I've Said It Before...

And I am saying it again. It takes a village. I spent the past weekend with the needlepoint village at the Spring show and saw wonderful new canvases, dear friends, and a particularly cute stitch.

Click the image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The stitched sample is one of Kristine Kingston’s new spring sweaters. Kristine used Soy Luster for the black lines, Silk Lame for the aqua lines, and Sundance Beads for the yellow circles on 18M.

Clearly, I will be using it for clothing in the future. It will work for clothing from any season. For a winter sweater, I might use Vineyard Silk for the black lines, Glisten for the aqua lines, and a bead for the yellow circle. I think it would make a very pretty vase with a lightweight metallic for the black lines, a slightly heavier metallic (such as Flair) for the yellow lines, and a bead.

I am looking forward to playing with its potential scalability, which will result in either a vertical row of multiple beads to connect the black lines or the addition of another stitch. Stay tuned!

I hope you have the perfect spot for it. Enjoy it!

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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.

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of four books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 200 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

A Study of Contrasts

Today’s stitch is an elegant open stitch that is the perfect balance to a more densely stitched area. I absolutely love it for backgrounds.

Click the image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The stitched sample is from Blue Ridge Stitchery’s Bluebonnets canvas. The background uses two strands of peach Petite Silk Lame on 13M. The stitch uses a modified backstitch to navigate each column.

The peach on the Petite Silk Lame was a perfect choice. I’m sure some are asking why use Petite when you have Silk Lame 18 or 13? I chose two strands of Petite Silk Lame because it was the right color and,I didn’t want to minimize the height of the background.

The stitch is adaptable to other sorts of spaces by leaving fewer rows between the columns. It could be a really interesting stitch for a tall Santa or a large pumpkin. I would love to see the Santa stitched with alternating columns of Petite Very Velvet and a size 12 or 16 Kreinik. I recommend the columns be spaced three rows apart instead of the six rows on the diagram. I would stitch a large pumpkin with two related shades of orange Silk Lame.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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.

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of four books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 200 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Grateful for Things Big and Small

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been mesmerized by Lauren’s (@sequinlalastitches) stitching on her Melissa Shirley witch cape. It’s simply stunning and am so grateful she shared all the details with me…I mean us.

Click the image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

Not only is Lauren’s stitching amazing, it is black on black on black, which is an accomplishment in and of itself. Lauren’s stitched sample (center photo) uses Burmilana (black lines), size 12 Kreinik (yellow lines), Ribbon Floss (the straight aqua lines), and Soie Cristale (on top of the Ribbon Floss and the gray lines) on 18M. I played with colors on the sample on the right, using three plies of Soie D'Alger (black lines), Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines), Kreinik size 8 (gray lines), and two plies of Soie d’Alger. (aqua lines) on 13M.

Click the image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

Needless to say, I’m very excited about this stitch and have shared it with some of my Aristeia students. The cute pumpkin above is wearing today’s stitch with a simple dash of Soie d’Alger (black lines) and a Kreinik size 8 (yellow lines) on a beautifully painted pumpkin. Because of said beautiful painting, we chose to not use all the elements of the original stitch. We may add a bead in the center of the star but that is still up in the air.

This stitch is made for areas you want to draw attention to. Today’s examples include clothing and pumpkins, but also consider it for a big, round moon or a Santa bag. It’s just dreamy. I hope you have as much fun with it as I am having with it.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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.

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of four books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 200 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Feather or Leaf?

Finding a new leaf stitch always makes me happy. That means I have more options for leaves AND feathers. (Also, fun fact, today’s stitch is a hint for what book 5 will be about!)

Click the image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click the image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

Today’s stitched sample is leaves on a holiday tree stitched with three plies of Weeks Dye Works cotton floss (all lines). I love the bright green’s mild shade changes. The overdyed thread adds nuance and, more importantly, doesn’t overwhelm the objects in front of the trees.

As I mentioned, leaf stitches work well for feathers and vice versa. It’s really a win-win. I look forward to using this stitch with a solid silk floss (black lines) and a matching metallic (yellow lines) for a handsome bird. It will also make a cute roof for a small house with a single color of Elegance or a lightweight perle cotton.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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.

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of four books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 200 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

I Love Itty Bitty

I love itty bitty anything. Kittens, baby clothes, Swarovski crystals…you get the idea. Today’s stitch is a riff on itty bitty columns.

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The stitched sample is me playing with blue Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines) and white Elegance (gray lines) on the background of an ornament.

This stitch is wonderful for architectural or household elements such as exterior or interior walls, doors, bedspreads, or rugs. Consider using two shades of silk floss for walls and doors. The shades can be close together or contrasting like the stitched sample. For a bedspread with some interesting texture AND touch, consider using Alpaca 18 for the gray lines and Silk Lame for the yellow lines. (I only recommend this for 13M because the Alpaca is a heavier thread.) Burmilana and Bella Lusso are beautiful choices for a rug (gray lines). Consider a related hue for the yellow lines in either the same thread or a mild metallic, such as Petite Silk Lame, for the yellow lines.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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.

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Marvelous Mrs. Mosaic

It is time that mosaics are the star of a post. As the first stitch in last week’s post demonstrated, mosaics are simple 2X2 squares that can be arranged in so many ways. I use them a lot as accents in larger stitches, but they are just as cute on their own. Today’s post includes several examples.

