Quartz Meadow

A corner of flowering meadow crossed by a butterfly, in the soft watercolour tones of Karen Tye Bentley's original artwork. The sage green Aida is left unstitched as a background, so only the flowers are worked and the design grows more quickly than its size suggests.

Alongside the cross stitch there are a few lazy daisies for the petals and back stitch for the outlines, while the topaz beads add sparkle to the yellow blooms: all straightforward techniques, covered in the instructions. A hoop or frame and a small pair of embroidery scissors are handy for stitching. A picture frame is not included; the square format suits a mount and frame well.