Today’s post continues the theme from this past Sunday. I know what I always do and I want something different.

I needed a stitch for a cute little basket. It just so happened the canvas was painted in an almost perfect match to a 2X6 Alternating Cashmere stitch (far left diagram). Cute, right? But I’ve done too many Alternating Cashmere stitches to count. (You want proof of that? Here, here, and here.)

I wanted something different but couldn’t see past the way the canvas was painted and I knew it was right to stitch it in that pattern. After a lot of staring and getting up to go to the kitchen too many times to count, I landed on the solution…a 2X6 layered stitch (middle image). I love the texture the layers in the 2X6 areas adds. The stitched sample uses two colors of DMC Cotton Floss (gray lines and aqua lines) and Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines) on 13M.

This stitch will work really well for virtually any winter clothing…pants, sweaters, or a hat as thought starters. Any or all of those will work well with overdyed wool (gray and aqua lines) and a solid colored metallic such as Flair or Fyre Werks. The stitch also has the right texture for a weathered roof, using Rainbow Linen. I would eliminate the Smyrna Cross accent (yellow lines) for that scenario. And last, but not least, I’m looking forward to using it for an outdoor floor with silk floss (gray and aqua lines) and a lightweight metallic, such as Petite Silk Lame, for the yellow lines.

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!