I've been a little obsessed with Star Octagon lately.  Today's post is a perfect example of why and it's a quadfecta of a post. What a great way to close out #whimsicalwednesday for the year.

Let's start with the base stitch.  I expanded Star Octagon by a couple of rows all the way around.  What makes this stitch so infinitely fascinating to me is a. its neutral direction and b. the countless ways to fill the centers. 

Frankly, this stitch is perfect on its own.  It mimics diamonds yet adds a little extra jazz to them.  This would make a great floor, sky, coat...you get the idea.

Once you start filling the centers, it changes everything.  You can go elegant with a contrasting accent and a bead.

You could also fill that 2X2 center space with a Smyrna Cross, a 2X2 Mosaic stitch, French Knots, or four beads.  I like the idea of the single bead (as illustrated) with an oversized bead, say a size 8 or size 6 bead on 13-mesh, or a size 11 on 18-mesh.  A Tila bead could be a truly unique approach.

The next idea integrates tied crosses.

The tied crosses add a slight elevation.  This would be great for a cushion, clothing, or even a cloud.  If you wanted to go really nuts, add a bead over the tied crosses over two rows on the vertical, crossing over the center intersection.  

The last idea offers a unique twist for a completely filled center.  I just used this stitch for a background of a Melissa Shirley Poinsettia Cat.  

I'm hoping you will overlook the lack of stitched samples with the offer of four stitch diagrams this week!  

Speaking of stitch diagrams, these stitch diagrams, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

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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 Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch!  Enjoy and happy new year!