If anyone is aware of a name for this stitch, please share! I discovered it a couple years ago and I absolutely love how it looks like a circle, looks better without every intersection covered (in my opinion), and is a fantastic stitch to combine threads (whether it be finish or color).
I'm calling it Circles with Straight Lines until I hear otherwise.
A quick note to acknowledge I did not include compensation stitches because it is a complex stitch and I want you to focus on the stitch itself and to not be distracted by compensation stitches.
The base pattern (the dark gray lines) is over 3-4-5-skip a row-5-4-3. You fill the 2X2 intersections between the base pattern with plain needlepoint (light aqua lines), a Smyrna Cross, beads...whatever your heart desires.
The skipped row in the base pattern (turquoise line) is filled with a contrasting stitch of some kind (whether it be the same color thread with a different finish or a contrasting color). Here's where the fun starts. The diagram shows a center stitch over two rows (turquoise line) with yet another contrasting color (the light gray lines) on either side. Personally, I prefer this stitch with just the single stitch without the light gray stitches on either side. It makes a more dramatic circle.
The stitched samples tell it all. The first one is a classic rendition. It has full coverage and, for the most part, contrasting thread finishes.
The sample on the left below is from a piece in my personal collection. The stitch is on a pillow and uses beads in the intersections and does not include the accent stitches on either side of the center stitch. The sample on the right below is from Debbie Mumm's Polar Express. This includes full coverage with multiple colors and finishes.
27 Likes, 0 Comments - whimsicalstitch.com (@whimsicalstitch) on Instagram: "Circle Stitch (for lack of a better name) with Soy Luster, Petite Silk Lame, and Caravan size 15..."
32 Likes, 0 Comments - whimsicalstitch.com (@whimsicalstitch) on Instagram: "Circle Stitch (for lack of a better name) with DMC Floss, Flair, and Kreinik Metallics Tapestry..."
As you can see, this stitch can be all and do all. I hope you have the perfect spot for it. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.
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If you like what you see on this blog, want to learn some very creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com sells stitch guides for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs. 28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.
Enjoy!