i'm excited to start stitching up this new ZINNIA design!

i've got my fabric ironed and hooped up (i like to use a piece of muslin behind my work - it helps so much with stability and opacity), and i've got several needles pre-loaded.

i'm starting with the dark pink, and i've got 2 strands threaded in each needle, so i can easily grab them and start stitching.

i'm starting by outlining the petals using back stitch... and THEN i'm whipping them, so the petal outlines are stitched using whipped back stitch.

you can see here which back stitches have been whipped, and which back stitches haven't been whipped yet... the whipped stitches are more bold and smooth.

i'm also using whipped back stitch for these light pink lines on the petals, except i'm using a single strand this time.

now moving on to the center of the flower, i'm using straight stitches here, and colonial knots in the very center. 2 strands of floss.

for the tiny yellow florets, i used satin stitch [2 strands]. you could also use lazy daisy here, if you want to.

and for the last step - the leaves - i'm using satin stitch [2 strands] to make them smooth and shiny. 

and here she is all stitched up, zinnia in the zinnias!