It may look easy to embroider the carnation but they can be tricky. Carnations are so firm and substantial looking and at the same time so fringy and light, we must simplify the flowers as much as possible.
Beware a second row of stitches in one petal or the temptation to embroider all the petals full and close down behind the others. See that the sides of all the petals fully touch the petals in front as in Fig. 1.
The tooth edges of these petals must be worked with stitches laid very close to each other. Keep to the out-line and make all the points sharp.
A high light left in the center of the calyx by the un- covered linen is very effective. The leaf- like bracts just below the calyx along the stem should be worked out with as much character as possible, as shown in Fig. 2.
