Sassy Small Stitch

The stitch itself isn't sassy.  I think it's kinda cute.  My name for it is a little sassy.  It's a riff on the recent Star Octagon theme.  I present Collapsed Star Octagon.

The stitch has the same core element as the Star Octagon, specifically an element over 1-2-1-2-1 rows.  As with the Star Octagon, it alternates directions but from a different point.

I added a bead to the emerging intersection, though that is just one idea.  Alternately, you could leave it empty.

Or add a Cross Stitch for a small quilted look.

The stitched sample on Instagram illustrates the middle diagram (without an accent).  It uses Pepper Pot Silk on 13-mesh.

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 Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

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

Dot Dot Dot

Yes, the title is dot, dot, dot.  As in Dotted Swiss.

As you know, I am a huge advocate of Plain Needlepoint in every piece.  It provides balance and a place for the eye to rest.  The stitched sample for this stitch is a perfect example of this philosophy.  It's Melissa Shirley's Vintage Pears with a stitch guide by Beverly Churchfield.  The pears are gorgeous.  If you want to do an exquisite version of that canvas, I strongly encourage you to get Bev's stitch guide.

The background is a Dotted Swiss variation to allow the pears to shine as they are truly extraordinary.  That said, I did add a little sparkle to the background as well.

I used DMC Floss and Crystal Braid with similar color values.  And I love it. 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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

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

Small Tramme

Truth be told, most Tramme stitches qualify as small space stitches.  However, I singled this background out as a small Tramme background because the stitched sample is an ornament I did many years ago.

The stitch is very straightforward.

Sequence: 1. Dark gray vertical lines (aka base threads) 2. Yellow lines (aka accent threads) 3. Black lines

Sequence: 1. Dark gray vertical lines (aka base threads) 2. Yellow lines (aka accent threads) 3. Black lines

The vertical rows are over three to add a smoothness to the background and moderate the tramme rows in the stitch.  That is a personal choice; you can do over more or fewer rows in your own piece.

The stitched sample is a combination of three different finishes in the same color family.  

The threads are DMC Pearl #8, Very Velvet, and Kreinik Metallics Very Fine Braid, all in a very light blue.  The Kreinik is a very subtle touch and may be hard to see.  That was purposeful...the light weight creates a very subtle metallic pop to the background that I love. 

The possible thread combinations and color combos are endless.  This stitch makes a fantastic background (obviously), but would also be adorable on a pair of pants with the base thread of the tramme row in a contrasting color.  It would serve well as a wallpaper, floor, rooftop (yes, again with the rooftops), or ground cover.  Its strength lies in the tramme rows, which add definition and strength to the stitch.  If you want a strong vertical (or horizontal) design element, this stitch is for you.

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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

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

I Feel Like I'm Cheating

Technically, this is nothing more than traditional, plain, old-fashioned, tent stitch, half tent stitch, or whatever you call it needlepoint.  But alternating finishes in Plain Needlepoint is a fantastic way to brighten up a small space.

The diagram below is a 3-in-1 diagram, illustrating three ways to make this work for your space.

The stitched sample on Instagram illustrates the diagram on the far left.

This is a Meredith Collection Monogram pillow I'm working on.  With so many small spaces and the added complexity of geometric shapes, very simple needlepoint is called for, in my opinion.  (And it's a perfect easy stitch piece.)

I combined different finishes in the same color family.  The Alternating Tent Stitch is also a great way to combine colors, especially for dramatic small spaces.  (I'm thinking Halloween with alternating orange and green stripes.)  And, just for the record, I stitched a space with one thread type at a time, meaning I ended up doing a lot of continental stitches on the vertical.

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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

Don't Hate Me

This is a fantastic small space stitch and is one of the few stitches that can stand alone with only one.  But, I swear out loud every single time I use it...and am always thrilled with the end result.  Always.  Today's stitch is the Jessica Stitch.

The important thing to remember about the Jessica is, despite appearances, there is a pattern to the stitch and you have to pay attention to the diagram.  The core element is repeated four times, once from each side of the circle.

Jessica Core Element.jpg

For clarity in this diagram (and the next diagram),  the sequence numbers are on the rows just outside the stitch sequence location.  

This pattern repeats itself in all four directions of the stitch.   The pattern begins up one row and over the number of rows your Jessica size will be.  Each subsequent stitch is one row over, UP a single row higher and OVER a single row lower.  For the diagram example, it's four rows.  So, the pattern is:

Up one and over four
Up two and over three
Up three and over two
Up four and over one

You repeat this pattern four times to create the circle.  If you have a stitch starting or ending in any of the four corners, it is no longer a circle, it is a square.  

Jessica.jpg
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.

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.

Different colors are used on each side to highlight the comment element for clarity.  In addition, and this is very important, on the last step, each of the four stitches (cream lines) are tucked under the stitches already there (light aqua lines).

