure any loose tails or stitches at the back of your work as you go.

Step 2: Lupins in section H.

Start above section D ( to the right of E) and complete the pink and purple Lupins in section H. Use the gathered leaf method to make the long pink and purple flowers.

Thread up with one strand of 4210 Fuchsia/Purple thread and come up at the base of the flower on the left-hand side as shown below. Thread up with 4mm no. 106 ribbon and come up in the same place.

With running stitch along the centre of the ribbon, stitch until the length is long enough to form a gathered flower to the length and texture that you like. Push ribbon down to gather it and measure. Take the thread to the back and then take the ribbon to the back and end off.

With running stitch along the centre of the ribbon (you can also make a slightly zig-zag shape) stitch until the length is long enough to form a gathered flower. Measure to the length and texture that you like.

Push ribbon down to gather it and measure to see if you are happy with the fullness of the flower. Repeat if you need more gathers.
Take the thread to the back and make a double stitch on the back of your work to hold the gathered ribbon in place. Then end off or start again at the base of the adjoining flower.

Pierce the ribbon where you would like the Lupin to end. Take the ribbon to the back and end off.

Change to 7mm no. 108 ribbon and make one or two brighter pink lupins in the same way, varying the length of the flower.
Hint: for the wider ribbons (7mm and up) it is best to make the running stitches in a zig-zag fashion to accommodate the frill of the gathers in a realistic way. Start at the base of the flower like you did the first one.
Change back to 4mm no. 106 to make the smaller pink Lupins alongside. See the picture below.
Make 2 or 3 slightly smaller lupins than the previous ones. This is achieved by using the narrow 4mm instead of 7mm ribbon.
With one strand of 4210 Fuchsia/Purple thread, come up between the Lupins and make a few French knots to add a bit of pink colour between the Lupins. Wrap thread two or three times around the needle.

For the purple/dark lilac lupins on the right-hand side, use 4mm no 107 and make a few more flowers until you are happy with section H.
See the pictures opposite and below.

With one strand of 4210 Fuchsia/Purple thread, secure the Lupins that are too loose and floppy on the design.
Use tiny straight/stab stitches every 10mm (3/8") or so, hiding the stitches between the folds of the ribbon and working through all the layers to secure.
With the same thread, come up between the Lupins again and make a few more French knots to add a bit of pink colour on the background.
Wrap thread two or three times around the needle.
Change to 468 lilac thread and repeat, making small French knots (as above) to add more flowers between the purple ribbon.
Then use 905 dark plum/brown to form the dark plum knots between the purple Lupins.
Secure any loose tails or stitches at the back of your work as you go.

Step 3: Complete the long leaves below H

The long leaves beneath section H (above I) are made with 2mm silk ribbon no. 142 and twisted straight stitches.

Work from the base of the plant upwards and twist the needle (and ribbon will twist with it) a few times before inserting it to the back of your work again.

Use a gentle tension so that the leaves are slightly curled. By pulling too tight, the curve will be lost.

See the picture below.

Add dark shadows between the leaves.

See the picture below. Use 1 strand of 812 (dark green) and make Fly stitches with long anchoring stitches.

Use single-knotted stitches as well. This will add texture and shadows which helps to create depth in your design.

Add a few straight stitches as well.

Secure any loose tails or stitches at the back of your work as you go.

Step 4: Complete the yellow and green bush in section I

Thread up with 2mm silk ribbon no. 56 and make French knots to form the yellow bush I.
Wrap the ribbon two or three times around your needle.

Make sure the knots are loose, keep a gentle tension (as you wrap the ribbon and as you take your needle to the back of your work) so that the stitches are loose and rounded. See the picture opposite.

Use the same stitch and with 1 strand of yellow Rajmahal thread (no. 261) make loose French knots to form the looped flowers between the yellow knots.
Change to one strand of 729 green and fill in the leaves in the same way. Wrap the thread loosely, two or three times around your needle. Make single-knotted stitches too (as you did for the orange flowers in section D) and leave them loops as they are, or trim them slightly to make grass-like foliage.

Step 5: Add a little more orange to section G

Add some orange flowers to section G (above H).
Use two strands of thread 4124 (orange) and make French knots... two-wraps (sometimes three-wraps) around your needle.

