I always think of the iris when spring comes - it's a sure sign of the season to see the variety of colors in big gorgeous flower beds all around (I really missed these when I lived in south Florida!). I've given you 3 ways to stitch my version...

The larger "welcome" sampler is worked on 32ct linen with Gentle Art floss; it's a soft color palette of Chamomile, Hyacinth and Lavender Potpourri - sounds like a relaxing recipe for aromatherapy, doesn't it? Finishes to approx. 4" x 7."

The simplified version of this sampler is so clean - I chose to use soft colors of silk floss on a creamy 28ct linen. This one is about 4" x 5" when complete.

The pillow model is a bit more vibrant stitched with size 5 perle cottons on 18ct ivory linen. The threads give it a lot more texture and color, and there is a striking "tone-on-tone" background stitched behind the design that adds real elegance to the piece. A simple accent of a clay monarch butterfly button completes the design, which finishes to about 6.5" x 8."

A note about the pillow finishing… We mounted the stitched design onto a cream damask fabric sewn into a "sleeve" which fits around a separate dark green pillow. The sleeve is trimmed with cream and dark green gimp plus generous amounts of wired green organdy ribbon - the inner green pillow is trimmed out with purple piping to further accent your stitching!