Flower of the Sun
©2022 by Cynthia Rutledge 

The thistle represents overcoming adversity and difficult situations. It’s a symbol of resilience. In Celtic regions, the thistle represents devotion, bravery, determination, and strength. Throughout history, many cultures have adopted the flower as a positive emblem, cultivating unique stories that tell the tales of past heritages.

For instance, Scotland has used this flower as their national emblem since the 13th century.

Without any natural enemies, it flourishes in the highlands, islands, and lowlands of Scotland. It attracts goldfinches, bumble bees and many varieties of butterflies.

In the Basque region of France, the thistle is called the flower of the sun as it always stands proudly to face the light, therefore, they consider this sturdy plant an icon that the sun sent down to protect others from harm and evil. Even today, as a symbol of protection, you can see pots of thistles by the front doors of many homes in this region.

My inspiration for Flower of the Sun derives from the description of the meanings for the thistle in the Language of Flowers dictionary published by Joseph Hammer-Purgstall in 1809. The words, overcoming adversity, and determination, came to mind because of COVID and how our lives all changed in an instant. The words, devotion, and bravery to all of those that we have lost and to those that have saved so many. The word, strength, and how we will make it through this, in the end, if we stay strong and work together. We lift our faces to the sun and hold fast!

A three-dimensional thistle, created from a peyote stitch armature, is embellished with baby magatamas, and variations of spikes and branch-like fringe to create the center component for this design. Spiky leaves are wrapping around the necklace core of tubular peyote stitch. The necklace comes to an end in a toggle and a unique way of making the loop.

Workshop length: This is a one-day workshop designed exclusively for the Heart of Texas Bead Retreat.

Skill level: Intermediate to advanced

Necklace length: 17 ½” long for my samples

Techniques:

• Branch fringe embellishment variation

• Flat, even and odd count peyote stitch

• Netting variation

• Picot stitch-in-the-ditch embellishment

• Spike embellishments

• Split circle technique for dividing a tube of peyote stitch into two tubes for the loop closure

• Stitch-in-the-ditch

• Tubular, even count peyote stitch with increasing and decreasing

• Tubular, odd count peyote stitch