Christmas Topiary

A perfect embellishment for the Yuletide season Christmas Topiary joyously expresses the spirit of Christmas celebration. The centerpiece of the design is a fabulous red poinsettia, delicately shaded to give it a three dimensional effect. The poinsettias are accompanied by Christmas balls worked in bargello, sparkly candy canes, beaded pears, and a number of other wonderful ornaments. Sprigs of cedar fill in the design, which is further embellished by by holly leaves, shiny hearts, and spiraling gold tendrils. All are contained in a copper cache pot, which is further enhanced by golden beads.

I sought to depict the flowers that we associate with the Christmas season. Most prominent is the poinsettia, of course; its showy brachts are a favorite around the country, if not the world. They brighten homes and holiday decor wherever they are placed. Holly leaves are a must in the Christmas season, but I also include sprigs of evergreen cedar with lacy foliage to soften the composition. Because of the song, pears are associated with Christmas; Christmas Topiary sports the jeweled variety. Hearts and candy canes and wonderful ornaments declare that this is Christmas.

Christmas Topiary is rendered in a number of fun and interesting canvaswork stitches, including Criss Cross Hungarian, Venetian, a simple Bargello, Rhodes Heart, Sprats’ Head Heart, Fly stitch, Fishbone, Rumanian, Encroaching Gobelin, Split Gobelin, and Alicia Lace. The very demanding long and short stitch is used to create the wonderful poinsettias.

Threads include Silk Mori, Ribbon Shimmer Floss, French Flat Silk, Kreinik Braids, Blending Filament, and Jaçeron. Christmas Topiary is worked on white congress cloth.