Simple blossom

One of the things I really love about embroidery is that I am constantly discovering, developing and changing the way I do things. I rarely have a set plan of how I will achieve a certain look - just a vague feeling of what I wish to achieve - and sometimes you just need to think outside the square a little bit.

My first inclination for the cup of these blossom was to use satin stitch - but I wanted them to have some texture and really good definition of the edge of the shape, and I know satin stitch would just make them look soft and 'fluffy. Turning the design upside down, I realised the edge was formed by two 'V' shapes - the perfect shape for fly stitch.

I then continued to place fly stitches very closely side by side to cover one half of the shape. Then the other in the same way. Quite simple but effective, I think.

The blossom on the other hand, I did want to be soft and delicate. So apart from choosing a very pale colour yarn, satin stitch was the obvious choice here. To make the edges slightly raised and rounded, I first placed tiny split stitches along the outline. I don't always work split stitch under satin stitch - it does help get the outlines really neat though.
Dividing the shape into sections helps get the direction of the satin stitch correct across the entire shape.
Then just fill in the gabs. Filling a slightly tapered shape like this is so much easier in wool than if you are using silk or cotton. The wool is so much more forgiving - you simply space the stitches a little further apart along the wider edge. The wool will neatly fill the space.

To divide the petals, I wanted something a little more substantial than a straight stitch over the top. A straight stitch would easily partly disappear into the underlying satin stitch. The solution was a detached chain placed partway over the blossom and the anchoring stitch all way over the edge.
To finish off - a few trusty old pistil stitches for the stamens at the top...

...and there, a delicate little blossom using just a few simple stitches. Perhaps it gives you some ideas of how to use a few different stitches next time you embroider a flower.

Happy Stitching,
Anna x

PS - did you wonder about the dotted outlines? Dots are so much easier to disguise and cover with stitches than solid lines...