Today were are showcasing a citrus colour palette. Nature’s palette is a never-ending source of inspiration. In the world of needlepoint design, we find ourselves inspired by the fresh and bright colours reminiscent of citrus, which usually reminds me of a beautiful summer’s day.
By selecting fresh and vibrant colours such as orange and yellow, we are able to breathe life into our canvas. These hues radiate warmth, joy, and a touch of whimsy, mirroring the kaleidoscope of natural colours. I would even challenge you to experiment with bright lime greens to give this design that extra “pop.”
One of the reasons we find the leaf motif so great is because of its versatility. Like a blank canvas, it provides a playground for stitching techniques and patterns. With every stitch, we can explore different needlepoint methods, ranging from intricate florals to bold geometric designs. The leaf’s simplicity allows for room to explore different patterns artistically, encouraging us to push the boundaries of our creativity and experiment with various stitch combinations, textures, and techniques.
The Fresh & Bright Colours we used for this project
The background mosaic was stitched using alternating rows of golden yellow, orange and pale yellow floss, similar to Colour #37.
Our leaf is stitched alternating with rows of eyelet stitches and long arm Smyrna crosses using a size 8 perle cotton in Colour #80.
The Smyrna cross-stitch is one of the first stitches I learned when I started needlepoint. It is a simple, dense, square, textured stitch. The long arm cross gives a less textured appearance, especially using the size 8 perle cotton.
Again, I encourage you to experiment with other colour combinations. Try lime green to see how it can transform the overall look of this design.
