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Investigating Rose Gardens

Note from Debi: I am doing something a little different with this investigation. I have lots of ideas for rose gardens but don't seem to get around to stitching them. Rather than hold on to this any longer I am going to post the investigation without the full run of pictures and examples. As I get examples stitched I will add them into the appropriate sections. If any of you would like to contribute pictures of any of the variations they would be more than welcome.

Stitching the Basic Rose Garden

A basic rose garden is stitched by layering a regular shape such as a square on two alternating sets of lines. You can use any regular shape as the basis for the design with triangles, squares and pentagons being the most common because the most common divisions have the right number of lines. You need to have twice the number of marking lines as your shape has sides... 6 for a triangle, 8 for a square or 10 for a pentagon and so on. The one I am using for an example will be worked with hexagons so it starts with 12 marking lines at the intersection.

1. Start in the center with your chosen color. Stitch a closed hexagon using every other marking line. Do about 4 rows.
2. Now switch to the other six marking lines. Stitch a hexagon with the stitches just outside the rows of the first hexagon. Do about 4 rows. These rows do not have to cover up the points of the previous layer's hexagon. It is more likely the points will show when you are working with fewer sides, like on a triangle or square, but those points will slowly get covered as you continue to work more layers.
3. For the next layer go back to the lines the first hexagon was stitched on. Stitch a hexagon with these new rows being layered over the second hexagon.
4. Continue to alternate from one hexagon and set of marking lines to the other, changing colors as desired until the rose garden is as large as you want it to be.

Variations

The example pictures will be linked to the pages in my notebook when there is one. Also, you'll find that several of the designs are repeated in different sections because they combine techniques.

There are several ways to vary the rose garden stitching. They can be combined to give different effects that range from a very realistic looking floral center to a very abstract collection of colors and shapes. You'll have to experiment to see what appeals to you most for the particular design you are working on. I will describe as many variations as I can think of here, but I do not have finished pictures of all of them at this time. Also, since I have not tried to stitch all of them yet, I am not entirely positive that they will all work out to give a pretty result. I will add pictures as I get them stitched (or if someone wants to share their work).

Alter the basic shape used

You can get quite a different look to the rose garden just by changing the shape it is based on. Triangle, square and pentagons are the most common because they correspond to 6-way, 8-way and 10-way intersections that are available on C8 and C10 divisions, but there is no reason why you cannot work with hexagons on a 12-way intersection, octagons on a 16-way intersection or even decagons on a 20-way intersection. You'll need to add support lines if you are working from a C8 or C10 division, or you can work on a Simple division of the appropriate size. Generally, the more sides the base shape has, the more round the finished rose garden will look.

Examples:

triangle based rose garden
square based rose garden
pentagon based rose garden
hexagon based rose garden

Different coloring methods

A common method for coloring a rose garden is to use shades of a single color with a high contrast center giving a floral effect. For example, this one was stitched on squares, with a yellow center and then shades of purple moving from light in the center to dark in the outer layers. That can be the starting place for quite a few variations.

1. You can reverse the colors and go from dark to light instead of light to dark.
2. You can use shades of color within each layer again moving from light to dark or dark to light. This is one of my favorites for achieving a realistic flower coloring.
3. Add a high contrast edge such as a metallic or very dark color by making it the first row you stitch on each shape. This can give a stained glass effect.
4. For a textured look, don't switch colors at all. Use this technique with the previous one for a truly elegant look.
5. Alternate two or more highly contrast colors on each layer.
6. Use stripes within each layer.
7. Do a 'bits' or 'orts' rose garden by using a different color in each layer.

Examples:

dark to light colors (#1 on list)
#2 on list
#3 and #5 on list
#5 on list
#4 on list, used Watercolors a variegated fiber
#5 on list
different colors on each layer (#5 from list)
#6 on list, stripes using two shades of yellow

Band width

The number of rows on each shape in the layers can be varied. If you keep to the same number of rows from the very beginning you will find that you get less coverage over the points as you progress. For that reason on a basic rose garden the number of rows usually increases as the overall shape gets larger. You might start with four rows on the first three layers, then go to five rows for the next three layers and then on to six rows and so on. But you can vary the number of rows you do to get different effects. On the extreme side, try switching shapes after one row each time, you'll get somewhat of a pinwheel effect. If you make the number of rows quite large, you may have to stitch between rows for the next layer or have greater spacing between the layers. And you could try varying the number of rows within a single rose garden. For example, do a section with 4 rows, then 2 rows then 4 rows. This is one of those I need to play with to see how it will really play out.

Examples:

an extreme case where each layer is one row
each layer is 8 rows
inner layers are 4 rows, outer layers are 5 rows

Spacing between rows and layers

A traditional rose garden is tightly nested with the shapes all butting up closely to the previous ones. But it doesn't have to be. You can't really compress closer because of where the stitches are placed but you can explode outward and increase the spacing. You will get a more open, lacier effect depending on the number of rows you are using for each shape.

Examples:

rows spread out so that each layer is next to the points of the previous layer

Number of shapes

You don't have to be restricted to only two shapes on two sets of alternating lines. You could start with a greater multiple of marking lines and do more shapes. Use 16 lines to start with and do four different squares. The example below is one I did like this with two alternating colors. I traveled clockwise through the four possible squares and ended up with a really nice spiral design. Changing the order you stitch the shapes or the colors you use could give drastically different results.

Examples:

four squares instead of two, moving one line to the right for each square

Letting the points show

When you are near to finishing your rose garden you have a choice to let the points of the previous layer show or to extend the last shape to cover them. Letting the points show can help you to achieve a more floral look. Covering them can give a nice frame to the element especially if you choose your colors accordingly. It is also interesting to extend the second to last shape so that the last shape's rows are done on top of it. In that case you will have to slip the stitches for the last shape in between the rows of the previous one, carefully grooming the threads to minimize any separations. This technique can allow the points that show to appear to be more evenly sized. It might be possible to exploit the idea earlier in the rose garden stitching as well, but I have not tried it yet. (Add that to the list of ones that may or may not work out.)

Examples:

triangles often end up with points showing
last round covers all previous points
second to last round extends well beyond points and changes to green color at outer edge, last round is layered on top taking stitches inbetween rows of previous round

Be creative in the center

Traditional rose gardens start with a closed shape in the center but there is no reason why you cannot use a different element in the center and work the rose garden around it. Or for that matter, leave the center open to showcase a fabulous wrap thread. In this case, be sure to start your first shape with the stitches a consistent distance from the intersection so that you are stitching with a regular shape (mathematically speaking... equal length sides and equal angles). You could do small kikus, starbursts, five pointed stars or any other thing you can think of in the center first and then use the rose garden stitching to surround and highlight it.

Examples:

center is a five point star formed by an underlayer of crossing threads

Shapes revisited

This idea is a little farther out there and I am not sure it will work at all until I try it. You could vary the shapes you use as you stitch the rose garden. For example, start with 12 marking lines. Stitch a triangle based rose garden using six of them (see diagram). Then after a few layers, switch and stitch a hexagon based rose garden. It should start on the lines that you have not used for the triangles. Continue with more layers of the hexagons until the rose garden is the desired size.

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