
Pinion Tree
Trees are one of my favorite motifs to add to projects. They add a sort of
organic, naturalizing appeal that is both pleasing to the eye and life
affirming. In dream interpretation, trees can symbolize life and health when
in full bloom and leaf! To me, trees represent strength, endurance and
flexibility which adds a hidden message that I enjoy adding to my work.
As I walk or drive around the countryside, I try to pay attention to my
surroundings and capture the shapes, sizes, colors and textures of the
plants, flowers and trees so I can recreate them in stitches. The heart of
the tree is, of course, the trunk, so it is important to determine what type
of tree you want in your project as this will effect the shape, size and
color of your trunk. It will also affect how the tree is stitched. (Such as:
Outline, Chain, Split, Long/Short Stitch, etc.) While the basic elements may
vary from species to species, the trunk is still the core element upon which
you will build the remainder of the tree.
So, to begin, I draw the shape that I would like for my trunk on my
block. I do this primarily free hand and use either a liquid chalk or air
soluble fabric marker. I have provided some shapes here for those of you
that don’t enjoy drawing. All you need to do is choose your favorite
transfer method.
 |
 |
Pinon Tree Trunk |
Bristlecone Tree Trunk |
 |
 |
 |
Willow Tree Trunk |
Wisteria Tree Trunk |
Aspen Grove |
Copy the trunk design over to your patch. (Photo 1) Once this is
accomplished, select several complementary colors for your bark. In this
sample, (Photo 2) I used Edmar Glory, 210 and 226. In actuality, I used
three different colors; it just happened that I chose two different dye lots
of the 226.
To begin, I chose a medium tone and began to Outline Stitch the tree
pattern. (Photo 2) This allows me to determine if it is the correct size and
shape for the piece that I am envisioning. Once you have made any necessary
adjustment you will then begin to fill in the shape. There are several ways
to do this. Chain stitch, Outline or Stem stitch, Long and Short Stitch, etc. I
prefer to use the Outline Stitch as it is easy to incorporate the textures
and shading of the tree bark into the overall piece. As you can see in this
picture, (Photo 3) I have created some swirls and waves which are meant to
provide visual texture. As various colors are added it is important to
keep in mind the highlights and shading of the trunk. In my example, the
shade is on the right hand side of the tree, the lighter color primarily in
the middle to give the trunk dimension, and the mid tone blends all of this
together. (Photo 4) Once my shape is filled, I will go back and add French
knots, Bullion Stitches and Straight Stitches to denote branches, knots and burls on
the tree. (Photo 5) In the Bristlecone pine tree example below, I have
Chain Stitched over the fill, then woven heavier threads through the chains to
gain extra dimension.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Photo 1 |
Photo 2 |
Photo 3 |
Photo 4 |
Photo 5 |
Once the trunk is complete you are ready to add the top leaf or blossom
portion of the tree! In the pictures below you can see different methods
that I have tried so far. The Cherry and Wisteria trees are done with French
Knots. The Oak tree is done with ultra suede blocks that I shaded with
Adirondack Alcohol dyes, then Buttonhole Stitched them onto the block. After
I completed that, I felt that I wanted more dimension, so I added French Knots
on the outline. This provided the visual depth I was looking for. With the
Willow tree, I did the Chain Stitch for the branches and then added Cast-on
Stitch “leaves.” Finally, the Bristlecone, which is done entirely with
Cast-on Stitches. It is important to use variegated threads or several
colors within the same family to allow for the depth and textures that you
normally see when looking at a tree. With variegated threads, it is
important to scatter the stitches around the piece like seeds so that you
can achieve a separation of colors. One of the disadvantages of some
variegated threads is that the path between two tones can be too long and
you will get too large of a cluster of one color in a specific area.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Cherry Tree |
Willow Tree |
Oak Tree |
Bristlecone |
Wisteria Tree |
I hope you enjoy adding your bit of nature to your creations as much as I
do! Explore and experiment with your stitches and techniques and above all,
share pictures of your stitching!!! |