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Cost: $ $ $ $ $

Difficulty: • • • • •

Time: 4h00

The Maison Sajou Sewing Book
Lavender has been called ‘the soul of Provence’. Nothing epitomizes high summer in the South of France more than the vast swathes of this fragrant plant that fill the fields at harvest time, and the vivid colour has long inspired artists and writers alike. The entwined lavender stems at the centre of this fine linen cloth are made up of four identical quarter sections that join together to make a continuous garland. The curved stalks are embroidered in stem stitch and the naturalistic flowers are worked with lazy daisy stitch, in two shades of lavender
thread.

Transferring templates
If the fabric is light in colour, you can trace the outline directly onto the cloth with an air-erasable marking pen, chalk pencil, or a sharp drawing pencil. An improvised light box makes this even easier. Attach the copy to a sheet of clear plastic or glass with masking tape, then secure the fabric centered over the paper. Make two 8-inch- (20-cm-) high stacks of books and carefully place the glass on top. Stand a flashlight between the books. Trace the outline precisely.Dressmaker’s carbon paper is useful for thick or dark fabric. It comes in light colors for dark fabric and dark colors for lighter shades. Pin the template to the background and slip the carbon paper, colored side down, underneath. Use a ballpoint pen to draw over the outline.

Posted by Ivy Press • Published 1st June 2014 • See Ivy Press's 15 projects »

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Step 1
Transferring the outline

If you are using a new tablecloth, wash and iron it first to allow for any shrinkage and to remove the fabric dressing. Fold it into quarters and very lightly press the creases to mark the four quarters.
Step 2
Trace off the full-size template. Following the instructions above, transfer the outline on to the fabric four times, once in each quarter. The stalks and flower heads will meet up across the joins to complete the design.
Step 3
Embroidering the flower heads

Embroider the motifs as instructed below. For the buds, thread the needle with three strands of lavender thread and work a detached chain stitch for each bud, working from top to bottom.
Step 4
For the petals, thread the needle with two strands of mauve thread and work one, two or three detached chain stitches at the tip of each bud, sewing in the opposite direction, from bottom to top.
Step 5
For the sepals, thread the needle with two strands of jade green thread. Work a slanting straight stitch on either side of the top group of buds, then work a straight stitch down to the next group. Repeat this two or three times until you reach the base of the flower head.
Step 6
Embroidering the stalk & leaves

Using two strands of jade thread, work along the curved stalk in stem stitch, just as far as the first pair of leaves, carefully following the outline to create a smooth curve.
Step 7
Fill in the leaf outlines with several closely spaced straight stitches, angling them to follow the direction of the leaves. Complete the rest of the stem and the other leaves in the same way.
Step 8
Work the remaining stalks in the same way to complete the garland. Press the finished embroidery lightly from the wrong side with a dry iron, cushioning it on a folded tea towel or padded ironing board cover so that the stitches do not become flattened.