More is More

Welcome to July!  The theme this month is "More is More," meaning metallics, beads, and lots of layers.  I hope you enjoy!

The inaugural stitch is a riff on a common #whimsicalwednesday theme, Tied Crosses.  What makes this version pop is the bright matching metallic plus a contrasting bead.  Take a look.

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 purposefully added the beads in alternating rows.  The metallic thread was so bright that I did not want to lose that crisp accent by surrounding all of it with beads.  Personally, I like the little break.  That's simply my taste. Feel free to add more beads if your heart so desires.

The stitched sample is from a dress and includes Very Velvet, Fyre Werks, and Sundance Beads.  I think a lot of fun could be had with thread combinations that include pearls (any color) or matte beads. The stitch lends itself to so many areas.  Due to the bling of the stitch, it will work best for an area you want to draw attention to, such as a dress/coat, Santa bag, large hat...I think you get the idea.  The open areas in the stitched version will let any shading show through but I wouldn't necessarily consider this an open stitch because your eye will be drawn to the bright accents. 

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. 44 guides are currently available, including the brand new Decisions, Decisions, Passion Flowers and Royal Peeps, and more are in the pipeline.

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

Don't Forget Color Combos

We wrap up the month of stolen stitches with, well, a classic Cashmere stitch, using one type of thread (wool).  So, not something that should really jump out at you.  Yet, this stitch does.  I really love it.

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

It's an unpretentious stitch brought to life with two colors of wool in a clever use of color within the columns.  This would make a darling sweater, roof, walkway, house...you get the idea.  As much as I love to combine threads with different finishes, this little gem reminds me to combine colors.

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. 43 guides are currently available, including the brand new Passion Flowers and Royal Peeps, and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you learned something from the month stolen stitches.  Next month's theme is "More is More."  So, yes, there will be lots of beads and lots of thread finishes.  It was really fun to assemble and I hope you will enjoy it!

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

Another #stitchingsunday

Welcome back to another episode of #stitchingsunday.  This recently added Sunday theme* highlights stitches from blog posts in current stitching projects.

I decided to put my money where my mouth was regarding the recent post about the Oblique Tied Diamonds.  The original version was large and in charge.  As mentioned in the earlier post, I wanted to try it as a house.

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 Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Today's version is much more subtle, as it uses Splendor and Elegance for the cross and the stitch tying it down (gray lines and aqua lines, respectively).  A single vertical stitch with Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (#8) replaces the bead.  In the sample above, it's the front of a house.  I think it would also make a fantastic roof. 

These stitch diagrams, 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. 43 guides are currently available, including the brand new Passion Flowers and Royal Peeps, and more are in the pipeline.

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

* Don't worry.  #smallspacesunday hasn't disappeared.  I want to mix it up a little.

Karen's Diamond

Leave it to Karen Hennessey of Zecca to provide another clever take on a diamond stitch and have a wonderfully bright stitched example to go with it.

The stitch begins as your more traditional diamond with outer rows over three rows and a row over two in between the rows going over three.  But, she skips a row between the outer edges and that's where things get interesting.  

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.

Due to the many unique components of this stitch, this might be one stitch that I don't see with threads all of one color.  It almost NEEDS the multiple thread colors to add definition.  As an example, the oblique tied crosses in the center of the diamonds stand out in their own color.  I love how the diamonds are in a darker shade to help add to that definition.

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. 43 guides are currently available, including the brand new Passion Flowers and Royal Peeps, and more are in the pipeline.

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

At Least I Admit I Stole It

A stitching friend walked in with this stitch on a Charley Harper toucan and I gasped.  I love, love, love this stitch. 

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 love the slender columns.  I love the mix of matte and metallics.  It's perfect for so many tall, or wide, spaces.

Add the oblique crosses (gray lines on diagram over two rows and up four) first.  Tie them down with the vertical stitch over the center (aqua lines).  Finally, add the bead over two rows on the vertical in between the oblique crosses.  And voila!  Tall magic!

