Poppies in a Copper Bowl is a joyous celebration of earthly fertility, found especially in the fields of Europe and some places in America. To many they are a symbol of the fallen soldier, and especially poignant in the military graveyards in Europe. But they grow elsewhere in the old countries and are a lovely addition to the landscape.
My rendition is something of a sampler of stitches and techniques. There are a few canvaswork stitches, and some surface embroidery stitches, and just one or two counted thread techniques. The threads are varied: the most often used is Soie d’Alger, but I have also employed Straw Silk, Neon Rays, and some lovely silk ribbon. I also used a little bit of Krienik braid, some Accentuate, a few sequins and beads. The edge of the bowl is outlined with a fine copper pearl purl (which I had to order from Canada). My challenge was to vary the flowers, in size, texture, and color.