Order the Profiteroles

July 4, 2018 whimsicalstitch

I finally assembled today's blog at 11:00 last night. Why? Because I ordered the profiteroles at dinner last week instead of scampering home and writing the blog. I regret it...kinda. The good news is you have your stitch, I had my profiteroles (my all-time favorite dessert) with the one and only Ginabean, and it's a holiday today! Let's celebrate all of the above with a super fun tramme 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 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 uses Elegance (dark gray lines), Trebizond Silk (turquoise lines), and Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (#8) on 18-mesh. It's a wonderful tone on tone combo that highlights the beautiful shading of the flowers.

This stitch would be even more dramatic with different colors and/or finishes. I would love to see it as a roof with Very Velvet, Silk Straw, and maybe some Fine Kid (by & more threads). Another idea is for a coat or bag with Sparkle Rays for the base thread (dark gray line) with Soie D'Alger (turquoise lines) and a dramatic Kreinik Metallic for the center accent stitch (the aqua line). I'm thinking a Kreinik holographic threads (indicated by an L after the color number) would be perfect. They are a wonderful burst of even more color than the "typical" Kreinik.

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. Click here to see the 20 newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy and have a happy and safe 4th!

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!

Big Red

June 27, 2018 whimsicalstitch

I can't decide if today's column is about a stitch (it is) or about threads (it is). Because, frankly, the diagram is kinda boring. The stitched sample is far from boring.

The stitched sample uses DMC Perle #5 (light gray lines), Neon Rays (black lines), and Fyre Werks (turquoise lines). The layering for this stitch is very important. Start with the light gray (vertical) lines, followed by the black (horizontal) lines, and end with the X's on top (aqua lines). The stitched sample is from the retired Linda Carter Holman piece I've featured in a few posts recently (here and here).

More often than not, I use the same threads for the straight stitches in a layered stitch. Today's sample is an exception to my typical pattern...and I like it. Two distinct threads for the straight stitches add contrast, especially the Neon Rays. The two rows of Neon Rays merge together to look like a wide ribbon, a fun contrast to the distinct shape of the DMC Perle. Clearly, a laying tool played a role here.

This stitch would be so much fun with different colors. Imagine it as a coat for a Santa with Very Velvet (vertical lines), Vineyard Silk (horizontal lines), and an oversized Kreinik in a contrasting color, such as gold, for the X. Consider using two colors for the stripes, say blue for the vertical and green for the horizontal, tied down with a third color for a bedspread or decorative pillow. Combine some really unique textures, such as Rainbow Linen and Impressions for the straight lines, and tie it down with Wisper or Fuzzy Stuff for a very au natural roof.

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.

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!

Wide, Wide Open

June 20, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch came from two places. A stitching friend used it on a background for a floral piece. My plan was to borrow it from her piece. Imagine the very pleasant surprise when I realized I had it on one of my very own pillows! (You probably aren't surprised to learn I have more than my fair share of needlepoint pillows.)

The stitched sample is a single petal from a retired Melissa Shirley floral. (It's not on her site, but it is a cousin of this, this, and this canvas. (I have a sneaky suspicion I have at least one of cousins in my stash somewhere.)

The stitched sample uses a single strand of Impressions (turquoise lines in the diagram) and Kreinik Metallics Tapestry Braid (#12) (gray lines). I recommend adding the diamonds in halves across the horizontal axis and following up with the Kreinik, weaving around the Impressions on the back of the canvas to minimize dragged threads. I absolutely love the end result. Quick tip on choosing the thread to use in dramatic open work. I gravitate towards the dominant color. In this case, for the entire flower, the dominant color was the yellow.

As I mentioned earlier, a stitching friend used this stitch for a lovely open background on a floral still life. It would also make a wonderful floor, wall, or roof. Clearly, it lends itself to use in a sampler. I would love to see it in the center of said sampler with other fun open stitches surrounding 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 Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

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!

Straight Yet Diagonal

June 13, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is fun and different, while also deceiving. It's nothing but straight stitches yet delicate diagonal columns emerge.

