Dressing Up!

Today's stitch is from a dress, hence the very clever blog title name.  Honestly, it's a universal stitch that finds its roots in the Star Octagon.

Typically, when I have open spaces with differing shapes, I fill only one.  In this case, we have a 2X2 square and a 2X2 diamond and both are filled with an upright cross.  If left to my own devices, I would have filled just the 2X2 square.  Yet, despite my love of open work, I acknowledge there are times full coverage will only do.  And this dress needed full coverage.

The stitched sample uses Vineyard Silk and Shimmer Ribbon on 18-mesh.

As I mentioned earlier, this is a great universal stitch.  I can see it on a basket with Sea Grass or Silken Straw (to be really fun) and almost any piece of clothing.  It could be a wonderful wall or tabletop.  

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  32 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

Wait. What?

Your eyes are not deceiving you.  Today's stitch is a traditional diagonal stitch.  I like the size of this stitch and, more importantly, it added the necessary movement to the object on the canvas .

It's a simple pattern.  A group of three stitches over two rows, followed by a group of four stitches over three rows (centered against the adjacent group), and repeat.  I chose this stitch for the body of a horse to add dimension and direction to the body as well as make it smooth (hence the larger stitches).  

For an animal body, I recommend any good wool.  We used Rainbow Gallery Persian Wool for the project above.  Vineyard Merino Wool would be a great choice, as well as Bella Lusso or Burmilana.  

This stitch would also work really well on water or a sky.  In either of those cases, I recommend skipping a single row in between the horizontal rows for a lighter effect.  (And, yes, I just snuck in an open stitch...sorry!)

Today's stitched sample is me playing with two plies of Floche on 18-mesh.  The only thing missing is a Pina Colada.

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  32 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

Sometimes Simple is Best

Yes, I know.  Technically, this is not a full coverage stitch, as in "full" full coverage stitch.  The spirit is full coverage, so I included it this month.  I really like this stitch as it is a great horizontal alternative to a Cashmere stitch.   It's simple yet there is still little snap to it.

I recommend adding the X's first (the black lines), followed by the aqua lines.  (Here's a refresher on Continental, should you want it.)  The stitched sample on Instagram is stitched with Floche (2-ply) on 13-mesh.

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  31 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

How Do You Like Them Apples?

Our last open stitch for the month is from a single subject canvas.  I mention this because the space this stitch covered was huge.  It is so huge, in fact, today's diagram is a smaller scale than the actual stitch.

The piece is a retired Melissa Shirley canvas with a single apple.  (As a side note, this is the canvas that started me down my path of fruit canvas obsession.)  Truth in advertising dictates I share Wendy Harwood of Aristeia helped me craft this stitch for the apple.

It was the perfect stitch to show off the shading.

Honestly, I recommend adding the dark gray lines first.  Tie them down (dark aqua lines) at the intersection.  Add the light aqua lines last.  

You will see the stitched sample is on an even larger scale.  The diagram illustrates the center element (light aqua lines) as over 2-2-2-6-6-6-2-2-2 rows.  The center element on the stitched sample is over 4-4-4-8-8-8-4-4-4 rows with the diamond grid moved accordingly.  It still grazes the far right and far left stitches at the same points, regardless of the size of the center element.  

The gray lines are DMC Pearl #5.  Both aqua lines (light and dark) are Kreinik Metallics Tapestry Braid (#12).  

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  31 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

Pretty as a Peach

Today's stitch is a denser variation of the Elongated X's I shared with you last September.   

Just as the original post, this stitch is up six rows and over two.  Tying down the X's with three horizontal stitches over two rows is a way to brighten it up for the peach that inspired this post.

As you can see, thread weights play a huge role in the openness of this denser stitch.  I used size 8 DMC Pearl Cotton and size 8 Kreinik Metallics, resulting in an almost full coverage stitch looking barely there.  And, for certain artists, this is the way to stitch.  There is some beautiful shading out there.  There are times I feel guilty covering it up.  

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  31 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana?

One of the WORST knock-knock jokes ever.  But, it was the first thing that came into my head as I plotted this post.  Because, um, today's stitch comes from an orange on one of my Melissa Shirley fruit pillows.  

For those of you whom open work makes you itch, this may be a stitch for you.  It is very, very close to full coverage.  The choice of lighter weight threads reinforce the open look.  Here's the stitch.

It's a 3X3 diamond with a Smyrna Cross in the diamond intersections and a Tied Upright Cross in the diamond centers.  

Thread weights are critical for the open effect of this stitch.  The stitched sample on Instagram drives home my point.

In the Instagram sample, the dark gray lines are a size 5 Pearl Cotton, the aqua lines are a size 8 Kreinik Metallics, and the turquoise lines are Frosty Rays.  If you are #teamfullcoverage, consider a heavier Pearl Cotton or even a single strand silk such as Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot for the dark gray lines.  Increase the weight of the Kreinik Metallic to a size 12 or size 16 and I think you might be just as happy with this 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 for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  31 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

My Favorite Technique

#teamopenstitches

February focuses on open stitches from pillows on display in my front window for 15+ years as well as a stitch I accidentally created by not transferring a diagram correctly.  (Seriously.)

