Today is a tale of two hats offering up a handful of cute small stitches that fit almost anywhere.

Let’s start with the first hat. It’s a small weave with pairs of stitches over three rows. It’s s mini version of this stitch. I love the tiny bit of texture it adds to the small hat, while playing nicely with (and not overwhelming) the even cuter double French Knots used for the pom pom and hat cuff. (The stitched sample is nothing more than Vineyard Silk on 18M.)

Next up is Hat #2. We’ve got more going on here and more color.

I’ve talked about my deep fondness for basketweave. I like making it “basketweave plus” by alternating threads with different colors or finishes or both. The red part of the cap is basketweave alternates between two rows of the same red Vineyard Silk (black lines) and one row of Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines). (My typical mix is alternating single rows of a matte thread and a metallic thread.)

The second stitch from the hat is a combination of two basic stitches, a Satin Stitch over two rows alternating with two rows of Plain Needlepoint. The stitched sample uses Neon Rays (black lines) and white Crystal Braid (yellow lines).None of these stitches are dramatic or terribly glamorous but they are great ways to balance the dramatic and glamorous stitches so they stand out even more. These stitches are simple, easy to stitch, and still have a little something something to make you smile.

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.

IIf 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 for free the first chapter from my first book which covers 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!