Step 6: Make the orange flowers above I and J.

Thread up with 4124 (orange) thread and make loose French knots, two strands, three wraps, working quite close together as shown below. Some stitches are wound a little tighter or looser than the others for an interesting texture. Add a few more knots to the right of this section, working to the right and above section J as shown in the picture below. Work back toward the main orange bush above I and J and make tiny orange stab stitches between the dark green foliage.
Add some golden yellow French knots as you did above and use thread 4075. Work on the right side above J, stitching close to the orange knots. Cut some of the loops for an interesting texture.
Then change to 723 and add the green leaves to the bush above I and J. Work in the same way as before, stitching in between the yellow and orange knots.

Step 7: Make the flowers in section J

Section J is made up of several colours and because it is in the middle-distance it is not yet advisable to use the fancier, detailed stitches. Stitches like spider-web roses, stem stitch roses, padded shapes or gathered rosettes, for example. These I keep for the near distance (like in sections N to W in the front) to ensure good perspective. Remember, the further away the plants are, the less detail one is able to see. This is why I tend to use less detailed shapes like loops and knots in the middle and far distance to help create a realistic effect.

Thread up with 4mm no. 100 and make the purple and green looped flowers in loop stitch. Work over a large tapestry needle or similar object. Make all the purple flowers in section J as shown above.

Change to 4mm no. 46 and make pale pink flowers in the same way.
Use one strand of pale green no. 711 thread and add a few French knots and loop stitches to create highlights and to secure the stitches at the same time. Turn your work to the back and with the same thread, catch any loose tails or stitches so the looped stitches do not pull out of shape as you fill in the section in the steps that follow.

Change to 4mm no. 42 ribbon and add the dark pink ribbon loops in the same way. Use one strand of the 711 thread to add highlights with French knots and pistil stitches and these will secure the ribbon loops at the same time.
With the thread left over on your needle, make the frilly edge of section K. Use loose French knots, winding thread two or three times around your needle.

Use two strands of 4045 green thread and make single-knotted stitches to form the green leaves.
Secure the loops with tiny stay stitches along the base of each loop so that the stitches don't pull loose when you cut the loops a little later.
See the pictures that follow.

Change to 1 strand of 711and 1 strand of 4045 and repeat. The pale green will add the sunlight in this area.
Keep filling the area with loops to add a nice texture and to create a little height as you are now stitching towards the front part of the design.

Cut some of the loops to make grass-like foliage.

Step 8: Complete the orange and green patch (above J)

Complete the orange and green flowers above J. Use one strand of thread number 723 and make loose French knots as you did before, wrapping thread two or three times around the needle. See the picture below...

Step 9: Add more dark shadows

See the picture below. I have indicated with arrows where I added more shadows.
Thread up with one strand of 905 thread. Make loops with a single-knotted stitch to form the longer shapes and use a straight stitch or French knots for the smaller shapes. Work along the edge of the path to create shadows and in between the leaves and flowers as indicated with the black arrows in the picture below.

Click on the image to enlarge.

With the same 905 thread, one strand throughout, work on the red and green bush (I have named it J2) and make French knots (three wraps) to create the rounded shadows between the leaves.
If you have not done so yet, make the yellow and orange highlights in 4075 (golden yellow) and 4124 (orange). I will show you how to make this bush in chapter 5.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! You will find Chapter 5 here.

Happy stitching!
Love
Di

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Blog > How to embroider a landscape in ribbon embroidery – Chapter 4

♥ If you like, you can purchase the complete kit for all six chapters here or you can purchase individual packs for the chapters below. It is however easier to purchase the complete kit as you will save on the courier fee.

If you are not sure what you need for this project, please email us at info@dicraft.co.za to ask for assistance. Please mention the Pink Delight project.

Step 1: Complete section D. Fill in pale yellow and orange detail.

Add more green leaves and stems.

Step 2: Lupins in section H.

Step 3: Complete the long leaves below H

Step 4: Complete the yellow and green bush in section I

Step 5: Add a little more orange to section G

Step 6: Make the orange flowers above I and J.

Step 7: Make the flowers in section J

Step 8: Complete the orange and green patch (above J)

Step 9: Add more dark shadows

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