Two-fer Part 2

February 6, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s post wraps up (see what I did there?) this past Wednesday’s post with another stitch from the same project and a full-ish reveal of the Santa.

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Today’s stitch is a composite stitch that includes Rhodes squares (aqua lines) and Scotch squares (yellow lines) outlined with tent stitches and beads. Yum! It makes the perfect Santa Coat. The stitched sample is a cute Santa from Painted Pony Designs and uses red Shimmer Ribbon for the yellow lines and green Shimmer Ribbon for the black and aqua lines (on 18M). The beads (gray circles) are from Sundance Designs.

The stitch is colorful, cute, and easy. Clothing is an obvious choice for this stitch. It will also work for architectural elements, such as a roof, chimney, or exterior house wall with two hues of wool for the yellow and aqua lines combined with Rainbow LInen for the black lines. In this scenario, I would substitute a simple Cross Stitch for the bead.

Today’s stitch also reminds me of a blog post from the blog’s early days that discusses how to combine smaller stitches for larger areas. Scroll down the blog post to see a selection of 3X3 stitches and how they were mixed to create 9X9 squares. This link will take you to the stitched sample for one of the 3X3 mixes. Today’s stitch took this concept one step further by skipping a row in all directions between the 3X3 stitches. Have fun with the endless combinations!

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.

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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!

Two-fer Part 1

February 2, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is the background from a cute little Santa stand-up one of my favorite stitchers is working on. Truth be told, Byzantine stitches are not top of mind for me but I always like them when I see them. Weird, huh?

Today’s stitch is a Tall Byzantine (three rows wide and nine rows tall). The stitched sample uses Pepper Pot Silk on 18M. (The two-fer is NOT the two diagrams. The two-fer is that other stitching on this project will be revealed on this upcoming Sunday as well as a full shot of the Santa.)

I’ve talked about Byzantines before and can offer a variety of earlier examples (here and here). One thing that stands out for me with today’s stitch is the height (obviously). I love how the long vertical columns accentuate the tall, narrow Santa (that you will see next Sunday). Yet, what I really love about this stitch is the horizontal version. Flip the diagram 90° and you have a fantastic water stitch, giving you the ebb and flow of a lake or ocean. It’s really fascinating how the two different directions offer completely different looks.

In addition to backgrounds, I love the tall version for clothing, such as pants or jackets, even a flapper’s dress. Single strand silks or silk floss are excellent choices for those. To jazz it up, consider alternating columns between two different threads (color, finish, or both). You can also fill the empty rows with tent stitches in a contrasting thread for a little more attention. I would love to see the flapper’s dress with silk floss and the empty rows filled with beads! The horizontal version works well for water with Kreinik Metallic or a Petite Silk Lame. It will also make a great ground cover with an overdyed floss or perle cotton.

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

Which Comes First?

January 26, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Do I start with a stitch idea or a stitched piece for the weekly blog? Well, truth be told, it’s both. The red background from a couple of weeks ago started with the seed of a stitch idea I had and today’s started with a small ornament I recently picked up from the finisher.

Today’s stitched sample, a vintage Melissa Shirley teapot ornament, uses Perle Cotton (black lines) and pink and white Kreinik (yellow and aqua lines). The white Kreinik is barely visible on the stitched samples, but I promise it’s there. The teapot bowl is stitched in a Brick Stitch (diagram here and another stitched sample is here) with DMC Floss or Splendor. (The leaves are double French Knots with overdyed silk ribbons and the flowers are spider roses with silk ribbons.)

I love how the openness of the Diamond Trellis helps the remainder of the full coverage stitching stand out. This stitch makes a great background (as illustrated). Other thread ideas for a background include silk floss (three plies for 18M and five plies for 13M) for the black lines and Silk Lame for the colored lines (Petite Silk Lame for 18M and Silk Lame 18M for 13M). I strongly recommend using a laying tool to keep the plies of floss untangled and flat. (And, for those of you who use your finger for this, you be you. If it keeps it untangled, go for it!) The laying tool (or finger) will make a meaningful difference, I promise.

This stitch will also make a very pretty piece of fabric, such as a sofa or a coat. I recommend two adjustments for this stitch as fabric. First, I would use a size 12 Kreinik for the black lines and a matte thread for the Upright Crosses, say a silk floss for the sofa or Vineyard Silk for the couch. On top of that, I would cover all of the intersections with the Upright Crosses (instead of just every other row). I love the hint of metallic under the silks. It’s an elegant twist on this stitch.

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

A Tale of Two Hats

January 19, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today is a tale of two hats offering up a handful of cute small stitches that fit almost anywhere.

Let’s start with the first hat. It’s a small weave with pairs of stitches over three rows. It’s s mini version of this stitch. I love the tiny bit of texture it adds to the small hat, while playing nicely with (and not overwhelming) the even cuter double French Knots used for the pom pom and hat cuff. (The stitched sample is nothing more than Vineyard Silk on 18M.)

Next up is Hat #2. We’ve got more going on here and more color.

I’ve talked about my deep fondness for basketweave. I like making it “basketweave plus” by alternating threads with different colors or finishes or both. The red part of the cap is basketweave alternates between two rows of the same red Vineyard Silk (black lines) and one row of Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines). (My typical mix is alternating single rows of a matte thread and a metallic thread.)

The second stitch from the hat is a combination of two basic stitches, a Satin Stitch over two rows alternating with two rows of Plain Needlepoint. The stitched sample uses Neon Rays (black lines) and white Crystal Braid (yellow lines).None of these stitches are dramatic or terribly glamorous but they are great ways to balance the dramatic and glamorous stitches so they stand out even more. These stitches are simple, easy to stitch, and still have a little something something to make you smile.

