Today's stitch is another background from a sweet small piece. I love how the Flair expanded to fill the space so it looks like a full coverage stitch.
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The stitched sample uses Flair (gray lines) and Elegance (yellow lines) on 18-mesh. Using Flair as the base thread is an atypical choice for me. In most cases, I use two stronger threads.
A semi-brief tangent on base threads (the gray lines in the diagram). My go-to base threads for layered (and tramme) stitches are Very Velvet, Perle Cotton (size 3 for 13-mesh and size 5 for 18-mesh), Grandeur (for 13-mesh), Elegance (for 18-mesh), and Kreinik Metallics (size 16 for 13-mesh and size 12 for 18-mesh). Each of those threads is well-defined and strong. Strong is important because, in most cases, the base thread adds height and definition to the accent threads (the threads on top). With any of these threads, the stitch is fairly open. I say most cases because there are times I throw all of this out the window and use surprisingly light threads for layered and tramme stitches, like I did today.
So, back to today's stitch. Since this is a typically open stitch, it would work really well for many architectural elements that can handle the texture (of the layered threads)...think roof, floor, ground covering, rug. For these stitches, consider using any of the base threads I mentioned above and cover them with something a little different, as stitch combos are not all matte and metallic. Don't be afraid to incorporate threads with a less than smooth finish. Ideas for accent threads include overdyed floss (or wool), Rainbow Linen (one of my favorite threads for a roof), or a subdued metallic such as Silk Lame or Petite Silk Lame.
Traditional matte and metallic combinations would make great clothing, sampler, or large flower petals. I love Elegance and Flair (as illustrated above). I love the idea of Very Velvet and Fyre Werks (or Neon Rays). Another idea is to add a bead to the single open intersections between the pairs of yellow lines. That would up the glamour level quite a bit, especially for a flower petal.
This stitch diagram, 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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. Click here to see the 20 newest guides and click here to see the entire collection.
I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!
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!
