Needlework Leaves Continued

CQMag Staff © 2004

Since leaves are an important element in motifs and seam embellishment for crazy quilting, we continue our article series on making various types of needlework leaves.

Occasionally, we need a leaf suitable for surface application. These leaves are frequently used for larger flowers such as rolled roses, pansies, dahlias, etc. Most type ribbon can be used for these leaves. French wire edge ribbons were used for these illustrations. When using wire-edged ribbon, remove the wire from the edge that is to be gathered.

		Half-Boat Leaf Jean Bowman
		Start the leaf by measuring the width of the ribbon. For the half boat leaf, 7 times the width of the ribbon in needed. For example: if using 1 inch wide ribbon, you'll need 7 inches in length for each leaf, for ½ inch ribbon, 3 ½ inches. Fold ribbon in half with the raw ends together.
		Fold down the folded end at an angle. Starting at the point, with a heavy or double matching thread, run a gathering stitch along the edge of the ribbon as illustrated. Gather slightly; backstitch and knot securely.
		Open leaf and finger press into shape. Stitch across the bottom edge and gather tightly. Stitch securely.

Lace may also be used to make this leaf using the same formula as above. If you want to dye the lace leaf, for most dyes, use a natural fiber lace such as cotton or rayon.

The Leaf Stitch Leaf Rita Goff

Instructions for Leaf Stitch:

Come up at A, down at B and up at C, then down at D. Go down at the dotted line for stitch B, but then come down just a little to the left or to the right for stitches D and F, etc. Continue until you have filled the leaf shape. You may need to compensate with some straight stitches at the bottom of the leaf to fill it in. Don't crowd these stitches.  The C to D stitch will determine the slant of the stitches. If is long, there will be more of a slant in the leaf.Thread used: Edmar Rayon Thread, Iris #080.

The Holly Grevillea Leaf Rita Goff

Lightly draw the form of the leaf, and then do an outline or stem stitch following the outside lines of the pattern. Work the inside of the leaf with buttonhole stitches. If you slant your needle toward the outline stitch when doing the buttonholes, it will look nicer. You could also do a tiny buttonhole stitch from the stem to form a center vein of the leaf. Threads used: Edmar Rayon, Iris, color 121

Rita Goff has stitched these lovely leaves using Edmar threads.

Crocheted Geranium Leaf Pam Porter

Using size 10 crochet thread and a size 5 hook this makes a leaf approximately 1.25" wide by 1.5" from the tip of the stem to the edge of the leaf. Use size 20 or 30 thread to make the leaf smaller.

Materials:
Size 10 crochet thread in Forest or Kelp Forest.
Size 5 crochet hook
Medium darning needle

Ch 8, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sl st in back loop of next 6 ch to end of chain.

Ch 2, then join to first ch using sl st. Turn.

Working in space created by ch 2, ch 2 (counts as dc), 7 dc in same space. Turn.

Ch 1 (counts as sc), dc in top of first dc, [sc, dc] in top of next 5 dc, sc in last dc. Turn.

Ch1, *3 dc in top of dc, sc in sc, repeat from * 5 times. Fasten off.

Weave in ends.

Resources: www.keltickrafts.com

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