A little background.  When I returned to the world of needlepoint, I was #teamfullcoverage for several years. I could not get my head around what I called "naked canvas."  Oh, how wrong I was.  Without a doubt, it took some coaxing and hand-holding.  Here I am, twenty-some years later, I can't imagine a single piece of needlepoint I've stitched, or am stitching, without the dreaded...I mean gorgeous...naked canvas.  It's about balance, focus areas, and symmetry.  

I begin with the Pomegranate Stitch.  I have no other name for it.  This is because the stitch is comprised of several small stitches that create a gorgeous pattern and I used it on a pomegranate.  Makes sense, right?

The first diagram is the first group of stitches that would be fine just as they are, especially with a piece with gorgeous shading.

But, no.  I needed more stitches, so I added an Upright Cross (the light gray lines) inside the small diamonds.

Was that the end?  Of course not.  More oblique layered crosses were added.  And some tiny Mosaic stitches.

The stitched sample on Instagram reflects the final diagram.  I included all three steps because I wanted to make a point.  Any of these three combinations work as a group of stitches.  Truth be told, if I re-stitched this piece today, I would stitch it with the middle diagram so I could have more naked canvas.

It's all a matter of taste and your desired coverage level.  What is universal, regardless of which diagram you prefer, is the threads.  When doing open work, it's important to integrate thread weight into the equation.  Generally speaking, I choose lighter weight threads as a secondary way to let the shading show through.  Case in point, I used size 5 pearl cotton and size 12 Kreinik Metallics Tapestry Braid on 13-mesh for the pomegranate.  I would even use size 8 pearl cotton and size 8 Kreinik Metallics on 13-mesh to make a point.  It works, I promise.  And, as with all things needlepoint, it is all a matter of taste.  So, experiment to find what works for you.

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  30 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

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

Just the Beginning

I was desperately seeking an open, lightweight background for an upcoming stitch guide series (for a group of adorable standups...more to come soon, I promise!)

Today is an example of Pinterest (or any stitch book or stitched piece) providing the catalyst for a stitch.   This pin was the beginning of something wonderful.  I expanded it beyond the original diagram because I needed the additional space for the snowflakes (Smyrna Crosses).  

2017 Pavilion Flower Variation.jpg

The stitched sample on Instagram goes for a lighter touch, using only two plies of Splendor for the flowers (on 18-mesh).  If you want fuller coverage, use four plies of any strandable silk or cotton floss on 18-mesh and six strands on 13-mesh.  A laying tool is critical here to keep the individual strands flat and untangled.  

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, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster.  30 guides are currently available, including two new guides from Patience (here and here), and more are in the pipeline.  My events page includes teaching events at stores I will be visiting over the next few months.  More events are in the works and the events page will always include the latest available information.

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

Sweet Stalks

Today's post is another riff on the influence of embroidery in needlepoint.  Common embroidery techniques used in needlepoint include the stem stitch, the back stitch, and French Knots.  I've had a lot of fun trying to recreate some of the more unique embroidery stitches as needlepoint.  Today's stitch is a perfect example.  First, this is the original pin that helped me create the stitch below.

Stalk Stitch.jpg

I thought it was important to make these stalks look as natural as possible, so I offset the middle column by one row (on the vertical) so the stalks wouldn't be even.  With the lazy daisy loop (the black lines), it was also possible to make this stitch follow a curved line.  

You can see that curved line in the lower left hand corner of the stitched sample on Instagram.  I used a single color of Vineyard Silk in the stitched sample.  The painting of the canvas enhanced the stitch as well.  (I can always find an argument for open stitches.)

It would be a lot of fun to do the loops in a different color to make the "flower" part of this stitch pop.  Another idea is to add French Knots in some of the open spaces for a different version of a flower.  Have fun with 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.  28 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

Love at First Sight

This stitch stumbled into my Pinterest feed and I knew immediately I had to include it in something.  Anything.  I love how it appears to be full coverage, yet some open canvas sneaks through.  I love the right amount of open canvas to let the beautiful shading shine through.

The only change I made was to do a single thread for the long diagonal base stitch (the black line on the diagram).  

Sequence:  1. Gray lines  2. Black lines  3. Aqua lines

Sequence:  1. Gray lines  2. Black lines  3. Aqua lines

The stitched sample combines Planet Earth Silk Opal, Very Velvet, and Kreinik Metallics Tapestry Braid (#12).

While I didn't do it in my experiment, I am obsessed with the idea of using Very Velvet for the aqua lines.  I think that little pop of texture and surprising finish would be a fun touch, especially for clothing.

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.  

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