The stitched sample on Instagram is from a Melissa Shirley stocking I did for MF9YO (my favorite 9-year old).

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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

So, as the blog title says, don't hate me.  I hope this helps you embrace a really fun stitch and I hope you have the perfect spot for it!  Enjoy!

Tiny Tiny Diamonds!

Today's post is September's final #smallspacesunday.  And it's a really special stitch.  It's an even more petite variation on last week's #smallspacesunday.  .

The stitch is Tiny Diamonds with Beads.  The image file name is "water snow whatever."  Part of that is that it is 6:00 am and I'm a little tired and the other part is this stitch is perfect for snow or water, especially snow or water that is receding in the background of a piece.

Small Diamonds with Beads.jpg

For water (or snow), I recommend a lightweight metallic such as Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid #8 (for 13-mesh) or Kreinik Metallics Very Fine Braid #4 (for 18-mesh).  Any clear, translucent, or light-colored crystal bead will work in the center. 

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 for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

More Beads!

Snow stitches beg for beads.  Today's stitch finds its inspiration in earlier posts.  While I wholeheartedly recommend the Baby Bling stitch or Chopsticks (with beads) for snow, let's change the shape of the stitch in between the beads this week.

I present Beads with Diamonds.  

This is an open stitch that is perfect for the wonderful snow shading.  The light blue or gray shading will show through beautifully with this stitch.  Consider using a clear bead, such as Sundance Beads color 131, for the accent.  Frankly, I would use a light sheen Metallic, such as Flair, Frosty Rays, or Crystal Braid, for the diamond itself.

I'm including a couple of variations to (hopefully) inspire you.  The first adds an Upright Cross stitch to the center of the diamond.  I strongly recommend using two different metallics, one for the Upright Cross and one for the Diamond.  

The last variation leaves the center clear but fills in the diagonal stitch between the diamonds.

Beads with Diamonds Variation 2.jpg

It's all a matter of taste.  And your taste is perfect.  

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!

Snow in September

Today's trifecta is September, snow, and small spaces.

Honestly, I'm never thrilled when new stitch months begin on a #smallspacesunday.  I get nervous that I won't have the perfect small stitch.  This month is different.  

I had to figure out what to do for small sections of snow on a tree on a Christmas stocking.  I did this technique on a whim, with translucent beads, fully expected to not like it, and worked on a backup plan while I stitched.

Turns out I loved it.  And kept it.  

Frankly, I believe what made it work was that WAS a small space.  This much beading on a large roof, or ground cover, would be overwhelming.  The stitched sample on Instagram shows a lot of the tree so you can see the context.

This stitch diagram, 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 Melissa Shirley and Zecca Designs.  27 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

Fish Sticks

I'm not going to bore you with how long it took me to find this week's stitch.  The moral of the story is to not always associate certain stitches with specific themes.  Meaning, all of these stitches are great for animals but they are great for many other areas.  And vice versa.

Case in point.  I first used this stitch on a sailboat on Emma Williams Rooftops.  Not an animal in sight on that piece.  But...I saw a picture of the same stitch on a fish this morning and voila!  We have a #smallspacesunday.  And it's perfect...absolutely perfect.

And I have not a single clue as to its name.  And that's okay.  I present the Fish Stitch.

Fish Stitch.jpg

This diagram is slightly different from other #whimsicalwednesday diagrams to provide clarity on the steps (left side of diagram) and the compensation stitches (right side of diagram).  The core stitch is up four rows and over two rows.  Always start four rows down from the top!  After you create the first row of stitches, each subsequent horizontal row of stitches overlaps the previous row by a single row.  The compensation stitches are a tiny bit tricky because their angle will rarely match the angle of adjacent stitches.  

The thread combinations are endless.  The diagram is in two colors for clarity.  On the Emma Williams sailboat, I used Silk Lame and Fyre Werks (shown here on Instagram).  The soon to be famous fish (stitch sample can be found here) used a single thread, Silk Lame Braid.  It really depends on the area you are stitching. I hope you have the perfect space for this stitch, whether it is a fish or something else.  More importantly, I hope you enjoy it.

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

Enjoy!

A Menagerie!

Today's #smallspacesunday is pretty straightforward.  The stitches below have been covered on previous #smallspacesundays but are especially appropriate for animals, so I'm resharing here.

The first is Encroaching Gobelin, perfect for almost any animal, especially a small one, because of its compact size, smoothness, and ability to change directions.

The next stitch is one of my favorites.  While the Cushion Stitch is more complex, it makes a great wing or body stitch as it has a bit of texture.

Brick Stitch, especially over two rows is perfect for a small rabbit, duck, or squirrel.  Don't forget to switch the direction to horizontal if the animal isn't sitting up.  The Brick Stitch is also scalable.  For a larger space, go over four rows, instead of two as diagramed below.  

The Upright Cross is an all-purpose small space stitch for any animal.

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!