Keeping Santa Warm & Dry

December 19, 2021 whimsicalstitch

As promised, today’s #stitchingsunday introduces you to the very smartly dressed Santa from my tree. Today’s stitch is from a forever ago blog post and is also included on page 203 of my first book.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday **Stitched Sample Gallery** on Instagram.

Click image to see the **whimsicalstitch Stitch Library** on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Today’s stitched sample is a Santa roll-up from my early days of decorative stitching. The stitched sample uses Neon Rays (black lines) and Flair (yellow lines). The original blog post presents this same stitch on the horizontal, so it’s kinda fun to see the different looks. It’s a fantastic small space stitch. I talk a little about how to navigate the extra bulk this stitch can add, which can be a great feature for certain stitch areas.

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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches 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. For more information, visit here. Retailers carrying the book can be found here.

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! Happy #stitchingsunday!

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!

Splish Splash

August 19, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Today’s post is a shout-out to scallop stitches, which have been a great solution for a few areas in current projects. Today’s version is sweet, small-ish, and sassy so….it’s perfect.

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.

The stitched samples are me playing with Flair (black lines) and Caron Collection Snow (yellow lines). What drew me to this scallop was its motion. Most of the waves in the scallops I’ve shared with you thus far are in one direction, generally down (here, here, and here). The last one in that series of links uses the same two stitch lengths, but adding the “up” wave in today’s version really makes a difference.

I’ve used scallop stitches as water with two metallics with distinctly different feels, as illustrated above. Yet, scallops are more than just water. I’ve seen larger scallops used for a flowy skirt alternating scallops between silk floss and Flair. I have used scallops stitches for backgrounds with a single strand silk and a Kreinik Metallic.

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.

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!

Happy #smallstitchingsunday

August 9, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Sometimes simple and small is the best way to go. Today’s #stitchingsunday is a shout-out to some of my favorite small stitches.

By the end of the day lately, I’m tapped out. Several of my works-in-progress are large, exquisite, and honestly, too much at the moment. I turned to a small canvas I had in my stash to get me through this week. (Also, loving Perry Mason and the Watchmen on HBO. Not necessarily perfect stitch TV*, but easy stitches make it easier to do both at the same time.)

The canvas is an adorable eyeglass case (on 13M) I picked up a few months ago. The letters are stitched in Cross Stitches, a trick I picked up from a fellow needlepoint junkie, with silver Fyre Werks. The advantage of a Cross Stitch, instead of a French Knot, Tent Stitch, or bead is that a Cross Stitch covers all four sides of an intersection, making the lines created by the stitches (in any direction) smooth and uninterrupted.

The background is nothing more than what I call Plain Needlepoint, but more commonly known as Basketweave, in Vineyard Silk and Pepper Pot Silk. I considered and discarded cuter and more complex stitches because I wanted the attention to go to the letters and the glasses. In addition, I didn’t want to do that much compensating around the same letters and glasses.

And, last but not least, the lenses are covered in Reverse Basketweave with a size 8 Kreinik Metallic to ensure the canvas shows through, as it would do through glasses.

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.

There’s a time and place for everything and sometimes it needs to be simple. I anticipate I will finish this tonight while I watch the Perry Mason finale. I’m confident you have the perfect spots for any of these stitches. Happy #stitchingsunday!

*Stitch TV = any programming that you can watch and comprehend while stitching. I prefer it to not be completely vacuous; I’m also not a fan of overly harsh reality TV. My favorite Stitch TV includes binging on old series I already know and love (Justified, I’m looking at you), easy comedies (Parks & Rec, anyone?), Great British Bake Off (who doesn’t love an English accent with their sweets?), and sports (or what is passing as sports TV these days).

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!

Let There Be White

April 29, 2020 whimsicalstitch

On the off chance you didn’t know, I adore tramme stitches. Today’s variation is a great way to add more subtle direction.

Most of the tramme stitches I’ve shared with you have been horizontal or vertical with cute accent stitches. Today’s tramme uses diagonal base threads with long accent stitches. The accent stitches provide the subtle angle of the stitch.

The stitched sample is the stomach of a flying puffin (naturally), hence the use of a whole lotta white threads. The base threads (black lines) are Kreinik 1/16” ribbon. The gray lines are Petite Silk Lame and the aqua lines are Soie D'Alger. I acknowledge you may not be able to distinguish between the Petite Silk Lame and the Soie on the stitched sample but I promise they are distinct on the actual canvas.

The most difficult part of this stitch is the first step (black lines). If one of these diagonal lines is off by even a single canvas thread, it will screw up the remainder of the stitch. My recommendation is to start small and work up to the longer diagonal stitches.

An easy way to accomplish this is to add your first short diagonal stitch in a corner. For this example, start in the upper left corner from the left edge to the top edge. Double and triple-check that your first diagonal stitch travels along a perfect 45° diagonal path. After it is complete, count across four rows to the right, bring your thread up from behind the canvas at that point and return it four rows below the left-hand side of the prior diagonal stitch. Count down four rows, bring the thread up from behind the canvas and return it four rows to the right of the prior stitch on the top edge.

