On the Road

Summer stitching travels took me to Michigan, Maryland, Northern California, and Alabama. September's stitches are postcards from those travels and include stitches from several projects I worked on with students during those visits.

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 event at the Needle Bug in Alabama. It is a fun variation of diamonds from my new First Thanksgiving Stitch Concept. The bead between the diamonds (in the vertical columns) is an elegant and easy accent. 

The stitch was used for clothing in First Thanksgiving with Pepper Pot Silk, Flair, and Sundance Beads. I also used variations of this for skies with Splendor, sequins, and beads. It would make a great roof with Rainbow Linen, matte beads, and an overdyed wool. I would love to see it as water, as the bead adds a wave-like texture.

There are other variations available. Consider leaving the diamond empty for a more open stitch. Consider swapping the bead and Upright Cross locations. Consider adding a straight stitch over two rows on the vertical instead of the bead. Have fun with it and let us know what you did with it. It could be a future #stitchingsunday.

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, 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!

Sweetie!

It's a baby orange!  Three threads.  One bead.  One small space.

Today's #smallspacesunday is another composite stitch.  Part of the magic comes from filling in the open (and not open) spaces with unique threads. 

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 sample includes City Needlework Silk, Very Velvet, Fyre Werks, and a Sundance Bead.  An Upright Cross is added to the intersection where the threads meet.  The diamond shaped open space is filled with a single bead and the square shaped open space is filled with another Upright Cross.   A trifecta of orange goodness.

Composite stitches offer so many opportunities!  Using the same primary design (from the aqua lines), here are just two more possibilities to fill the open areas.

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 Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams.

Any one of these stitches work in both large and small spaces.  Suggestions include pants, a hat, or a bag.  They would make a wonderful architectural element, water, or greenery.  It would also be great for a bird body, as you can add multiple colors to bring the feathers to life.  It's just such an adorable stitch.  

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, and Patience Brewster. 43 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Enjoy!

Oui! Oui! Oui!

It's a very excited title because there are three stitches today.  All of them are related but each provides a different look and all work well for animals.  The common theme is alternating stitches over two and four rows.  And you can play with threads!

The first is the Parisian stitch.

Like the Brick Stitch works for a small animal, this works really well for a larger animal.  The stitched sample on Instagram is a version of the Parisian stitch above, but with two threads.

The next variation is a great opportunity to add a contrasting thread.

I really like this variation.  For an animal, I would use the same type of thread for both lines.  However, I would use a complementary color for the second thread, in a slightly lighter or darker value than the first thread.  

The last stitch isn't a Parisian stitch.  However, as I created the diagrams above, this emerged as another way to play with stitches over four rows.  I like the scale.

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.

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 for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  27 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

It Takes Two

Today's #smallspacesunday focuses on the 2X2 square.  

The standard for a 2X2 square is the Mosaic Stitch, the smallest Satin Stitch there is.  

I diagrammed it in two colors to expand your thinking on small spaces.  The two colors represent two colors, thread types or both.  

The next is the Cross Stitch or, as I like to elegantly call it, an X.

You will notice the diagram is in same colors and in the same size.  But the color pattern is different.  Just another way to look at a space.

The next 2X2 is the Upright Cross.  

The Upright Cross is featured as the stitched sample on whimsicalstitch.com's Instagram page this week.

The Smyrna Cross is often overlooked because it adds a lovely pop of texture and most people think of it for only texture.  This begs the question...why not add the surprise of texture in a small space?  It's a lovely and unexpected touch.  And that's why I love it so.  

You will be surprised at how fun this stitch can be.  I've used it in "larger" small spaces such as a two-row high border, boots on a Santa, and as small bushes in the background in addition to the traditional small spaces such as a snowflake, a holiday ornament, or a button.  The Smyrna Cross adds a pop of contrasting color and texture in a larger stitch combo.

The possibilities are endless.  The only thing I obsess about is the application of a consistent stitch sequence.  My recommended sequence is above.  If you do a different sequence, I strongly encourage you to do the same sequence in all of the crosses.  

These stitch diagrams, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.  

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 for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  20 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!