The columns consist of pairs of stitches (on the horizontal axis). The pairs are over five rows and over two rows or pairs of two stitches over two rows. To make the columns work, it's really important to remember to leave an empty row in between the columns.

The stitched sample is from the sky of a sweet little Christmas ornament and uses Petite Silk Lame. It's not quite as obvious as the diagram. That said, I love how subtle and elegant the stitch is.

This stitch would make a great tabletop, using two colors of Burmilana in alternating columns. It would also make lovely, yet discreet, water, especially in a wide but short space. Don't be afraid to flip it 90° and use it for a different sky, greenery, or walkways.

I added a disclaimer about diagrams at the bottom of all recent blog posts. Today's diagram is a perfect example of that disclaimer. The colors in the diagram help differentiate the pattern and illustrate the diagonal columns.

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.

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!

Cute Clusters

June 6, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is a sweet and sassy pop to almost any stitched piece.

The stitched sample is the sky from a cute little ocean ornament, using DMC Perle #8 and Frosty Rays. I am pleasantly surprised at how well this works in a relatively small space. Just enough of the pattern emerges to make it work.

I would love to see this as a floor, using a silk floss for the gray lines and a darker gray Silk Lame for the center. Taking the tile theme one step further, each cluster would make a great roof! I love strand-able wools for roofs; consider Burmilana, Bella Lusso Merino Wool, or Lorikeet. My last idea is to use it for a wallpaper. I'm really fond of size 12 Perle Cotton, especially for 18-mesh. It is especially great for areas you want to recede into the background. Combining a cute stitch, such as today's, plus a lightweight thread gives you something fun to stitch yet it won't overwhelm the remainder of the project.

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.

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!

Every Which Way...is Right

May 30, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Every time I see this stitch, I see a different path to stitch it. This is the perfect example of how not every numbering pattern is for everyone. What's more important is that it is a cute and effective stitch.

This stitched sample is a roof from Emma Williams Rooftops stitch guide, using DMC Perle Cotton #8 on 13-mesh. The shading on this canvas is exquisite and I went out of my way to expose it or integrate the color schemes of the individual roofs into an appropriate full coverage stitch. This stitch accentuates shading in a great way as the open areas are not a traditional shape nor are they on perfect 90° or 45° angles. It's intriguing to me.

Technically, it's a small stitch, yet I wouldn't classify it as such because of the open areas. I think this would make great water as, at first glance, it's a little messy. Long-time readers may recall my go-to threads for water are Petite Silk Lame and/or a lightweight Kreinik Metallic. It would be very interesting as a tree or green space with Lorikeet, Burmilana, or ThreadWorx overdyed floss or wools.

To close the loop on numbering from earlier. This is such a perfect example of how numbering is in the eyes of the beholder. The first time I stitched it, I stitched similar squares from right to left on a downward oblique angle (essentially skipping a row across). When I returned to it, I stitched it in horizontal columns, skipping two rows in between and returning up the horizontal column with the squares in the other direction. It's all a matter of perspective. Neither way was better or easier. It was simply the way I saw it at that given time.

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.

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!

Balancing Act

May 23, 2018 whimsicalstitch

As much as I love open stitches, they require balance. A balanced project includes open stitches with varying degrees of coverage and a handful of full coverage stitches. Today's stitch is just that perfect full coverage stitch.

This stitched sample is the background from last week's post, using DMC Perle #8 and Flair on 13-mesh. I selected the lighter weight threads because I didn't want to ignore the brown spots in the background, but I also didn't want to draw attention to them. Sure, heavier threads would have covered the brown spots, but I wanted it all, as it were. I think this strikes the perfect balance.

I love how understated this stitch is. It would work well for clothing (with Very Velvet for the gray lines and Fyre Werks for the turquoise lines), calm water (with lightweight Kreinik for the gray lines and Petite Silk Lame for the turquoise lines), or even greenery (with Bella Lusso Merino Wool for the gray lines and Lorikeet for the 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.

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

Va Va Va Voom

May 16, 2018 whimsicalstitch

When I first laid eyes on today's canvas, I knew EXACTLY what I was going to do with the white flowers...and completely clueless as to what to do with the red flowers. Ten plus years later, I have no regrets and am more excited about the red flowers than the white flowers.