Select members of the needlepoint police may offer a more complex way to ensure that your threads are wrapped around the edges versus an ever so slight resulting from my technique. I do the first step of most of my tramme stitches in this manner, especially for large areas, in order to minimize the use of the thread and make this go as quickly as possible. It is a matter of personal preference. I find this counting method effective and easy.

I stumbled across this stitch for a roof with a similar angle. The angle was reinforced with painted lines at that angle (in a different color). That is where the idea emerged to use two different color threads for the straight stitches.

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.

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 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!

Groundhog Day

April 15, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is an homage to our own never-ending cycle of Groundhog Days.

The Groundhog Stitch is more of a concept than a specific stitch. The stitched sample is upfront because it is one example of a Groundhog Stitch. Any repeated element can be used.

The gold circles in the stitched sample were painted on the canvas. I asked my student to add additional circles in a contrasting color to fill the area. Since the gold circles were not placed in a specific pattern, the blue circles were added in random spots as well. The gold circles use gold Fyre Werks; the blue circles use blue Petite Silk Lame. The stitched sample is a work in progress; more blue circles will be added.

In my opinion, this concept works best for larger areas, including (but not limited to) skies, backgrounds, clothing, curtains (as in the stitched sample), water. I think you get the idea. It doesn’t matter if the area is painted in a solid color or a shaded area.

I’ve seen variations of this stitch using leaves, Upright Tied Crosses, and eyelet stitches. So, clearly, the variations are limitless.

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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

Happy #stitchingsunday

April 12, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Welcome to the first #stitchingsunday featuring stitches from my book. The inaugural post features the Tramme stitch from one of my very first blog posts and one of my favorite go-to stitches.

Today’s stitched sample is an oh so sweet baby pillow from Abigail Cecile, featuring the Tramme stitch as a border. The stitcher used Kreinik Metallics for the base threads (black lines) and Sparkle Rays for the accent threads (aqua lines). Visit the original blog post here for more insight on how to navigate burying the threads as well as a little history on tramme stitches. The stitch can be found on page 147 in my book.

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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Happy #stitchingsunday!

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!

I'm Sensing a Theme

March 22, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Yes, today’s #stitchingsunday is another angel. I promise it uses a different stitch than the last angel on the most recent #stitchingsunday. :)

Today’s stitched sample is a skirt from a sweet Melissa Shirley star angel. It uses Petite Silk Lame and Sundance Beads (size 14/15) (on 18-mesh). Click here for the original blog post that includes a couple variations. In addition, this stitch can be found on pages 164 and 165 in my book. (I renamed the stitch to Oblique Diamonds to be consistent with similar stitches in my repertoire.)

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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Happy #stitchingsunday!

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!

The Original 2 Sisters

February 23, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Today’s #stitchingsunday comes from one of my favorite pairs of sisters. They’ve been stitching and making me (and a lot of other people at Aristeia) smile and laugh for a very long time and I adore both of them.

Today’s stitched sample is a background on an adorable Rebecca Woods angel ornament. The sisters flipped the stitch 90° (to the right) and used Petite Silk Lame (on 18-mesh). Click here for the original blog post where, coincidentally, the stitched sample uses the same color thread as today’s much better stitched sample.

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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Happy #stitchingsunday!

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!

I Heart Diamonds of All Sizes

January 19, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is a a variation on on my favorite small stitch components, a tiny diamond.

The stitched sample is from a frame in a Stitch Concept I created last year for Frank’s Rug, a fabulous canvas from Maggie & Co. It uses Silk Lame 18M on 13-mesh canvas. (For the inevitable follow-up question, the flowers will be added later with Just Another Button Co’s flower buttons.)

I’ve used this stitch in backgrounds, small shirts, rugs, windows, tiny trees…you name it. The space between the vertical columns creates the diamond. Otherwise, it would be Alicia’s Lace. And that space is a variable for you to play with. Feel free to widen it as needed.

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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

Cold Weather Requires Full Coverage

January 15, 2020 whimsicalstitch

It’s a bleak 30-45 seconds between waking up and getting the heat turned on these days, even here in So. Cal. So I think I need to extend my streak of full coverage stitches so I can get warm over here.

This is an oldie but goodie and from long before #whimsicalwednesday was a twinkle in my eye. This is so from so long ago, hashtags were still pound signs. And for those of you with a keen eye, Santa is NOT flying. He is part of a tree skirt from our friend Melissa Shirley. Since I stitched the background in same stitch in every panel, some of the Santas look wonky if you don’t look at them as part of the whole skirt. (And I would do it that way all over again.)

The stitched sample uses Very Velvet (black lines), Frosty Rays (yellow lines), size 8 Kreinik Metallic (gray lines), and size 16 Kreinik Metallic (turquoise lines) on 13-mesh. Clearly, it’s a great stitch for clothing. You can lighten it up with silk floss (black lines), Flair (yellow lines), Petite Silk Lame (gray lines), and a Kreinik Metallic (turquoise lines) for trees or a roof. I love the diagonal stitch across the top of the smaller Scotch squares. I think that is a really elegant touch. The stitch sequence is black lines followed by yellow lines. Cover the yellow lines with the gray line and cover the gray lines with the turquoise lines. Someday I would like to see a bead for the turquoise lines. I think that would be a darling doll dress.

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, 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!

#whimsicalwednesday blog