Being Wrong is Occasionally Fun

I’m not sure what I like more about today’s stitch…how it uses an overdyed thread or the fact the darning stitches are random. Regardless of the answer, I can’t wait to integrate this into an upcoming project.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

I numbered the darning sequence in one of the columns simply to remind you that darning stitches are similar to running stitches, traveling across or down a straight axis, creating a smooth stitch versus the crisp wrapped edge of a traditional needlepoint stitch. Make sure you have enough thread to complete a row from edge to edge, as ending a darning stitch mid-row creates an uneven look.

A tiny bit of background. I love overdyed threads and, as you may know by now, I love me my darning stitches. Prior to a dear stitching friend sharing this stitch with me, I would have said I use overdyed thread sparingly and typically for leaves, flowers, and water. I rarely, if ever, used overdyed thread for basketweave or continental stitches. And darning stitches always involved distinct, repeated sequences.

Yeah…I was wrong. The combination of this darning idea with the overdyed is just charming. It’s everything I would have said no to and I love it.

The stitched sample is an exterior wall with Gloriana Silk Floss (black lines) and Perle Cotton (turquoise lines).

I plan on using this stitch for tree trunks with two colors of Impressions or a pair of pants with overdyed silk floss (black lines) and solid silk floss (turquoise lines). Flip the stitch 90° and use it for a green field with overdyed silk floss or overdyed wool (black lines) with a single strand silk (turquoise lines).

Something to remember…you can make the columns of darning stitches as wide as you need. Say, five rows of darning for every column of Continental stitches. It’s up to you!

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a contemporary how-to collection of more than 250 stitches for stitchers regardless of skill level. The book includes updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, all-new stitches, and a chapter on the basics of needlepoint. For more information, visit here.

whimsicalstitch.com also sells Stitch Guides and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!

It's Valentine's Day AND Christmas

Heart shaped stitches are filling my social feeds quite a bit these days. And I would have sworn I didn’t have any in my stash. Well, today’s stitch proves I would have been delightfully wrong.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Like a lot of us these days, I’m using my extra time at home re-organizing. I was surprised and thrilled to stumble across this adorable ornament in the back of a drawer in a chest I use for my thread stash. The stitched sample uses nothing more than DMC Perle Cotton on 18-mesh. (Bonus links: the stitch for the dress can be found here and the stitch for the wings is here.)

It’s an easy and scalable stitch. Create the heart in vertical straight stitches from top to bottom so they have crisp, wrapped top edges. When you get to the far side of the heart, bring your needle across the back to one hole below the center thread in the heart and add a single, long running stitch to the top of the next heart, and repeat. In the stitched sample, the running stitch is 16 rows high. If you want more hearts in your background, make shorter running stitches. But take the time to count it out so the hearts is subsequent vertical columns are centered against the running stitch on its side. Or not, it’s up to you.

This stitch is a great template for any kind of theme oriented background. Select your thematic element and you are off to the races. I’ve seen these columns with small pumpkins instead of hearts. You could do a bat instead of a heart for a Halloween piece. I’ve used single tiny snowflakes for the repeated element and I’ve seen dramatic single snowflakes as the element (on pinterest.com). The possibilities are virtually endless.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a contemporary how-to collection of more than 250 stitches for stitchers regardless of skill level. The book includes updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, all-new stitches, and a chapter on the basics of needlepoint. For more information, visit here.

whimsicalstitch.com also sells Stitch Guides and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Today’s stitch comes from my stash of unfinished needlepoint. I love this stitch and I love this piece and…I have no clue if and when I’m going to finish it. While that’s not a perfect trifecta, I am thrilled I have this stitch to share with you.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

The stitch is vertical columns of diamonds with DMC Perle Cotton #8 (black lines) and Flair (gray lines) covered with size 8 Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines) on 18-mesh. I used it for a background on a grid of a variety of fruit. I love integrating splashes of color into solid colored backgrounds. It is such an easy way to tie an entire piece together.

This stitch will make great clothing. Imagine it as a cute skirt with Soie D’Alger (black lines) and Entice (gray lines) covered with Flair (yellow lines). Alternatively, use it for pants with a Petite Very Velvet (black lines) and Fyre Werks (gray lines) covered with Silk Lame (yellow lines). It would also be perfect for a tall narrow vase with Petite Silk Lame (black lines) and Elegance (gray lines) covered with a lightweight Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines).

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a contemporary how-to collection of more than 250 stitches for stitchers regardless of skill level. The book includes updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, all-new stitches, and a chapter on the basics of needlepoint. For more information, visit here.

whimsicalstitch.com also sells Stitch Guides and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!

Stitching Friends are the Best Friends...

…largely because they know what will make you squeal with joy. Case in point is today’s stitch, shared with me by a stitching friend (naturally).

