Excuse Me

May 8, 2019 whimsicalstitch

I made the mistake of thinking pulling together today’s stitched sample was going to be easy. Au contraire. I kept getting distracted by variations that kept popping up in my head as I stitched it for you.

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I named it Interrupted Satin Stitch because every fourth stitch is an interruption of sorts. You think you know where it’s going (over two rows) and…bam!…nope (over three rows). The stitched sample is me playing with Splendor (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (turquoise lines) on 18-mesh.

This full coverage diagonal stitch (above center) is perfect for areas you want to add some direction, such as a roof or walkway. I love the idea of flipping it 90° and using it for pants or wall covering (above right).

I love uneven matte threads for roofs, such as Rainbow Linen or Rainbow Tweed. Glisten is a good alternative because the metallic filament adds a subtle unevenness. Partner any of those with a lightweight soft metallic, such as Trebizond Silk, for the tent stitches. I would use a single strand silk with a favorite metallic for pants and Soie D’Alger with Petite Silk Lame for a wall covering. Consider swapping the tent stitches for seed beads if you want to make it even more glamorous.

Another use popped into my head while stitching it. Leave out the tent stitches, use a lightweight metallic, and use it for a water stitch. The stitch over three adds an interesting choppy wave affect. While stitching, I also realized how scalable this stitch is. Consider changing the over 2 and over 3 rows to over 3 and 4, respectively for a slightly larger stitch.

These stitch diagrams, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

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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 and Stitch Concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Patience Brewster, 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!

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!

Ruth 1; Me, 1/2

May 1, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is a case study in how teachers learn from teaching.

The stitch and stitched sample are from our friend, Ruth Schmuff, at Bedecked and Bedazzled. The stitch uses Gloriana Silk Floss on 18-mesh for a background on an elegant geisha.

So, those of you who I’ve worked with in class have heard me say, “For any layered stitch, such as a cross stitch or an Upright Tied Cross, it doesn’t matter what direction you do it. Just be consistent.” And, of course, Ruth does it differently, yet is smart about it. Take a close look at the diagram and note the top stitches are in opposite directions. The top stitch on the vertical version goes from lower right to upper left while the horizontal version goes from lower left to upper right. It’s not the way I would have diagrammed it BUT it is consistent and that is what is important. Ruth, 1. Me, 1/2.

This stitch would be great for a basket with Lorikeet or ThreadWorx wool There are many outdoor applications, such as a tree or mountainside. It will make a wonderful rustic roof with Rainbow Linen or Caron Collection Watercolours.

If you want to glam it up, consider adding a bead in the open intersection where the top stitches meet. Since the stitch is rather large and it’s a single intersection, I recommend a slightly larger bead (or crystal) to make sure it doesn’t get lost in the rest of the stitch. For example, consider a size 8 bead for 13-mesh and a size 11 bead for 18-mesh. This glam version would be fantastic for a Santa coat or an elegant dress with silk floss and an appropriate bead. There is something exquisite about red silk floss and gold beads.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

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I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!

Decisions, Decisions

April 24, 2019 whimsicalstitch

A club I’m stitching up was a great chance to experiment with new stitches. As it played out, I realized it was an opportunity to illustrate how I land on a stitch, which isn’t always what the diagram shows you. All are great stitches but it’s all about finding the right one for the spot and for you.

My objective was to find a medium-sized stitch (3-5 rows tall or wide) that integrated the exquisite shading of the canvas, so it needed to be an open stitch. And it needed to complement an adjacent stitch that included diamonds.

I found the original inspiration, the Square Diamond Scotch (diagram on far left), in Ruth Schmuff’s latest book Stitches Volume 5. The squares and diamonds were a great partner with the adjacent diamond stitch. But five rows was too tall for the area and the Scotch squares in the center were too much. I removed the squares and made the sides of the squares four rows wide/tall and created the Square Diamonds (center diagram).

This stitch was too open for the area and it was tough to distinguish the squares versus the diamonds, so I altered the diamonds to be overlapping, hence the Square Layered Diamonds (diagram on far right). This added unnecessary texture and height to the area, so it went bye bye.

