How It Started is How It Ended

August 18, 2021 whimsicalstitch

I’m about thisclose to finishing the sky on my current project and, of course, I had to take a break and stare at it. (It’s what needlepointers do.) And then I started stitch doodling in the corner. Uh oh.

As the title of the blog says, the sky ended as it started BUT I recorded what I would have done if I thought of it sooner and what I will do the next time a sky presents itself to be stitched. (Full disclosure: I love both stitches.)

How it started and ended:

Click image to see the whimsicalstitch Stitch Library on pinterest.com. Includes all #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams. — 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 sky is stitched with two plies of Soie d’Alger on 18M. I’ve shared darning stitches before. What makes darning stitches unique is that they are essentially a running stitch from edge to edge, with smooth edges. Your typical needlepoint stitch has smooth, wrapped corners. For today’s stitch, I stitched all of the diagonal stitches in one direction together (numbered steps) and followed up with the opposite direction (lettered steps).

And then I had to go and stitch doodle.

The doodle…I mean the Suspension Stitch also uses two plies of the same Soie. The repeated element is a diagonal stitch over two with two tent stitches on either side. It reminded me of a car suspension, hence the name. (Full disclosure: I worked in automotive marketing in my past life. An automotive friend observed about the stitch, “it’s suspension at the little red wagon level!”)

I think both of these stitches will work well in any number of areas, beginning with water, sand, or sky. Consider either for a larger piece of glass you want to draw some attention to. I’m also toying with changing the color or finish of the tent stitches for a little added surprise.

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!

It Could be Simple, But Noooooooo

August 11, 2021 whimsicalstitch

I have a weird thing about Satin Stitches. And that’s where I make things complicated…for myself.

I knew I wanted to do vertical columns three rows wide for the house in the photo. A Satin Stitch was the obvious choice. For clarity, Satin Stitches are diagonal stitches over the width of an area. They are great for columns and I frequently use them for columns anywhere between 2-4 rows. Satin Stitches can be found on page 18 in my first book as well as the Essentials guide. An alternating Satin Stitch can be found here.

Here’s where I make things complicated. I have a weird aversion to the simplest of Satin Stitches. I feel like I should do more. As a stitcher, I don’t like to fall back on the same thing (except for basketweave) when there are cute alternatives. And, as a teacher, I like having a bigger basket of tricks to pull from. And that is how I landed on today’s stitch. It’s a scaled-down version of a stitch I’ve seen a lot of on pinterest.

The stitched sample is three plies of white Splendor (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (aqua lines) on another adorable Plum Stitchery holiday ornament.

It’s already in an upcoming stitch plan for some Charley Harper birds. The student will be using silk floss and a still to be determined metallic. It will also work well for clothing, especially pants, with Vineyard Silk (black lines) and a Kreinik metallic (aqua lines). I think it will make a beautiful bedspread or tablecloth with silk or cotton floss (black lines) and Soie Perlee (aqua 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! Have a wonderful #whimsicalwednesday!

Shoot for the Moon

August 4, 2021 whimsicalstitch

I’ve been playing with oblique diamonds a lot lately. Vertical or horizontal columns of oblique diamonds make a great background or wall stitch. Combine them and you have an adorable flower grid!

The stitched sample is a moon from Plum Stitchery’s Silent ornament stitched in size 8 Kreinik on 18M. To minimize visible threads, I stitched the columns one side at a time from top to bottom (or left to right) and returned up (or across the canvas) to complete the diamonds.

This stitch will be great for water with the same Kreinik or Petite Silk Lame. It will also work well for clothing, especially an elegant dress, with silk floss (black lines) and the addition of a seed bead over two rows in the center of the empty 2X2 squares. Consider filling that 2X2 square with four beads for a really glamorous look for one of Alice Peterson’s art deco ladies!

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

Oops. I Did It Again

August 3, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Remember my epiphany about skipping rows? Well, skipping a row helped me fit a stitch into a short space without the need to compensate at the top or bottom. The fact a cute stitch emerged is simply icing on the cake!

The stitched sample is me playing with three plies of Splendor (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines), along with the requisite cat hair on a stitched sample less than 30 seconds old, on 18M.

The openness of this stitch will lend itself very well to a larger window with Petite Silk Lame, a size 4 Kreinik (for 18M), or a size 8 Kreinik (for 13M). I’m looking forward to using it on a cute dress or skirt with Soie Perlee (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame (yellow lines). This still will also work well for a number of household items, such as a tablecloth or wingback chair.

If you want to add a burst of elegance to the stitch for a dress, consider replacing the Oblique Cross Stitches (yellow lines) with two seed beads.

