Connections Part 2

February 24, 2016 whimsicalstitch

With no intent, this week continues last week's theme of connections. We talked about connected diamonds last week and this week morphs into connected squares.

So, funny thing happened on way to this post. I diagrammed it from memory yet the stitched sample on Instagram reminds me how flexible this stitch is.

The diagonal connections between the squares on the diagram are over two rows. The connections on stitched sample are over three rows. Both are correct! Adjust according to the area you are filling. Over four rows is great for a larger space, especially with shading, while over two is great for a smaller space.

You may also notice the stitched sample has bling inside the squares. Those are hotfix Swarovski crystals and are fantastic accents for needlepoint. You may also attach a bead (over two rows on the vertical or horizontal). I love bling and I especially love contrasting bling, so have fun with accents when you use this stitch.

This stitch diagram, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

If you like what you see on this blog, want to learn very creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs. 20 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

Smaller than Small

February 21, 2016 whimsicalstitch

Another often overlooked small space stitch is the Cross Stitch. Because, really, what's more fun than plain needlepoint than plain needlepoint twice over the same intersection?

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.

The Cross Stitch used as an accent stitch in Elegance (on 18-mesh) on this week's #smallspacesunday on whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays blog post. #needlepoint #melissashirleydesigns #whimsicalstitch #rainbowgalleries #elegance #home #love

What sets the Cross Stitch apart is its unique ability to be a single stand-alone stitch. Steps 1-4 illustrate the sequence for the individual stitch. You can use it for an eye, a button, an earring, a flower center, or a star. Use it for any single stitch that needs to stand apart, however delicately, from the area around it. For use as a single stitch, it works best if the area surrounding it is a different color. It also makes a great accent stitch in a larger pattern, illustrated by the stitched sample on Instagram.

The entire diagram shows a cluster of Cross Stitches. Consider covering an entire small area that needs texture yet needs to recede a little bit. Consider it for groundcover in the distance on a landscape. It also makes a great tree trunk, allowing the (more enjoyable to stitch*) leaves to stand out.

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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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a contemporary how-to collection of more than 250 stitches for stitchers regardless of skill level. The book includes updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog, all-new stitches, and a chapter on the basics of needlepoint. For more information, visit here.

whimsicalstitch.com also sells Stitch Guides and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Penny MacLeod, 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! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #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!

Connections Part 1

February 17, 2016 whimsicalstitch

I am a huge fan of open stitches, especially for backgrounds. Open stitches are a way to integrate wonderful stitches without completely obscuring truly beautiful painting, especially skies, by our favorite needlepoint artists. It also is a tactic to draw the eye to a desired area by downplaying the area the open stitch is covering. The most understandable example for the second reason are backgrounds.

Today's stitch is one of my favorite backgrounds. It's an easy pattern to pick up, fills up an area quickly due to its deceivingly large size, and is evenly spaced. It's also very easy to determine if you missed a stitch within the the pattern. I call it Diamond Connections.

It's also a very appealing combination of vertical and diagonal stitches, which adds a nice texture to the area. Consider rotating the diagram 90 degrees and having horizontal connectors instead of vertical! There are no rules here. The stitched sample on Instagram is from one of Melissa Shirley's recent holiday baskets.

This stitch diagram, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

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 seasonal Melissa Shirley designs. 20 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

What are Names?

February 10, 2016 whimsicalstitch

As you may have noticed by now, I am not a strict follower of stitch names. There are a handful I know stand for only one stitch. The Mosaic Stitch, a Cashmere Stitch, and Woven Hungarian are three examples.

There are stitches I can find no names for as well as stitches with two or more names. Some of my favorite stitches come from books with stitch names Rug 1, Rug 2, and Rug 3. I threw up my hands a long time ago and let the diagrams do the talking.

Today's stitch is a perfect example. It was one of the many rug stitches I mentioned earlier. I used it for a ground covered in snow, as illustrated in the stitched sample on Instagram. It would also make a great stitch for a table, or a large window. I've seen it in several books but no name has been provided.

I named it Open Step Diamond, to reflect the stitches crossing and the emerging diamond halves. It's a fun stitch though it requires compensation in the beginning and must always start from the same side.

