Waiting for my Close Up

Today’s stitch is itching to get into a Stitch Concept. It came to me as a result of writing procrastination with a trip down the pinterest.com rabbit hole.

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 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.

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 me playing with four plies of Simply Shaker cotton floss on 18-mesh.

This stitch will get its close up and soon. There are many ways this stitch can play. My first thought is a wall and/or background on a still life with a single strand silk such as Elegance or Soie Perlee. Another idea that popped into my head is using this as a glass stitch with a lightweight Kreinik, Bijoux, or Petite Silk Lame on a (very) large glass vase or window. It will work on clothing where you want to accentuate the height and any glorious painted shading, such as pants or a long coat, with a single strand silk such as Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot Silk.

I will also strongly consider alternating columns with two threads, whether they are different finishes or colors will completely depend on the piece. And, before you ask, the columns can be either horizontal or vertical.

Today’s stitch is also unique as I included sequence numbers to give you an idea of how I navigated the open canvas. I started in an upper corner and used a modified backstitch to create the rectangles and connectors, always backtracking over immediately prior stitches (except when turning a corner). You can follow this path on the horizontal OR vertical axis.

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 FacebookPinterestInstagram, 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 DesignsSandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and 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! Enjoy!  Happy #smallspacesunday!

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!

Just the Beginning

I was desperately seeking an open, lightweight background for an upcoming stitch guide series (for a group of adorable standups...more to come soon, I promise!)

Today is an example of Pinterest (or any stitch book or stitched piece) providing the catalyst for a stitch.   This pin was the beginning of something wonderful.  I expanded it beyond the original diagram because I needed the additional space for the snowflakes (Smyrna Crosses).  

2017 Pavilion Flower Variation.jpg

The stitched sample on Instagram goes for a lighter touch, using only two plies of Splendor for the flowers (on 18-mesh).  If you want fuller coverage, use four plies of any strandable silk or cotton floss on 18-mesh and six strands on 13-mesh.  A laying tool is critical here to keep the individual strands flat and untangled.  

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 FacebookPinterestInstagram, 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 for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  30 guides are currently available, including two new guides from Patience (here and here), and more are in the pipeline.  My events page includes teaching events at stores I will be visiting over the next few months.  More events are in the works and the events page will always include the latest available information.

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

Sweet Stalks

Today's post is another riff on the influence of embroidery in needlepoint.  Common embroidery techniques used in needlepoint include the stem stitch, the back stitch, and French Knots.  I've had a lot of fun trying to recreate some of the more unique embroidery stitches as needlepoint.  Today's stitch is a perfect example.  First, this is the original pin that helped me create the stitch below.

Stalk Stitch.jpg

I thought it was important to make these stalks look as natural as possible, so I offset the middle column by one row (on the vertical) so the stalks wouldn't be even.  With the lazy daisy loop (the black lines), it was also possible to make this stitch follow a curved line.  

You can see that curved line in the lower left hand corner of the stitched sample on Instagram.  I used a single color of Vineyard Silk in the stitched sample.  The painting of the canvas enhanced the stitch as well.  (I can always find an argument for open stitches.)

It would be a lot of fun to do the loops in a different color to make the "flower" part of this stitch pop.  Another idea is to add French Knots in some of the open spaces for a different version of a flower.  Have fun with it.

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 FacebookPinterestInstagram, 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 for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  28 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!