Kimono background and leaves

The background and leaves are done on my kimono canvas! As I mentioned in my last post about the kimono, the leaves were stitched in basketweave. The red background is stitched in burden stitch with two ply of dark red Accentuate for the couched thread, and 2 ply of red Splendor for the top stitch.




I'm now working on finishing up the flowers. Those that are pink in the middle and white on the outside are being worked in long and short. The white-only flowers are satin stitch across the short direction of the petals (as in Japanese embroidery). I haven't quite figured out what I'm going to use on the blue ones - the one at the bottom and those on both sleeves. I'm thinking of a really lightweight stitch with one ply of silk to let the shading of the paint show through, but I'm open to suggestions!

After the flowers are done, I'll move on to the gold swirls and outlines.