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The first is simple columns of alternating mosaics. The stitched sample is a darling gnome from a recent class, with Vineyard Silk (black lines) and size 8 Kreinik (yellow lines) on 18M. The metallic thread helps this otherwise simple stitch stand out a little and makes Santa’s cost a little more jolly.

Today’s stitch will work well for a front door with silk floss (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines). Consider flipping the diagram 90° for an exterior wall on a cabin. I recommend Rainbow Linen or Straw Silk for that use.

I found the two diagrams below in my stitch library. They are great inspirations for other patterns you can create with nothing but mosaics. (Thank you to Carole Lake for a lot of the mosaic inspiration.)

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Mosaics are great stitches, as part of a larger pattern or on their own. I see more posts on this stitch in the future.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Travelling

Traveling is great for the soul and for stitch inspiration. Today’s post includes two great stitches I saw while in Atlanta recently. 

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The first stitch is another great one from Marci at the Nimble Needle. It’s one of the advent ornaments on the darling Rachel Donley gingerbread house club from the Nimble Needle in Atlanta. (For more insight on the club, visit here.) The stitched sample uses Planet Earth overdyed silk floss (black lines) and a ThreadWorx Kreinik (size 8) (aqua lines). It’s a great combo for an adorable ornament. Full disclosure. Do not let this simple stitch mess with you. I think it’s best to stitch it in columns, as the small oblique crosses (aqua lines) can be a little challenging to follow on the stitched sample.

This stitch will make a great roof on a tiny house or cabin wall with silk floss (black lines) and Rainbow Linen (aqua lines). Consider rotating it 90° for a tree trunk with overdyed silk floss (black lines) and a solid silk floss (aqua lines).

As promised last week, there is a second stitch today. This one is from one of my favorite stitchers, Sue. I was so excited to come across it while visiting with her as this stitch has been on my to-do list for a bit. And now we have a beautiful stitched sample to go with it!

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The stitched sample is a lovely surprise, Presencia Perle Finca 16 (not a typo) on 18M. I love the subtle direction this stitch offers and how the shading shows through so beautifully with the light weight of the size 16 perle. It’s exquisite.

This stitch is perfect for water with a size 4 or 8 Kreinik on 18M or a size 8 on 13M. ThreadWorx Kreinik is also another great choice for water. I’m also looking forward to using it for a green field with a couple plies of Soie D'Alger or Soie Cristale.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

I resisted straight stitches over one row for a long time as they didn’t make sense. Today’s stitch is one of the reasons I got over it. I love its delicate size and that sweet skipped row in the center.

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday Stitched Sample Gallery on Instagram.

The stitched sample is a background in progress on a Kirk and Bradley hot air balloon. I used five plies of Splendor on 13M. It’s a fun and quick stitch, which certainly offsets the attention required for last week’s stitch.

This is one of those all-purpose stitches that will work so well in skies, water, wallpaper, curtains, a medium size window, or the center of a flower. I love lightweight Kreiniks or Petite Silk Lame for water or glass. For the wallpaper or curtains, you could alternate the columns between Flair and silk floss. Fun fact. There are three column directions for this stitch (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). I think diagonal columns add the most surprise.

Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and 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. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order.  They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!

Gather

This morning’s #smallspacesunday connects the dots with the most recent #smallspacesunday post. And, voila, we have a completed project!

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.

Today’s stitch is the sky that goes with the snow from the piece I shared with you a few weeks ago. The stitched sample uses three plies of Splendor on 18M. Jump over to the stitched sample on Instagram to see the final piece in its entirety.

I loved the snowflakes that Joanna painted on the canvas and knew I wanted to keep them. I brought some attention to them by stitching the four points in Cross Stitches and then added a size 11 seed bead in the center. Once that was complete, the question was how to keep the background light and vertical (to balance with the horizontal stitch on the snow). As I mentioned with the snow, I was kinda tired of darning stitches and wanted to integrate simple stitches. And blocks of five tent stitches is about as simple as it can get. I added the 3X3 squares to liven it up a little and absolutely love it.

This stitch will make really cute wallpaper, especially if you alternate colors or thread finishes (or both) between the vertical columns. I want to play with it for a window stitch with Petite Silk Lame or a lightweight Kreinik. I suspect that might be a fun surprise on a larger window.

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, there's more: Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 1 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; Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 2 features chapters on Balanced, Beading, Diagonal, Layered, Oblique, Small, and Straight stitches.

Also, you can download The Essentials, a free 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.

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 #whimsicalwednesday!

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!

A Sweet and Simple #smallspacesunday

And a very sincere Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays to one and all.  To get over the hangover of the holidays, here's a sweet and easy small space stitch that adds a little somethin' somethin' to what may be a boring space.

While this is an absolute riff on the Alternating Plain Needlepoint post I did a few weeks ago, there is something about the texture of the French Knots that make this stand out.  On the stitched sample below, you can see I had nothing but small spaces.  The French Knot texture, along with the thread color, helped further differentiate the area.

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 and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.  I'm hoping to have some definitive news to share about projects in the pipeline very soon!

Okay, back to whatever you are doing!  I hope it is not cleaning up as that is what children and grandchildren are for.  Hope you have/had a wonderful holiday.   Only nine months until next year's holiday finishing deadline!  Hurry!