ready to start stitching

This is my piece for my Mastered course and I'm all ready to start stitching. I've transferred the design onto a piece of linen using tacking stitches and have stapled it to the frame - good and tight.

I've chosen my colours and the only thing I'm not too sure about still is whether to use Perle cotton no. 5 or no. 8. The whole thing will be stitched in twisted chain to try to preserve the painterly feel and this stitch will also be robust enough to take the wear and tear a cushion has to put up with. I may do a little more sampling before I start because I don't want to get it wrong.