Last week, I supersized. This week, I brought it down a notch. Or two.
Click on the image to see it on Pinterest. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.
Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram
I was smitten by a fascinating stitch that showed up in my feed the day before yesterday. My only hesitation is that it was a little large…even for me. So, I pivoted from last week’s strategy and downsized it. Thank you to The Apres Hour for sharing this wonderful inspiration with us!
Allow me to explain the line colors first. All line colors represent the same thread. I used different colors to help demonstrate sequencing because this stitch gave me some heart palpitations last night. I recommend adding blocks of stitches following the diagonal path, as illustrated by the gray lines. After one gray pass, return and add a run of leaves in the opposite direction, as shown by the yellow lines. That sets the placement of most future gray and yellow passes. Is compensating easy? Absolutely not. But it can be done with a little patience and peaking at an adjacent leaf that follows the exact same path.
The stitched samples uses four plies of City Needlework silk floss. I admit it is not a perfect match but it was the best I could do in my very excited state of figuring out this stitch. I think it’s obvious that the one of the best possible homes for this stitch is a background and I am so looking forward to using it in the very near future! It is also possible I may have to buy a new canvas for it. Amiright?
Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.
Note about Diagrams
I use colored lines to make diagrams as clear as possible. The primary function is to illustrate a stitch sequence. For example, the layering of colors demonstrates that you add them in that order. They also suggest ways to integrate additional threads (one line per color). Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines. That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for your project.
Evaluating Stitches for Your Project
As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. That shows what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate it against the area where you plan to use the stitch, then make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize.
You can also find today’s stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, on a Pinterest board here. Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Happy #whimsicalwednesday!
A Note about Stitch Names
I am absolutely loving the rising popularity of needlepoint, and if you are new to the blog, I want to take a second to chat about stitch names (again). TLDR: Don’t overthink them.
Many stitch names in my blog and books are made up out of whole cloth. When I launched my blog in 2015, I searched high and low for proper stitch names and found stitches with no names or identical stitches with two or more names from different sources. I quickly learned to focus on the diagrams, which I think are prettier (and more important) than any name. A stitch by any other name is still just as interesting!
At stores now!
More Whimsical Stitches
My latest book is in stores now! (And, no, this stitch is not in it.) Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 5 features background stitches in all sizes and shapes.
Packed with over 150 stitches, Volume 5 offers you the widest variety of backgrounds. There are large backgrounds, small backgrounds, and everything in between. And more than 75% of the stitches will have a QR code taking your customers to a stitched sample.
More from whimsicalstitch.com
If you like what you see on this blog, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of five books offering contemporary how-to collections of stitches for stitchers of all skill levels. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.
New to needlepoint or looking for a refresher? Please download a handy how-to guide covering basic needlepoint stitches and stitch compensation techniques, along with new top-line information on needlepoint materials and tools, how to handle threads, and other helpful needlepoint resources.