Goldwork Class Sampler - Silk Stitching Completed

Hurray!  I've finished the silk sections of the first Thistle Threads Gold Masterclass sampler!  I must say I wasn't too enthusiastic about all those queen stitches when I started, but they really began to grow on me.  I like the way they create a just slightly raised brocade-like effect, along with the slightly lacy look of the pulled thread. 

I mostly kept the colors as indicted in the instructions - so the photo looks A LOT like the many others people have posted.  But I did make several small changes that I'm very pleased with.  In the large honeysuckle in the upper left hand corner, the diagonal pink sections of the flower were originally yellow/gold, and in the smaller honeysuckle beneath it, I changed the pink sections from the very dark pink to a lighter pink.  But the biggest change is the blue pansies.  Blue is my favorite color, and I really like the pansies done in the blues. 

I also really like the little strawberries.  On vacation earlier this year, I saw a 17th century piece done in a very similar strawberry pattern.  I need to find my notes and move ahead playing with the motif a bit more.

Now on to the starting the goldwork!