Let's start with the sequence.

This stitch is best started at the far end of the area to be stitched. In the diagram, it starts on the far left. As you can see, each subsequent stitch lays over the previous stitch. Knowing this, add the compensation stitch (the "A-B" step) in the beginning so the remainder of the stitch lays properly.

You repeat this sequence on subsequent rows.

I added examples of the compensation stitches at the top and bottom of the area (the single stitches in opposite directions). Honestly, for this stitch, I consider those compensation stitches completely optional. The first set of compensation stitches (the "A-B" steps) from first diagram are not optional. That is my opinion Do what you think is best for the stitched area. Thread weight will play a role in the need for compensation stitches.

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

#swisssunday

February 7, 2016 whimsicalstitch

Today's #smallspacesunday stitch is a quiet and easy stitch. It utilizes the easiest and smallest stitch of all, Plain Needlepoint. You can also use a Cross Stitch to add effect. (I discussed the Cross Stitch a couple weeks ago.)

Dotted Swiss is really lovely and classy. I've used versions of it for backgrounds, small spaces, and clothing. It brings a tiny little pop to a traditional stitch. The diagram below includes a Cross Stitch variant.

Needless to say, the pop is defined by the color contrast between the two threads. There are two stitched samples for this stitch on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. The first is a sail on a sailboat where I used a blue metallic as the base thread and a white floss as the accent. The second example is a tone on tone background, using all Plain Needlepoint (and a slightly different Dotted Swiss pattern). Another idea is to use a lightweight matte thread like Elegance or Pearl #8 with a Very Velvet as the cross stitch accent. That would add a surprising pop of texture.

The fact that this stitch can be used for a background or the smallest of items on a canvas demonstrates its uniqueness.

This stitch diagram, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

Supposedly Columns

February 3, 2016 whimsicalstitch

I discovered today's stitch last summer while working on a paneled saying by &more. I needed something with personality but subtle enough to not overpower the writing.

This stitch came from a book on layered stitches. As I mentioned in an earlier post, layered stitches are among the most adaptable stitches because you do not have to do every layer or every stitch.

Originally designed as a border four rows wide, I simply filled the rectangular space with multiple columns, skipping a row in between to add definition to the rectangles.

The sequence of the threads is important.

Begin with the vertical aqua lines (numbered steps), followed by the horizontal aqua lines (lettered steps). Add the yellow lines on top of the aqua lines and conclude with the accent threads (gray lines).

As with most whimsicalstitch.com diagrams, the colors are used for clarity. The stitched sample on Instagram uses different fibers with similar color values. In addition, the single stitches surrounding the center (the gray lines) alternate colors by columns.

Whether you use multiple colors or similar color values, there is a great deal you can do with this stitch. It can be a 4-row wide border, as originally designed, a background (today's example), a wallpaper, chair or couch, ground cover, or an elegant coat. Have fun with it!

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

Nine Nirvana

January 27, 2016 whimsicalstitch

January's month of squares concludes with 9X9 squares.

The first 9X9 square is a classic for any square, as small as 7X7 and as large as you need. It's a square in a square with a border two rows wide.

It's scalable and works best for any square at least seven rows wide. (While it technically works for 5X5 and 6X6 squares, the center square is diminished and the effect is lost.)

The next two diagrams focus on columns for the square. The first diagram combines good old fashioned Cashmere columns AND one of my favorite 3X3 square stitches. Honestly, utilize any of your favorite 3X3 stitches in the center column.

Using the three columns as the base, I added bursts of color in the center column.

Yes, it's Plain Needlepoint but the addition of color is a great accent for the center column of the larger square. Depending on how much texture or bling you need the square to convey, consider doing a row of French Knots or beads for the yellow lines.

And, finally, it is fun to utilize smaller shapes to create a larger square. The next series of diagrams integrate some of the 3X3 squares we discussed earlier this month. First, let's begin with a starter library of 3X3's.

I mixed and matched some of my favorite 3X3's to create a larger 9X9 square.

