And I’m back! After a month that included moving, a bit of pneumonia, and general chaos, I think getting back up to speed with yet another diamond-themed stitch is absolutely appropriate.
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The stitch includes split diamonds with four plies of a turquoise Soie D'Alger (black lines), connected with a horizontal length of purple Silk Lame (aqua lines), and vertical stitches over two rows on top with a turquoise Silk Lame (yellow lines) on 13M.
I think the most obvious use is for a background, primarily because of the open canvas between the rows. That little bit of open space makes this stitch recede a tiny bit, giving the subject of the canvas more attention, as it should be. If you were of the mind, fill the open canvas with straight stitches to create more diamonds with a lightweight thread and use the stitch for wrapping paper on a large present with all kinds of shiny metallic threads. It will also make an elegant coat with Vineyard Silk for the black lines and two hues of Neon Rays for the aqua and yellow lines.
Speaking of Neon Rays, I often use a laying tool with it, especially for long stitches such as the aqua lines in the diagram. If you aren’t already, I recommend using a flat iron (on the lowest setting)on Neon Rays before stitching with it. Yes, it can lay flat straight off the card, but ironing it first makes a surprising and material difference. (And, yes, for those of you who have known me for a while, this is a 180° pivot.)
I hope you have the perfect spot for today’s stitch. Have fun playing with it!
Click on image to see the whimsicalstitch.com Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.
As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize.
By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.
Today’s stitch diagram, 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.
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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, the layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order. They can also provide ideas on integrating 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!