Big Blue

Open stitches can be wildly interesting patterns on their own. But their ability to integrate the beautiful shading of a painted canvas is what keeps me drawn to them. Today’s stitch is case in point.

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Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

The stitched sample uses 6 plies of Splendor on 18-mesh and is the tabletop from my Lemons project. I love this stitch because it was large enough to make the table stand out and still integrate the beautiful blue shading of the same table.

This stitch would make a wonderful field of…whatever. Grass. Wheat. Snow. You get the idea. For grass or wheat, I would use an overdyed silk floss such as Silk ‘N Colors or Gloriana. I love Flair for snow. Hear me out. I know Flair can be a challenge to stitch with. However, Flair is so good at absorbing the color it is covering, especially white Flair. I navigate Flair’s fragility by snipping the end of the thread the moment the thread starts to fray. This stitch would also make a gorgeous roof.

Flip this stitch 90° and it will make a gorgeous wallpaper, background, or clothing stitch. For wallpaper or background, my go-to threads are Elegance, silk floss (with a lighter ply count), DMC Floche, or Soie Perlee. For clothing, I would alternate a matte and a metallic thread every other column. For the matte, I would use a single strand silk such as Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot. I would use Silk Lame or Fyre Werks for the metallic (depending on how bright you want the contrast to be).

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, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Patience Brewster, 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!  

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!

Flashbacks to Geometry

There are many things to love about today’s stitch. What I love the most is how fast this complicated looking stitch goes!

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

I named it Triangle Squares because a square emerges from four triangles coming together in the center. Each side (triangle) is an identical sequence, which is what made this so very easy. To minimize confusion, I stitched a square in one color, changed the thread to the second color and stitched the adjacent square so to not get mucked up with the counting. It made life much easier.

[Update (11/29): Stitch each triangle from the outer edge to the center. This will reduce wear and tear on the thread in the shared holes.]

The stitched sample is from the vase on my Lemons Stitch Guide and uses two shades of Pepper Pot silk with a brown accent (Silk Lame).

Clearly, this stitch is for larger spaces. This would be a very interesting background stitch with lightweight threads such as Silk or Cotton Perle, such as Elegance and DMC Perle #8, with a smaller metallic, such as size 8 Kreinik or Petite Silk Lame. It also lends itself to architectural areas, such as a tile floor or roof. It would make beautiful and dramatic clothing, especially with Soie D’Alger and your favorite metallic. If you are going to go down the floss path for this stitch, be sure to use a laying tool to keep the strands smooth and straight. Also, consider upping the ply count 1-2 strands to ensure full coverage.

This 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.

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, Sandra Gilmore, and Patience Brewster, 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!  

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!

Lovely Layers

I love everything about today’s stitch…the four threads, the perfect balance, and the final elegance. It also happens to fill a beautiful space on a beautiful canvas.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram account. Visit instagram.com/whimsicalstitch to see a library of stitched samples for select #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Today's stitch comes from my Stitch Guide for Melissa Shirley’s Lemons canvas. Sequence is critical. Begin with the black lines, followed by the aqua, light gray, and end with the dark gray Upright Crosses. The stitched sample uses Petite Very Velvet (black lines), Fyre Werks Soft Sheen (aqua lines), Elegance (light gray lines), and Silk Lame (dark gray lines).

This stitch is perfect for a medium to large area you want to draw attention to, such as clothing, large pieces of fruit, bowls, baskets. I hope you get the idea. If you want to add even more bling, consider filling the open spaces with straight stitches over two rows (essentially extending the Upright Tied Cross in the center). Or fill those spaces with a single seed bead over two rows.

The thread possibilities are endless. I prefer more durable, single strand threads for the base thread (black lines). It helps define the shapes and adds a bit of texture. I recommend a perle cotton, Very Velvet, or a size 16 Kreinik Metallic for that role. Once you’ve established the base thread, have a blast. You could go wild with all metallics in contrasting colors, say purples, oranges, and (lime) greens for Halloween fun, or mix threads from the same color family for a sampler.

In all honesty, I would love to see this as a pumpkin with Vineyard Silk (black lines), Kreinik Metallic 1/16” Ribbon (aqua lines), Elegance (light gray lines), and ThreadWorx Metallic (gray lines). If you want a slightly less pronounced version, consider using a strand-able silk, such as Splendor or Soie D’Alger, for the base thread. Use a laying tool to keep to smooth and flat. Add the remaining layers. This will bring more attention to the centers of the diamonds for another pretty perspective.

This 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.

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, Sandra Gilmore, and Patience Brewster, 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!  

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!