I have a little collection of scraps of silk wrapped purl.

Silk wrapped purl is a unique thread. It is a coiled metal thread wrapped completely with silk. You can read about silk wrapped purl here. And you can see stitched samples involving silk wrapped purl here, in the last two photos.

I’d call it a cool thread – totally unique, versatile, and smacking of possibilities.

And here I have a little heap of little pieces, or scraps, if you will. They look very pretty and warm in their little box. And when I look at them all together, I wonder how I could put them to use in one little piece of embroidery.

These are the colors that entice me the most – the rosy pinks and deep burgundy, and the warm browns.

My mind is whirring. I’m in a state of expectation, waiting for an idea to strike. So far, though, nothing solid has hit home with me.

When you see my little pile of scraps, does any idea light up your mind? Do you see any particular type of embroidered element or design beckoning for embellishment with these?

Silk wrapped purl can be couched as is. It can be stretched into a wavy, open coil and couched. It can be cut and bent and sewn on into petal-like shapes (like the leaf near the end of this article). It does not pass through the fabric – it’s worked entirely on the surface. With all that in mind, what can you see my little scrap heap developing into?

I was discussing this predicament with 5-year-old Adele. She pondered the heap and said, “You can make pink and brown worms.” She picked up one of the precious scraps and stretch it to its full extent before I could stop her. Perplexed, she added, “But worms don’t stretch this far without breaking.”

And yes, I’m sure she’s tried it.

Aside from worms, any ideas? What would you do? Have your say below!