The above square, along with the Enclosed Square (first diagram in this post), are the featured stitched samples on Instagram. The next diagrams are two more variations of mixing 3X3 squares from the 3X3 library.

There is absolutely no right or wrong on what combos to use. In addition, the diagrams are created with multiple colors for clarity. The stitched sample on Instagram demonstrates you can use multiple threads with the same color value to create a textured and compelling square. Feel free to mix finishes and/or colors to add increasing levels of effect to the space.

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

3X3

January 24, 2016 whimsicalstitch

3X3 squares can be frustrating because they are just on the cusp of being something significant. If you could just do one or two more rows, there are lots of fun options.

Alas, you are so wrong! (Okay, I'm wrong, but work with me on this.) Since it is still a small space (and this is #smallspacesunday) don't forget that combining threads (whether color or finish) is always a great start. Here are four straightforward 3X3 stitches. The first is the classic Scotch square. The remaining three all have a little extra something due to the addition of a second thread.

As I was playing with 3X3 stitches for this post, I wanted to add a tied stitch, but realized I covered that in the 4X4 post with the Tied 4X4 Square. (You could also "tie" 3X3 Alternating Scotch Squares.) I started to play with this idea and ended up with what I call Whimsy Squares.

This is a version of a Rice Stitch with the top stitches going over two rows instead of one. (If there is a formal name for this stitch, I would love to hear it! I could not find a name anywhere.) The gray lines are added first, followed by the yellow or aqua lines. Play with thread choices and have fun!

The sequence of the yellow and aqua lines can be tricky.

The sequence is numbers followed by letters. The only step to be mindful of is the last step of the diamond on the top. Take a look at the "g-h" step. You slide the final thread ("g-h") under the pre-existing thread ("a-b") to complete the stitch.

I consider the next stitch the classic 3X3 square, the Rhodes stitch.

The Rhodes Stitch is an elegant, clean stitch. It's great for borders or corners as its height gives it some stature. It also makes a fantastic Christmas ornament or button, as it is a scalable stitch. It is also adjustable to the space, whether it be a larger square or even a rectangle, as illustrated by the stitched sample on Instagram. It is the same concept. Starting in a corner, go to opposite corner, and continue to rotate around shape until it is full.

The last stitch for today is a stitch I call a Layered Diamond. This is a beautiful accent, whether in a larger space, a border, or even as individual accent.

I call it a Layered Diamond because the sequence of the four stitches creating the central diamond are all layered above and beneath each other. The sequence for the diamond is the same as the sequence for the diamond in the Whimsy Square. You insert it under the previously stitched thread, as illustrated in the "Whimsy Square Sequence" diagram above.

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

Devilish Squares

January 20, 2016 whimsicalstitch

6X6 squares are one of my favorites. It's the just right square...not too big, not too small and you can do a lot with it.

My first square for you is a square being hugged! Here's what I mean.

I absolutely love this look. It's clean and well proportioned. However, in my opinion, it works best in columns or borders. You can get a hint of what a border looks like with this stitch as it is this week's stitched sample on Instagram. This stitch truly pops when you use contrasting colors. Mixing fiber types (say my usual recommendation of matte and metallic) with similar color values is an elegant addition with this stitch.

If your space is larger, or you want to add a little surprise to your squares, stitch an "unsquare" pattern in your square.

Look carefully. Those are 6X6 squares with defined borders and the pattern fits perfectly within a 6X6 space. Yet, they don't look like squares at all. It's a great way to add pattern, symmetry, and a little deception to your space.

As I diagrammed the above stitch, my mind wandered. The aqua area has so much more potential than a 45 degree edge. So, I played a bit. This play was also a chance to integrate my current obsession with layered stitches.

Each filling provides a different look. Starting in the upper left hand corner and going clockwise, you can:

Add a layered cross stitch to keep the stitched area light and open
Add a layered diamond stitch to add a small amount of texture
Add Smyrna Crosses to add a more pronounced texture
Add a vertical diamond for a simple, elegant look

There's no right or wrong here. You can also keep the centers open. These four ideas are just thought starters!

The next series of stitches finds their common theme in an eyelet stitch. The first idea offers full coverage.