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

Time for a Test Drive

January 12, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Working on new Stitch Concepts means new stitches for us. Today’s test drive started out as nothing more than a cute collection of vertical columns of narrow diamonds. And then…

…I added beads and fell in love with the stitch. The stitched sample is three plies of Mandarin Floss and a size 11 Sundance Bead on 18M. I used a larger bead than I typically would for 18M to make sure the bead wasn’t overlooked. I also pivoted from the obvious choice of a red bead and used yellow so the bead would stand out even more. I have no regrets.

Feel free to replace the bead with a single vertical stitch over two rows in a thread with contrasting color or finish or both. You could also add an Upright Cross in the intersection to add a little texture.

I’m looking forward to using this stitch for clothing, especially clothing that I need to add height to, such as pants or coats. I would add the Upright Cross I mentioned earlier for pants but would definitely use the beads for the coat. Threads under consideration for the pants are Burmilana (black lines) and Silk Lame (for the Upright Crosses). The coat needs a beautiful silk (floss or single strand) with an elegant contrasting bead.

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!

There Will Be Counting

January 5, 2022 whimsicalstitch

And it will be worth it. The end result is a beautiful lattice that is the perfect background for a large basketweave project.

Today’s stitch was inspired by a Two Sisters mini shift. I called up Don Lynch (who manages Two Sisters) and asked him for the proper name of the pattern. After he stopped laughing, he said, “it’s counting out a lattice to fit within a mini shift.” And, voila, we have a name. (I own the fact I make up many stitch names out of whole cloth, but I do try to find out if there is a proper name. And, my favorite stitch names are exactly like today’s….made up out of whole cloth BUT with a good story behind it.)

As the title states, there is a lot of counting. Sometimes, I stitched a full diamond or hexagon and then added subsequent shapes from there. Other times, I would follow a diagonal path (three rows wide) for a while and then add the offshoots. It depended on my mood and attention span at the time. I also found it helpful to identify counts of shapes and between shapes to keep me on track. For example, the outside edge of the long sides of the hexagons are nine rows long. Another important count for me was the three rows in between the lower corners of a horizontal hexagon and the upper corners of nearby vertical hexagons. Those are what worked for me. You may find your own counts or use mine. As you can see by the photo on the far right, I certainly think it was worth the effort.

The stitched sample is five plies of Splendor on 13M. The resulting size of this stitch on canvas surprised me, but I absolutely love it. It is the perfect background to offset the basketweave used on the remainder of the project.

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

Let it Be

December 22, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Today’s small…no, tiny…stitch comes from exactly how the canvas is painted. But you can do this anywhere, I promise.

Today’s stitch is a dashing stitch literally inspired by Joanna’s painting. In other words, Joanna painted little snowflakes with four simple stitches with an empty intersection in the center. All I did was add Cross Stitches over the four gold points AND add a 3mm pearl in the center. Voila! I may have followed Joanna’s painting but you can add little snowflakes like this to any piece you’d like.

As you may see on the stitched sample on the far right, there is some visible thread between some of the snowflakes. It shows up more in the photograph than in real life. But, I know this will drive some people nuts, so it was the perfect chance for me to share an alternative sequencing for Cross Stitches. It is illustrated in the diagram on the far left. Add all of the bottom stitches (of the Cross Stitch) FIRST, and then return over each of them in the opposite direction. This offers you more real estate behind the canvas to bury threads under those stitches. Admittedly, it’s not a lot of real estate, so I' recommend burying the thread a couple times. Proceed to the next area and begin anew.

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

Starting Small

June 21, 2020 whimsicalstitch

I’m back! And starting with a cute little something something that reminds me that sometimes what you are looking for is right in front of you.

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The stitched sample is one of the many adorable buckets from Pippin’s Sand Buckets from an embellishment event I did last February. (Ah, the good old days of traveling outside of your living room and wearing makeup.) It uses Soie d’Alger and Neon Rays on 13-mesh.

I love me my Pippin collage canvases. The colors and the themes just make me smile. They’re a (good) challenge because they use mostly small stitches. I wanted to do something new (for me), but I thought I was tapped out until I remembered I’ve been able to transform favorite stitches by simply skipping a row. And, voila, we have a “new” stitch.

This is a great all-purpose small stitch, perfect for almost all clothing. I would love to see an overdyed wool and solid wool for a sweater or pants. I’m using this for some architectural accents (with two metallics) for Big Ben on a current project I’m working on. It will also make a cute little tree trunk with two shades of Vineyard Silk.

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.

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

Less is More

February 9, 2020 whimsicalstitch

There were a couple false starts on the checked background of a personal piece I’m working on. I have a library full of 4X4 square stitches, so this should have been easy, right? Nope. Simply because I didn’t need a fancy stitch because the background needed to be in the…wait for it…background.

The stitched sample uses two strands of Floche (black lines) and Neon Rays+ (turquoise lines) on 18-mesh. Since the checked pattern is two different colors, I am not filling the emerging and empty 2X2 intersections.

This is another universal stitch for both large and small areas alike…and they don’t always have to be painted squares. I’m looking forward to using this on a grassy plain (without beads) or mountainside, mixing an overdyed silk floss with a single strand silk, such as Pepper Pot or Vineyard Silk, for kicks. It will make great wallpaper with Soie D’Alger and Petite Silk Lame. Consider using a single thread, such as a lightweight Kreinik for both directions of the stitch, for a small to medium size window. If I was using this stitch on a solid colored area, I would use threads with two different finishes and then fill that intersection with a single bead over two holes on the vertical.

This stitch is infinitely scalable. Consider it for checked patterns of various sizes. Or simply use one direction of this for one color in a checked pattern and a more full coverage stitch for the second square.

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!

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!

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