More is More

July 5, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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 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.

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

June 28, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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 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. — 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!

Karen's Diamond

June 21, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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.

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

June 14, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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

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!

Stolen Stitches

June 7, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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.

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

May 31, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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.

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!

Sashiko

May 24, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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.

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!

Fair and Square

May 17, 2017 whimsicalstitch

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. :)

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!

Diamonds. Duh.

May 10, 2017 whimsicalstitch

As you know, I love diamond stitches for any number of reasons. And, of course, my version of Pattern Stitching includes diamonds.

A classic approach is to utilize Plain Needlepoint in opposite directions, as illustrated by the diagram below. This is a beautiful accent to any background or surface you want to minimize. The stitched sample is the first version with Mandarin Floss on 18-mesh.

To dress it up a little, I created a second version with select stitches over two rows (far right).

I like the potential the second version represents. I see all stitches in the same color, but the stitches over two rows in a different finish, especially metallic. It's such a subtle touch that will make any area with this stitch recede but with a tiny sparkle that will still draw some attention to it.

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 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!

Plain Needlepoint Isn't Always So

May 3, 2017 whimsicalstitch

As I wandered around the TNNA Winter Trade Show in January, I noticed the use of what I call Plain Needlepoint to create unique patterns. This month is dedicated to these pattern stitches. Some are simple patterns from fellow teachers and some are related to Sashiko, a Japanese embroidery technique. What makes these stitches different is the overt use of plain needlepoint and open spaces. See? Even plain needlepoint isn't always so.

Today's stitch comes from the very gracious Carolyn Hedge Baird. This is from a background and it's a wonderful way to integrate whimsy into an already complex piece.

Squares & Rectangles kicks off a month of Pattern Stitching on this morning's #whimsicalwednesday blog post (www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2017/05/03/plain-needlepoint-isnt-always-so). #needlepoint #whimsicalstitch #needlepointstitchdiagrams #carolynhedgebaird #sharing #home #love #guaranteednocathairthisweek

There is nothing over complicated about this stitch. The stitched sample uses two threads with different finishes and related but distinctly different color values.

This stitch is great for a background, sky, or tabletop as thought starters. It's most suited for an area you would like to recede. As an example, I think it works well as a tabletop so any items, whether they are fruit, silverware, or other objects, on the tabletop to stand out.

I hope you enjoy this month's posts. I promise I will elaborate more on the Japanese embroidery in a couple weeks.

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!