Hydrangeas! Pink! Spring has sprung on this morning’s #whimsicalwednesday.
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Today’s stitch is a variation I have admired over the years and was thrilled that Patty from Stitch-Stash shared her stitched sample with us. It’s a far more glamorous version of the Crown Stitch and makes me smile. The stitched sample is Vineyard Silk (black lines), Flair (yellow lines), and 2mm pearls (aqua circles). As you can see, it’s a fabulous background stitch for a colorful bag of hydrangeas by Laura Megroz. (Also, hydrangeas are a favorite flower, so this piece gives me all the smiles.)
A quick note on the pearls. They are not obvious on the stitched sample because I wanted to show as much background as possible for the full effect. I promise pearls are on the stitched sample and I promise they are adorable. In addition, there is not a line (representing beading thread) through the circles representing the pearls on the diagram. I recommend bringing the beading thread up and down through the same hole (a technique I’ve yet to replicate on a blog diagram). This works well with pearls because, unlike seed beads, they are perfectly round. Consider using a single strand (not doubled) of your beading thread with the pearls and securing them twice with the thread. I’ve learned the hard way that attaching single beads (or pearls) twice provides extra protection from getting snagged or loosening over time, especially if you are planning on fabricating your project into a pillow.
Clearly, this is a great stitch for a large area such as a background. I think Patty did a great job of balancing this glamorous background with simple elegant stitches for the remainder of the piece. That said, there are some rather large canvases that this stitch could be part of a menagerie of decorative stitches. Kathryn Molineux has some simply stunning large pieces where this stitch would work in many of the areas. (The website doesn’t have unique pages for projects but it does have a search function that helps illustrate this point. Along the top banner, it has a pulldown menu for Project Size. Select “Even Larger”.) This stitch would be a beautiful addition to one of the tall borders with two shades of a lightweight metallic (such as Petite Silk Lame). This stitch would be a fantastic coat stitch for one of Amanda Lawford’s large Santas (30” tall). (Scroll down to see the largest Santas.) I would love to use Very Velvet and a Kreinik Metallic for one of those coats. I would use appropriately sized sequin with a contrasting bead in lieu of the pearls.
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If you like what you see on this blog, there's more: Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 1 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; Mary’s Whimsical Stitches Volume 2 features chapters on Balanced, Beading, Diagonal, Layered, Oblique, Small, and Straight stitches.
Also, you can download The Essentials, a free guide covering basic needlepoint stitches and stitch compensation techniques along with new top-line information on needlepoint materials and tools, how to handle threads, and other helpful needlepoint resources.
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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, 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!