My obsession with diamonds covering the corners wasn’t helping. Walking away really helped. When I returned to the piece, I took the diagonal stitches and moved them to cover the open area where the corners meet. Voila! This is what worked for me for the area. The stitched sample uses Elegance (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (gray lines) on 18-mesh.

I feel the need to reiterate that I liked every single one of the stitches I discarded. It’s all about what works for the unique space you are stitching. All four stitches would make excellent architectural stitches for floors, walls, or roofs. I would love to see the Square Diamond Scotch for a dramatic coat or dress with Petite Very Velvet (black lines) and a size 12 or size 16 Kreinik Metallic. The Square Diamonds will make a beautiful water stitch with Petite Silk Lame (black lines) and Kreinik Metallic (gray lines). Consider the Square Layered Diamonds for a tree with Elegance (black lines) and Silk ‘N Colors (gray lines). You could also glam up any of those stitches by adding a single in the center hole of the intersection where the four corners meet.

This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

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I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!

I Love it When the Blog Writes Itself

April 17, 2019 whimsicalstitch

There is no better feeling than the blog writing itself. This one came to be as I assembled a recent store order. Stitched sample and diagram done without lifting a finger! Bam!

The downside is the stitched sample is black on black. (I lightened it up a bit to help.) The stitched sample is from Debbie Mumm’s Mr. Owl and uses Petite Very Velvet (black lines) and Fyre Werks Soft Sheen (gray lines).

Other ideas for this stitch include water with Kreinik Metallic Fine Braid (#8) (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (gray lines) on 13-mesh. (I love really lightweight threads on 13-mesh. It’s a great way to integrate beautiful painted shading.) Flip the diagram 90° and stitch the beetles in vertical columns for a tall coat or dress with Flair (black lines) and your favorite silk floss (gray lines).

I swapped the matte and metallic in the last example because of a cute variation you should absolutely consider. Add a straight stitch three rows wide across the center of the gray lines where the stitches are split. (It would be a horizontal line in the diagram and a vertical line in the clothing example). For the clothing, I would add a single strand metallic such as Kreinik, Entice, Japan Thread, or Petite Silk Lame (as thought starters). You could even add a bugle bead across that intersection!

Using this as a stitch for clothing or water are simply thought starters. I would love to see what you do with this stitch! This stitch diagram, along with all other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on a Pinterest board here.

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I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!

Who Knew Bricks Could Be Glamorous?

April 10, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is an elegant interpretation of a classic Brick Stitch.

The stitched sample uses Crystal Braid and Sundance Beads (on 13-mesh). Crystal Braid’s color palette is on the lighter side. I love that because Crystal Braid absorbs and reflects the painted color of the canvas.

This simple stitch is made elegant by the addition of the beads. It would be great for clothing, water that you want to draw attention to, a rooftop, or a bedspread. I would love to see it as a christening gown with Soie D’Alger and pearls. Consider using ThreadWorx overdyed metallic and clear beads for water.

If you want to dress it up even more, consider adding three beads in between the rows of stitches (instead of the one as diagrammed). Another interesting variation would be to alternate colors in the horizontal columns. Combine that with a matte bead and I think you might have a very interesting roof.

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!

Shine!

April 3, 2019 whimsicalstitch

There are days I am enchanted by the abundance of creativity that exists in our world of needlepoint. Today’s stitch is a wonderful way to let this beauty shine through.

Today’s stitch came to me because I was distraught at the thought of covering the exquisite colors and shading in a background. I wanted something simple and elegant. (This is also a sneak peak at a soon to be announced club I’m working on, so stay tuned!) The stitched sample uses Petite Silk Lame (on 18-mesh).

This stitch would work just as well on a solid background. One idea is to do every or fourth vertical column in a different color or finish for a little extra something on a solid background. This stitch would also be wonderful for any number of architectural stitches, such as a rooftop, floor, or wall. I would love to see it as a dress or coat, especially if it was a tall figure.

If you want a smidge more coverage, consider adding a single Upright Tied Cross in the center of the diamonds. You could also add an additional straight stitch over six rows in the center of the connector between the diamonds. You could really glam it up by adding Brick Beading in the center of the diamonds. (Fun fact! Brick Beading was the first ever #whimsicalwednesday 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.

