Thanks, Nordstrom

Uneven split diamond ideas have been sitting in my needlepoint inspiration album for a few years. I’m kinda excited about the variation I ended up with. (And thank you to Patricia Sone for some of the original inspiration.)

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

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

The stitched sample is me playing with green Pepper Pot Silk (yellow lines) and four plies of blue Splendor (black lines) on 13M.

This sample screams fabric to me. I’m confident the color combination is an overwhelming component of that, but I would love to see this stitch as a bedspread or wallpaper/background. (It’s also possible the color combo was inspired by a Nordstrom window display I walked by this week.) There are way too many thread combos to choose from for those. Silk Lame (yellow lines) and silk floss (black lines) make sense to me for the bedspread. I would experiment with Flair (yellow lines) and a size 8 Perle Cotton (black lines) for a background. But! If the Flair goes rogue and spreads too much between the diamonds, I would change it to Neon Rays. And, if it’s Neon Rays, I would use a laying tool to make sure it stays flat and untwisted.

I would also consider ditching the yellow lines altogether. To glam it up a little bit, I would add five seed beads in the center of the diamonds. Add each seed bead over two rows on the vertical. The unevenness of the diamond centers would still be visible, but slightly less so. Also consider adding a bugle bead horizontally across the center for a more elegant bead addition.

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

Just a reminder about how to evaluate stitches for size on your project.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.

New to needlepoint or looking for a refresher? Please download a handy how-to 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.

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! 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 integrating 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 Teacher Learns

Today’s adorable stitch is an example of how the students teach me things in my own classes. 

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

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

The stitched sample is a Santa cap on an adorable Danji ornament. The stitcher used Petite Very Velvet for the black lines, a red metallic for the aqua lines, white Neon Rays+ for the yellow lines, and a Sundance seed bead for the aqua circle.

It’s a wonderfully dramatic stitch that works so well on the cap. I’ve done variations of this (but I like this one better), so I speak from experience when I say to pay close attention to the diagram. What helped me was to break the stitch (as diagramed above) into four quadrants. Imagine a line through the beads in both directions from edge to edge. Voila. You have the quadrants I am describing.

Ignore all the yellow lines and focus on the four quadrants of black lines. They are perfectly aligned on the horizontal and vertical paths. When you stitch this, stitch it one quadrant at a time. The quadrants create another area in the center that is slightly different, which is why I want you to ignore it because it is a huge distraction. All of the centers are filled with the same yellow lines, which can be deceiving, which is why I encourage you to focus on the quadrants as you stitch this stitch. Just remind yourself that it will emerge naturally as you stitch the groups of stitches.

Clearly, this is a stitch for an area screaming for attention. So my mind instantly goes to a pumpkin. (I LOVE Halloween needlepoint.) My dream pumpkin will use silk floss for the black lines, Painters Threads Shimmer Ribbon for the yellow lines, a solid bright orange metallic for the aqua lines, and an oversized bead for the aqua circles. It will also make a very handsome winter coat with Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot Silk for the black lines, Flair for the yellow lines, Silk Lame for the aqua lines, and a seed bead for the aqua circles.

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

Just a reminder about how to evaluate stitches for size on your project.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.

New to needlepoint or looking for a refresher? Please download a handy how-to 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.

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! 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 integrating 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!

Didn’t Expect to End Up Here

The moral of today’s post is to follow that tiny nagging feeling. Let’s just leave it at I was not anticipating sharing a stitch with three threads AND pearls today.

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

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

The Upright Tied Crosses in today’s stitch are slightly larger than what I typically think of as Upright Tied Crosses. The bottom stitches (black lines) are six rows long versus the four illustrated in the link. My original plan a stitch with the Upright Crosses (black and aqua lines) and the pearls (aqua circles) only. But I could tell something was missing, so I took some inspiration from Kelly Clark and added the diagonal stitches inside the emerging squares to create a stronger purpose and more definition to the pearls. And voila! The stitched sample uses three plies of Splendor (black lines) with Kreinik 1/16” ribbon on top (yellow lines). The diamonds are created with Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines) and SJ Designs 2mm pearls with white beading thread (aqua circles with black lines).