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

The stitched sample uses two shades of blue perle cotton for an elegant and subtle background. Truth be told, I would have used a matte and a metallic for this stitch in this background, but was pleasantly surprised at how charming it is without a metallic. So, said stitching friend also provided me (and us) good food for thought. I love how the two shades of blue mesh so well together and provide an intriguing background.

I colored the diagram lines to match the stitched sample but feel free to consider using 2-3 colors with this stitch. This would make a glamorous coat or toy bag on a large Santa stand-up. Consider a deep red matte for the larger black lines, a medium weight silver or gold metallic for the turquoise lines, and a wide green metallic for the center diamond. This would make a fantastic and funky pumpkin with orange metallic for the larger black lines, black matte for the turquoise lines, and your favorite Halloween accent color (think lime green or purple) or white for the center diamond. You could also fill the center diamond with Brick Beading for a truly over the top accent.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

IIf 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 and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!

Oh So Blue

Today’s stitch is a fun tramme with a wide blue base and two kinds of blue sparkle. A trifecta of blue, if you will! Win win (win)!

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Today's stitch comes from Royal Peeps, a Zecca workshop I put together a couple summers ago. It uses Vineyard Silk, Silk Lame, and Fyre Werks on 18 mesh.

I used it for a tail on Royal Peeps. It would make great ground cover or a roof with Vineyard Silk (black lines) and a couple interesting matte threads, such as Lorikeet (aqua lines) and a perle cotton (turquoise lines). A more dramatic version, including Very Velvet, Kreinik Metallics, and Neon Rays would make great clothing. Consider flipping it 90 degrees and using it for wallpaper with lighter weight threads such as DMC Perle #8 (black lines), Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (#8) (aqua lines), and a silk floss (turquoise lines).

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Patience Brewster, and many more. Click here to see the newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch!  Please enjoy!  

A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible.  The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence.  For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color).  Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines.  That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!

Boo!

Today's stitch is a full coverage stitch I found in a book forever ago.  I had all but forgotten about it until I pulled out my Halloween decorations.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

The stitched sample includes DMC Perle Cotton #8 with Flair.  It's a tricky little stitch.  Do NOT overlook the fact the beetles alternate sizes on the horizontal and vertical axises.  I strongly recommend adding the beetles first (gray lines), and fill in the parallelograms (turquoise lines) when you are done with the beetles.

This full coverage stitch will draw attention to a medium- to large-sized space.  It would be a fantastic coat or bag with rich threads such as Pepper Pot Silk, Very Velvet, Soie D'Alger or Gloriana Silk Floss for the beetles.  Combine those with a strong metallic such as Fyre Werks, Kreinik Metallics Medium Braid (#16), Silk Lame, Rachelette, or Frosty Rays.  It would make a wonderful basket or floor with lighter weight matte threads such as DMC Perle, Elegance, Subtlety, or Prescencia.  Combine colors and finishes to get your desired effect.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 48 guides are currently available and more are in the works!

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Enjoy!

Surprisingly Small

Truth be told, I don't consider today's stitch a true small space stitch*.  However, as I was examining my needlepoint pieces for #smallspacesunday inspiration, I found this stitch in a small space on one of my (ahem, many) fruit pillows.  And, much to my surprise, I haven't covered this exact stitch yet (variations of, yes...this stitch, no).  So, win win!

I give you Upright Tied Crosses in its purest form.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account.  Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account.  Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

The stitched sample is a raspberry from a retired Melissa Shirley fruit pillow.  It used DMC Perle Cotton with Frosty Rays as the X on top.  The use of two threads was a perfect way to make this stitch pop in a small space.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 41 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Enjoy!

* I acknowledge this is not what I consider a pattern stitch.  I consider #smallspacesunday a theme unto itself.  :)

Fair and Square

This morning's stitch is a series of connected squares. It's straightforward, scalable, and a tiny bit sassy. It's tempting to add something in any of the centers, but the simplicity is what I like about this stitch. In other words, leave it alone.  :)

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account.  Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account.  Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Just as the first pattern stitch this month, this stitch works best in an area that needs to recede such as a background. I would love to try this stitch on a large window with a lightweight Kreinik. The stitched sample on Instagram is a background on Melissa Shirley's Pumpkin Patch (a piece I'm dying to finish...someday).

This is a large open stitch and every effort should be made to minimize visible threads across the back of the canvas. To accomplish this, I have a couple suggestions. First, for people who use waste knots (me!), begin your thread on the axis that includes a connecting row (at least 10-12 rows away from your starting point). You can cover the waste knot as you stitch the connector while making sure the thread is snug and hidden behind that same row in the open area.

My second piece of advice is to start rows in corners as much as possible. For example, after I stitched a connector (on a subsequent square), I landed in the middle of a row on the new square. I added that center stitch (again, to minimize visible threads on the back) and moved immediately to a corner and stitched the remainder of that side of the square. Typically, when I completed a square, I was next to a connector row, meaning I could go down one row to add the connector row and then repeat.  

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 41 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Enjoy!