I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!

Bead:Thread

March 27, 2019 whimsicalstitch

I’m kinda into the bead to thread ratio in today’s stitch.

The stitched sample is a monotone palette with three unique threads to add texture. It uses Petite Silk Lame (black lines), Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (size 8) (turquoise lines), Crystal Braid (gray lines), and Sundance Beads (aqua circles).

This stitch will explode into something spectacular when you mix colors. It will make a gorgeous dress with a pink Trebizond Silk (black lines), red Fyre Werks (turquoise lines), pink Entice (gray lines), and gold beads. How about a dramatic bird tail with turquoise Soie d’Alger (black lines), orange Kreinik Metallics (turquoise lines), orange Silk Lame (gray lines), and purple beads? You can also up the bead glam by using Swarovski round crystals (2mm or 3mm), one of my very favorite embellishments.

It will make an interesting water stitch, especially if the water is slightly choppy. For water, I would return to a monotone palette and use a Petite Silk Lame (black lines), a Kreinik metallic for both the aqua and gray lines, and clear beads.

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!

Hello Wednesday

March 20, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Hello Wednesday. (You snuck up on me there.) Little did I know that last Sunday’s post was going to provide more inspiration for this week.

Today's stitch comes from the same Melissa Shirley tree skirt as this week’s #smallspacesunday. The stitched sample uses Vineyard Silk (black lines), Kreinik Metallics Tapestry Braid (#12), and Kreinik Metallics Medium Braid (#16) (turquoise lines). It’s the coat from one of the Santas.

The sequence is important here. Start with the black lines, follow with the gray lines (from edge to edge) and end by tying down the gray lines with the turquoise lines. There are two schools of thought here. The first is as diagrammed, leaving one intersection empty during the first step. This intersection is covered by the final step. (In the stitched sample, it is covered by the green metallic.) The other idea to consider is to stitch that intersection with the same thread as the black lines. Proceed with the rest of the stitch as diagrammed. The difference is the turquoise lines (or green metallic in the stitched sample) has a small bit of elevation and texture.

This full coverage stitch makes wonderful clothing (as illustrated). Change the finish of the thread for the gray line and you could have a very interesting ground cover or tree. For ground cover, I would love to see the thread combo of Bella Lusso Merino Wool (black lines), Gloriana Princess Perle (gray line), and Vineyard Silk (turquoise lines).

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!

Diamonds Galore

March 13, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Social media algorithms are scary until they deliver something perfect like they did for me last week.

The inspiration for today’s stitch was an embroidery diagram Pinterest served up to me after last week’s post. I considered replicating the connected squares by using Smryna Crosses but chose to minimize it via single stitches. I love the precise elegance of it.

As with last week’s stitch, this stitch would be a beautiful floor, sky, wall, plain background, or roof. Notice how the 3X3 diamonds are tent stitches skipping a row in between. You could add small seed beads in those intersections for an even more elegant stitch that would be gorgeous on clothing.

The stitched sample is me playing on 18-mesh canvas with Pepper Pot Silk. I like single strand threads for stitches like this. I like the added height that single strand threads, such as perle cotton, silk perle, single strand silk, and metallic braids add to an area.

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!

Squares Can Be Cool

March 6, 2019 whimsicalstitch

I am a complete square…always have and always will be. But today’s square stitch, unlike me, is very cool.

The inspiration for today’s stitch was an embroidery diagram I found on Pinterest. It’s another example of what I call Pattern Stitching. I wrote several posts about that a couple years ago (here, here, and here) that provide you with additional insight and ideas for pattern stitching.

The precise pattern makes a beautiful floor, especially if there is gorgeous shading to be shared (as the stitched sample illustrates). A tone on tone version, while more subtle, serves well as a back drop, such as a sky, wall, bed or seat cover, or roof.

The stitched sample uses Princess Perle on 18-mesh. I like single strand threads for stitches like this. I like the added height that single strand threads, such as perle cotton, silk perle, single strand silk, and metallic braids add to an area.

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!

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