An eyelet stitch shares a common (typically) center hole. It is very important to do eyelet stitches from the outside edges to the center to minimize the expansion of the center hole. You can expand the center hole ever so slightly with a laying tool. However, using a lighter weight thread (versus the canvas size) sometimes mitigates the need to expand the hole with a laying tool. As an example, use Pearl #8 (on the ball) for the yellow lines on 13 mesh. Use three plies of a pliable thread, such as floss or strandable silk, on 18 mesh.

The next variation of this stitch is an open stitch but with an elegant accent.

While this stitch appears to eliminate the need for the eyelet hole, the advantage to maintaining it (and not doing long stitches from one corner to the other) is the height of the center will remain relatively flat versus the larger bump the long stitches would create.

Keeping that thought, another dramatic accent is included on the next diagram.

Whether 13-mesh or 18-mesh canvas, a larger bead, such as a #6 or #8, would be a fantastic accent for this version. If you choose to accent the eyelet stitch with a bead, it's very important to maintain the eyelet stitch so the bead will have a relatively flat space in the center to rest.

The last 6X6 square is an open stitch with some beautiful and easy weaving.

The last step in the sequence is exactly the same as the Modified Rice stitch in the 5X5 post. The only tricky step is the last step. Take a look at the "7-8" step. You slide the final thread ("7-8") under the pre-existing thread ("1-2") to complete the stitch.

Expanding this pattern into multiple squares demonstrates what a beautiful, delicate pattern this is. It would make an understated background, an elegant tabletop, a beautiful coat on a large Santa. You get the idea.

It works as an open stitch or with a small accent in the emerging square areas as illustrated below.

I hope they inspire you!

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

If you like what you see on this blog, want to learn creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs. 20 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

The True Inspiration

January 13, 2016 whimsicalstitch

The true inspiration for a month of squares is this stitch from Carol H. Lake's "Desert Island Stitches."

I discovered this stitch last Fall while working on a club series and was absolutely charmed. It was the perfect proportion for the space, I could add contrasting color, and it was such a unique interpretation of a square.

The stitched sample on Instagram uses contrasting colors. I also used it on the body of a boat (with a solid color and a white accent for the cross stitch). I love both as they play the stitch completely differently.

If you are interested in the book, you can find more information here. More information about the club series, hosted by What's the Point! in Dublin, Ohio, can be found here. (Scroll down a little bit for information on The Petite Bouquet Club.)

The next 5X5 square is a modified Rice Stitch. The traditional Rice Stitch contains an X over the square space (gray lines below) with each leg tacked down by a single stitch, typically in the outer corners (yellow lines). (There are versions where the legs are tacked down by a stitch over two rows, but I digress.)

The stitch sequence is numbers, followed by small letters, followed by capital letters. The only step to be mindful of is the last step of the diamond (small letters). Take a look at the "g-h" step. You slide the final thread ("g-h") under the pre-existing thread ("a-b") to complete the stitch.

Expanding this into a pattern illustrates what a pretty stitch it is. It's perfect for a floor, tablecloth, or clothing.

The single stitches in the corner are optional as you may want more of the underlying X to be exposed for whatever effect you seek. Another idea for the intersection where the yellow stitches are is to add an upright cross over two rows in each direction.

The combination of thread weights and finishes is important for this stitch. You need a balance of lightweight and heavy threads, with an emphasis on lightweight. An example for 13-mesh canvas is a heavier thread, such as Rainbow Galleries Very Velvet, for the X, and follow with a lighter weight metallic such as Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (#8) for the aqua diamond and a stranded silk or floss in a contrasting color for the yellow corners.

The last 5X5 idea for you today is the Covered Scotch. This is another scalable stitch and is a great way to add color and texture to a space.

This stitch works equally well with threads with similar color values or contrasting colors. My favorite combination is a flat metallic thread (such as Neon Rays, Fyre Werks, or Shimmer Ribbon) for the bottom thread and Very Velvet for the corners, with both threads in similar color values. The eye gravitates towards the corners, so put the finish or color you want the attention to go to in the corner.

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.

Be sure to follow whimsicalstitch.com on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

Enjoy!

#whimsicalwednesday blog