PieceWork magazine's Winter 2023 issue: Marguerite Daisies by Deanna Hall West, pages 40-43

The Winter 2023 issue of PieceWork magazine begins a four-part series of lovely embroidery designs by the fabulous Deanna Hall West. Deanna will be using Treenway Silks threads and ribbons for each of her four historically inspired designs.

Deanna doesn't realize it, but I've been a silent "groupie" of hers for a couple of decades--I own many of her silk ribbon embroidery books. Her "Stitch in Time" library is always so well researched, explained and diagramed. You know that anything by Deanna Hall West has "quality" written all over it!

Marguerite Daisies is a Silk Ribbon bouquet based on a Victorian pelerine.

"Pelerine" is a new word for me--but as always, PieceWork articles are detailed and anticipate your questions. Page 42 has a photo of the inspiration behind "Marguerite Daisies" and explains "A pelerine is a short woman's cape or tippet made of fur or fabric.  It has long panels hanging down the center front and is waist length in the back."

If you don't have a copy of PieceWork Winter 2023 issue, you can order the issue HERE from the publisher, Long Thread Media.

THREAD & RIBBON PACK:
We've put together a threads & ribbon pack for your convenience. Each pack includes:
    1 skein Serenity (reeled silk thread) #303 Beehive Gold
    1 skein Zen Shin (spun silk thread) #317 Green Tourmaline
    1 skein 3.5mm silk ribbon in 65 Roses* color "White Tea Rose"
    1 skein 3.5mm silk ribbon in Montano color "Spring Green"
    1 skein  3.5mm silk ribbon in #00 Natural White

* "65 roses" is how young children with cystic fibrosis often pronounce the name of their disease. We donate 10% of all 65 Roses sales to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, in honor of Andrea's angels, to help find a cure.  Thank you for supporting this cause with your purchase of this thread & ribbon pack.

35 yards total

Photo credit for image styled and stitched project: Matt Graves, courtesy of Long Thread Media

DETAILS & Tips About the Threads & Ribbons Forget-Me-Not Pack
--All of the silks are from the Bombyx mori silk worm, often referred to as "mulberry" silk.
--Hand-dyed in Colorado--color fast. We use acid dyes with heat and then rinse until water runs clear.
--Wash in tepid to cold water

Stitching hints for Serenity Silk Thread:
--smooth hands are extremely helpful—use a sugar scrub or other hand exfoliant before handling Serenity
--use a needle with a large eye
   --needlepoint canvas, try tapestry 20 or 22 needle
   --fabric, try chenille needle size 18 or  #1 Gold Eyed Milliners needle
--Keep your thread length no longer than 18”
--stitch going straight up and straight up as much as possible, especially if stitching on needlepoint canvas (do not drag your thread across your canvas)
--suitable for 13-mesh canvas (brick stitch) and for decorative stitches on 18-mesh canvas

Zen Shin—100% Spun Silk

--equivalent in size and twist to #8 perle
--2-ply thread, not designed to separate the strands
--a wonderfully easy thread to use
--suitable for decorative stitches on 18-mesh canvas
10 yards (1 skein fits onto a standard sewing machine bobbin)

About Treenway Silks’ Ribbons (5-yards each skein)
--All widths of Treenway Silk's ribbons are woven with selvage edges.  The selvage edge can hold up to stitching on fabric or being pulled through canvas.
--The silk used is the highest quality reeled silk which still has the sericin in it.  The sericin acts as a natural sizing. 
     --The warp (length-wise) threads are two strands of fine silk which are twisted together. There are 300 fine warp threads per inch.
     --The weft (cross-wise threads) is a single silk strand.
     --The ribbon is woven in plain weave, where the weft thread goes over and under each individual warp thread, all the way across the ribbon, giving a strong, stable ribbon.