I suspect the proper name for this stitch would include chevrons, bargello, stripes, or some combination thereof. However, I took one look at the stitched sample and instantly saw Charlie Brown’s shirt.

I was inspired by an oblique diamond background (created by straight stitches over four rows). I took the top half of that pattern, added two rows on either side, and ended up with these adorable stripes. The stitched sample is me playing with three plies of Mandarin Floss (black lines) and Fyre Werks (aqua lines). The drama of this stitch is undeniable, even with the open areas between the stripes.

This stitch will make fantastic clothing, especially a large Santa coat or dress you want to draw attention to. For the coat, I would use Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot Silk for the black lines and a Silk Lame for the aqua lines. For a dress, I would like to find a silk floss for the black lines and a Flair for the aqua lines. I love the lightness of Flair, despite its persnickety nature. (Hint: The second I see the short end starting to fray, I snip the errant strand and carry on.) I would also consider using the Flair for the black lines with the silk floss as the accent stitches. I love dramatic stitches like this one for the stars of Melissa Shirley’s fruit or pumpkin pieces. To add even more drama to those, consider replacing the stitches over two rows with a bead centered over two rows.

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!

#whimsicalwednesday blog