The stitched sample is a very feminine bedspread for an upcoming Stitch Concept. Along those lines, it will make a very pretty dress for a flapper with a simple addition of a contrasting color for the yellow lines and a bead or even a Swarovski crystal for the pearl. I also think it will make a fun toy box with red and silver metallics for the black and yellow lines, red silk floss for the turquoise lines, and bright blue beads for the aqua circles.

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

Just a reminder about how to evaluate stitches for size on your project.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.

New to needlepoint or looking for a refresher? Please download a handy how-to 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.

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! 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 integrating 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!

Wait, What?

I never imagined I would be bragging about, let alone sharing with pride, an oversized beetle. Yet here we are.

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

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

The stitched sample is a beard stitched with Appleton Wool on 13M, stitched by yours truly forever and a day ago. (Tangent. The hair is a decent example of Double French Knots, which I chat about in Book 1 and the Essentials guide.)

I love Beetle Stitches in their simplest forms (such as today) because it adds interest without overwhelming surrounding areas. The smoothness of the stitch adds a certain elegance. I also love the dressed-up versions, but this stitch is perfect for the beard.

Appleton added a little puff to the beard. It will be adorable to replicate that on a bedspread with Appleton (on 13M) or single-strand silk such as Pepper Pot Silk or Vineyard Silk (on 18M). It will make a fantastic roof with Rainbow Linen. Don’t forget to consider flipping the diagram 90° for a taller version of the stitch. That would be great for clothing with silk floss.

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

Just a reminder about how to evaluate stitches for size on your project.

As you are auditioning stitches (from any stitch source), count the number of canvas threads on the diagram that match your mesh size. And there you have what an inch of the stitch will look like. Evaluate that against the area where you plan to use the stitch and make your final decision. If you start integrating this step into your stitch selection process, you may be surprised at how many stitches you think are large are much smaller than you realize. (Or, in today’s case, the stitch is much larger than it looks.)

By (sometimes) including this step in my own process, I find I am now integrating much longer stitches than I ever thought I would. I used to think a stitch six rows long was super big. I have very much changed my tune, which has helped me expand my creativity, especially for large-space stitches.

Today’s 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, there's more. Mary’s Whimsical Stitches is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.

New to needlepoint or looking for a refresher? Please download a handy how-to 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.

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! 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 integrating 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!

My First Needlepoint Love was Santa

Searching for a stitched sample for a now rescheduled topic led to the discovery of today’s gems. And proof that I have full coverage stitches in my repertoire.

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

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

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

The background on a vintage Melissa Shirley Santa is Pepper Pot Silk (black and yellow lines) with a touch of Kreinik sparkle (gray lines). The entire background on the cat mini stocking is, most likely, Pepper Pot Silk or Vineyard Silk. Full disclosure(s): These were stitched in the mid to late 90’s, so thread ID may not be perfect. Also, the background on the cat swapped the order of the yellow and gray lines, but that is a minor detail. It is virtually the same stitch. Be sure to jump over to Instagram to see the adorable Santa from head to toe.

This stitch is perfect for clothing, especially pants or a long jacket. I’m all for using three threads if there are three unique elements in a stitch. That said, finding these samples is a nice reminder that the character still comes through with fewer threads. That said, I think it would be fun to stitch pants with two adjacent hues of single-strand silk or silk floss (black and yellow lines) and a metallic for the gray lines.

My first love of Christmas was usurped by Halloween needlepoint. This stitch would be darling on a small to medium pumpkin with two metallics for the black and yellow lines, such as Silk Lame and Fyre Werks, and a pretty silk floss for the gray lines. (Sidebar: when using two metallics in a stitch, be sure they have distinctly different finishes. For example, size 4 and size 8 Kreinik are not overtly distinguishable from Petite Silk Lame. They work together well if they are distinctly different colors but not if they are close to the same color.)

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.

IIf 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 for free the first chapter from my first book which covers 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.

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! 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!