Stitch explorer - Casal Guidi work

I'm taking part in Sharon B's Stitch Explorer Challenge. Find out all about it here. This month's challenge is Casal Guidi work.

I really like the combination of heavily stitched areas and pulled thread work in this technique.

I did this experimental piece for City & Guilds a while ago:


(Click on photo for bigger image)

Instead of pulled thread work on linen, I made the background by winding fine knitting yarn around a square frame, top to bottom, then left to right, and machine stitched over it to hold the threads before cutting it off the frame. The thick 'stems' are worked in stem stitch over a bundle of threads, the smaller ones are machine stitched with a zigzag stitch. The flower motif was stitched over wadding.

I also made some samples on dyed evenweave fabric with coloured threads, but this white sample was my favourite.