I get excited when I come across the perfect stitch for an area. Still. And I am more excited when it is an all-new stitch to me.
I found this stitch in a random book and can't figure out a. how I never discovered it before or b. why no one shared it with me before. It is a derivative of the Tramme concept I shared with you in July but has enough unique qualities to warrant its own post.
What drew me in was the amount of space in between the base rows. I loved the openness of this stitch as it was very understated yet a nice whimsical touch.
Add the base thread in vertical rows, with three empty rows in between threads (numbered steps on the diagram). When you reach the bottom or top of a row, simply go across four rows from where you are and insert the needle and return in the opposite direction.
The only trick is how to finish off the base thread. If you have a stitched area nearby, insert and tie off the base thread there. If not, while it is still on the needle, take the base thread and pull it up through the canvas in an unused area just out of the way. Once you tie down the rows with the accent threads, there will be plenty of space for you to tie off the base thread in the accent thread on the back.
Add the accent threads (lettered steps) on top of the base thread. The sequence of subsequent crosses is a little different than I normally recommend. The beginning of each cross ends on the upper right and the next one begins on the upper left. This sequence aids in tying down the base threads on the back of the canvas.
These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.
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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 sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs. Ten guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.
I hope you have the perfect space for this stitch and enjoy!