I admit it's not a complete tut, but it will help. Check
this thread for more info mainly from others too.
OK PM; a partial tut (partly because I'm lazy, but also because it is really still time consuming). The asy part is the frame work.
Things needed:
Voronoi Path:
http://registry.gimp.org/node/20041Shape Paths:
http://registry.gimp.org/node/59______________________________
First make a simple (but centered) Flower Spike (don't stroke yet; using this one to make the framework).
Now rightclick on the path (inside paths dialogue) and run paths to Voronoi and stroke for the frame.
Now you need to run Flower Spike again (on new transparent layer), but you will need to rotate to align to the Frame (only need to do one time; elaborate later). Stroke this time.
Now, run Inverse Polar.
Now duplicate the result but don't go all the way to the top.
Now scale each result (time consuming; I did this by eye. Any Script-fu writers can help me out here; lol)
Merge your result (but not the framework) and run Polar on it. Might have to do Layer to Image Size.
Now add the inner loops using Flowerspike again (not doing or showing)
Also, should have lightened the outer loops more (did so on the one posted). I also did some additional things to make the result more threadlike (fill layer with noise set to color and also had a rough texture that I blended with the inverted (didn't do this step; black background and white threads) to make it look real. I also ran AAA Good Vibrations filter to warp it a little on my last version (tricks of the trade). Hope you like the semi (lazy man's) tut.