Butterfly Canvas Spotlight

Canvas MB17 by Sharon Garmize
Thread suggestions by Kreinik

This month let’s take a look at a beautiful, small canvas by Sharon G. The colors in this canvas draw us in, reminding us of the richness of nature. Sharon created this canvas with Kreinik metallic colors in mind.

We have a full spectrum to choose from in the Kreinik color line. Let us make some suggestions for ideal color matches to this canvas.

For the background:
Kreinik Silk Mori in 8000 Soft White. This will give you a creamy, neutral backdrop for showcasing the beauty of the butterfly. Select a background stitch that isn’t too complicated; you really want the butterfly to be the focus of this canvas.

For the border:
Kreinik 026V Vintage Amethyst and 002V Vintage Gold. This canvas is painted on 18-count, so for tent stitch, we suggest using Tapestry (#12) Braid. There is a trend, however, toward using lighter coverage and letting a hint of the paint show through. If that’s the look you like, just switch to Fine (#8) Braid.

For the butterfly:
In the bottom half, color 191 Pale Yellow and 095 Starburst in Tapestry (#12) Braid are perfect color matches. In the top half, 029 Turquoise, 9294 Periwinkle, and 329 Bahama Blue capture the natural iridescence of a butterfly’s wing. The wings are such a small area that tent stitch is probably the best choice.

For other parts of the butterfly, 026V Vintage Amethyst, 011C Nickel, and 005 Black in Fine (#8) Braid are good shading choices. For the veins in the wings and the antennae, use 011C Cord in straight stitch. Make a small French Knot at the outer, lower edge of each wing with 029 Turquoise.

© Copyright 2003 Kreinik.
This design may be reproduced for free distribution but not kitted, sold or changed.