The stitched sample used Neon Rays (black lines) and Fyre Werks (turquoise lines) on 13-mesh. A laying tool was essential in keeping the Neon Rays flat and smooth. It works, I promise. And it's easy.

I really do love this stitch. It has straight and oblique stitches, leading to a really pretty symmetry. Technically, it's an open stitch, but really passes as a full coverage stitch. I recommend using this stitch for an area you want to draw attention to. Clearly, I like it for a flower. Other space ideas include clothing, an intriguing roof, or a dramatic bag.

Ideas for thread combinations include Very Velvet (gray lines) and Fyre Werks (turquoise lines) for a jacket, Rainbow Linen (gray lines) and Lorikeet (turquoise lines) for a roof, or Soie D'Alger (gray lines) and Silk Lame (turquoise lines) for a bag. If you want more bling, swap the metallic and matte threads in any of the mentioned combos.

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.

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!

Layered Loveliness

May 9, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is another background from a sweet small piece. I love how the Flair expanded to fill the space so it looks like a full coverage stitch.

The stitched sample uses Flair (gray lines) and Elegance (yellow lines) on 18-mesh. Using Flair as the base thread is an atypical choice for me. In most cases, I use two stronger threads.

A semi-brief tangent on base threads (the gray lines in the diagram). My go-to base threads for layered (and tramme) stitches are Very Velvet, Perle Cotton (size 3 for 13-mesh and size 5 for 18-mesh), Grandeur (for 13-mesh), Elegance (for 18-mesh), and Kreinik Metallics (size 16 for 13-mesh and size 12 for 18-mesh). Each of those threads is well-defined and strong. Strong is important because, in most cases, the base thread adds height and definition to the accent threads (the threads on top). With any of these threads, the stitch is fairly open. I say most cases because there are times I throw all of this out the window and use surprisingly light threads for layered and tramme stitches, like I did today.

So, back to today's stitch. Since this is a typically open stitch, it would work really well for many architectural elements that can handle the texture (of the layered threads)...think roof, floor, ground covering, rug. For these stitches, consider using any of the base threads I mentioned above and cover them with something a little different, as stitch combos are not all matte and metallic. Don't be afraid to incorporate threads with a less than smooth finish. Ideas for accent threads include overdyed floss (or wool), Rainbow Linen (one of my favorite threads for a roof), or a subdued metallic such as Silk Lame or Petite Silk Lame.

Traditional matte and metallic combinations would make great clothing, sampler, or large flower petals. I love Elegance and Flair (as illustrated above). I love the idea of Very Velvet and Fyre Werks (or Neon Rays). Another idea is to add a bead to the single open intersections between the pairs of yellow lines. That would up the glamour level quite a bit, especially for a flower petal.

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. Click here to see the 20 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!

Sweet Subtlety

May 2, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Welcome to May! This month focuses on fun stitches I've used in some recent and not so recent projects. Today's stitch comes from a background of a Melissa Shirley floral still life from several years ago. It's a riff on a go-to darning stitch for me.

The stitched sample uses Elegance (gray lines) and YLI Shimmer Ribbon (aqua lines) on 13-mesh. As I mentioned earlier, this is a from a floral piece. I selected this background because I wanted the background to be subtle so the all the flowers, silk ribbon and otherwise, could stand out.

Thought starters for other areas include ground coverings (say snow, sand, or grass), water, flooring, or wallpaper. Consider stitching it on the horizontal for any of the those, as the canvas dictates. You can adjust the number of empty columns in between the blocks of darning stitches for a denser (or even lighter) take on this stitch.

I love the mixture of thread textures and finishes in the stitched sample. More often than not, I use a matte and a metallic. Consider using two matte threads, one overdyed and one solid, for the grass or floor. Combining metallics for an area like snow can be tricky. My advice is to mix metallics with different sheens and different shapes. Examples include the combo of Flair and Kreinik, Silk Lame and Kreinik, or Neon Rays and Petite Silk Lame.

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.

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!

#whimsicalwednesday blog