Flannel Flower Tote in Fennel & Saltbush

 

This is the second colour way I bought of the Ink and Spindle Flannel Flower line. This is a mid-weight linen, a little lighter than the Spice but still sturdy.

I picked perle 5 threads in greens, cream, yellow and blue, trying to capture the colour of the actual flannel flower.  It's illusive. The overall sense, in my memory, is of slightly misty green.

This time I worked two centres on each side, mainly because the flowers on this print were more evenly distributed, and I thought two provided better balance.

I tried different combinations and stitching order on each one. At the moment this is an exercise in experimentation.

In the top left, I began with a yellow centre in each of the printed bluey circles, then worked out using a green thread with a fair amount of blue, adding in cream and another green to fill gaps. In the lower right I used much the same threads, but worked yellow and cream first, then added in green and a little blue. 

The other two used two shades of green more on the yellow end. I don't have a preference, and I suspect that Flannel Flowers probably vary as much as my experiments!

I made this one up using a cream linen, very close to the colour of the petals for the sides, base and lining.

Again, I used the square size, almost 40cm square. It's a good size to work with, and   means I can cut four bags from the piece of fabric I ordered, as long as I use a plain fabric for sides and base.

This is not as bold as the first bag in Spice, but it does have a calming feel and a quiet charm - a bit like a Flannel Flower!

And yes, it looks as if there will be a few more to come, with a bit of variation. I have a charity event in mind, as well as gifts - and maybe the Guild SALA Exhibition. As well as enjoyment in the making.