With a similar combination of matte and metallic threads, this stitch would make a great Santa bag (on the horizontal).  I'm playing with the idea of using it as paneling on the side of a house.  It's really quite spectacular. 

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!

Sweet Small Sky

Today's stitch comes from a piece Laura Taylor is working on with a student.  And it's absolutely charming.  It's almost nothing but it's also almost perfect.

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 diagram includes two versions of the stitch and illustrates the stitch's scalability.  The diagram on the left includes stitches over three rows and one row.  The other version includes stitches over four and two rows.  The stitched sample on the right reflects the first diagram (over three and one row).  It's sweet and simple and I love it.

The stitched sample is from a sky.  It would make wonderful water with two different blue metallics, or even two metallics of different sizes.  It would also serve well as a sky or mountain stitch.  The key is to use a lightweight thread.  For example, consider using Elegance on 13-mesh or Petite Silk Lame on 18-mesh. .  

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.  43 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch!  Enjoy!  (And, thank you again, Laura, for letting me "steal" this from you!)

Stolen Stitches

The month of June is dedicated to stolen stitches.  These are stitches I've come across on other people's work that I've "borrowed" and made for us to own!

Today's stitch is probably the only stitch that I could find its root source...one of Ruth Schmuff's wonderful iStitch books.  Essentially, it is a 3X3 diamond.  What I love about what Ruth did was how she offset the center stitch on each side of the diamond.

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.

A little Upright Cross in each of the intersections makes for a perfect sassy accent.  The stitched sample uses City Needlework Silk and Frosty Rays.  And Scott Church Creative's Easter Duck is ready to rumble!

As with most diamond stitches, there are way too many applications to count so I'm going to ponder thread choices.  I would love to see this in Very Velvet (for the diamond) with a matte accent, such as Rainbow Linen or even Lorikeet, for a coat or roof.  Using Elegance or Pearl Cotton (for the diamond) with a lightweight Kreinik (for the accent) would make a beautiful sky.  This would also make a wonderful water stitch with two metallics, such as Kreinik and Petite Silk Lame.  The possibilities are really quite amazing.

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.

Please!  Someone "steal" this from me and let me know what you do with it! 

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

Lace Up

Today's stitch is the one that started me down the internet rabbit hole of Sashiko.  It's a beautiful lace effect with every stitch over two rows and in every direction.  Sounds complicated but it's really quite charming.

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 one thread (DMC Perle #8) for all the stitches.  I love how the lace pattern and canvas shading mingle to create the perfect lace 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.  41 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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.  :)

Sashiko

Sashiko is a form of Japanese embroidery that utilizes running stitches to create geometric patterns, typically done with white thread on an indigo fabric.  Sashiko means "little stabs" and refers to the small stitches in the pattern(s).  It is quite stunning in its simplicity.   (Visit here, here, and here for more insight about Sashiko.)

I love the symmetry of Sashiko.  Today's post is just one of many patterns I thought would be beautiful in needlepoint.  

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.

This is a good opportunity to remind you, dear readers, about how I approach stitch diagrams.  I often use 2+ colors in a diagram to offer insight on sequence and/or thread opportunities.  In other words, if there are lines of two colors, this could mean two different threads or simply clarity on how to best navigate a stitch with a single thread.

Today's two colors, in my opinion, should be two different threads, whether it be similar values with different finishes, or two different colors altogether.  The stitched sample uses two colors of Trebizond silk to provide absolute clarity on how the center element (aqua lines in diagram and light pink thread in sample) is a separate element.

I'm going to bore you again with my ideas for how to use this stitch.  It appears an unintentional theme of this month is background stitches.  Yes, this would make a perfect background or wallpaper.  The size of this pattern necessitates a larger space.  I would love to use it as a sky with a matte and metallic or a ground cover with two different color threads (similar to the stitched sample).

These stitch diagrams, 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!