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

Making a Go-To Different

July 21, 2021 whimsicalstitch

I remember stitching this blanket from two years ago like it was yesterday. I recall this because I was disappointed in myself for returning, again, to a go-to stitch for a tall narrow area. There’s nothing wrong with tried and true, but I wanted something more. It was kinda fun (and enlightening) to see what the simple addition of two stitches to the pattern makes. Or should I say fun, enlightening, and a relief?

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

The go-to stitch is what I consider classic Tramme (far right), a layered stitch with a base thread (black lines) and trios of accent stitches (aqua lines). The original plan was to do that with pairs of accent stitches (instead of trios). It was working as the scale fit the space but *something* was missing. I was bummed and not sure what to do in its place. Disappointment can sometimes turn into great inspiration. On a whim, I added the vertical lines on either side of select pairs of accent stitches and was immediately smitten…and very relieved.

Today’s stitch has more texture than its cousins. While most tramme lends itself to clothing, this one has a little extra texture that will work well for coats, pants, blankets, or scarves. The stitched sample is a border on a blanket from Walking in the Rain by Zecca. I used Trebizond Silk for the base threads (black lines) and Petite Silk Lame for the accent threads (aqua lines). Imagine what fun you could have with color combinations. For example, I would stitch pants with Petite Very Velvet (black lines), a contrasting silk floss for the horizontal accent threads, and a matching metallic for the vertical accent threads.

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

Our First Pun Stitch

July 14, 2021 whimsicalstitch

It took me at least 24 hours to realize the true punnery of today’s stitch magic from one of my favorite East Coast stitchers. She created carrots in diamonds. (Get it?)

Click on image to see the gallery of #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitched samples on Instagram.

It all started with a background for an adorable Christmas bunny. We worked together and landed on carrots! I created an easy red and white gingham border for the piece and she hopped off to the races. (Photo of the completed piece is on Instagram.) We connected a few weeks ago and I thought I was going to see cute carrots with Petite Silk Lame (black lines) and Straw Silk (aqua lines). And, I did. But look at what else she did! She surrounded them with the diamond stitch from May and created this wonderful background! It is too cute for words. I love this.

This is the part of the blog where I share other ideas for the stitch. Carrots may be a smidge limiting (adorable but limiting), but there are so many things you could put in the centers that aren’t carrots. Little hearts, more diamonds, or stars. I hope you get the idea. I can’t wait to see the fabricated pillow!

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

Let Me Count the Ways

June 30, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Today’s post reflects current stitching and some work I’m doing with a customer. And they all involve larger squares.

I like to add borders to squares to have a finished edge, especially if they are surrounded by other squares. My most common border is a Satin Stitch over two rows around the outer edges. Depending on the size of the square, it could be three (or maybe more) rows wide. So that’s the easy part as far as I’m concerned. The challenge is how to fill the square center. An easy solution is a Scotch Stitch, but that isn’t always satisfying. (The Scotch Stitch is represented by the black lines in that link.)

Today’s post offers three different ideas for you. All of the stitches are from the Small Stitches chapter in my first book.

Click on image to see on whimsicalstitch.com's Pinterest account. Visit pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday for a library of all #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.

The stitched sample is one of Alice Peterson’s adorable gingham ornaments. Reverse Basketweave fills the center, offering a smooth and elegant touch to the squares. The pink squares are stitched with Petite Silk Lame (turquoise lines) and three plies of Splendor (black lines). The white squares are stitched with two plies of Mandarin Floss (turquoise lines) and Petite Silk Lame (black lines).

These squares are filled with Oblique Crosses and the fun comes in with the two thread colors for the Cross Stitches (yellow lines). The insides of these squares are stitched with Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines) and green and white Vineyard Silk (yellow lines). As you can see, the border is over three rows and I used Jessicas for the corners.

One of my long-time go-to stitches (Woven Hungarian) fills the squares above. It uses Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines) and Vineyard Silk (gray lines).

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

Sometimes the Canvas Tells You…

June 23, 2021 whimsicalstitch

…exactly what stitch to put in it. For example, adding pumpkins in the background of a witch canvas or adding olives in a background stitch for a martini glass. Or, as illustrated today, putting leaves in the background surrounding flowers.

My original plan was to integrate leaves into the column stitch I shared a few weeks ago. However, the border wasn’t tall enough to accommodate the long lines between the snowflakes (which would have been leaves in this version). I tested short lines between the leaves and it looked ridiculous. And here we are. To eliminate visible threads between the leaves, I recommend stitching each leaf independently, meaning start and end within every individual leaf. It’s a pain, but worth it, I promise.

The stitched sample is a single strand of DMC Floche on 18M. I considered doing random leaves but feared they would distract from the flowers in the background. (You can see a better picture of the background here.) My plan is to stitch all of the flowers on the border in Basketweave with silk floss and Petite Silk Lame.

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

Hope You Like Yellow

June 16, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch has a lot going for it. It’s easier than it looks, creates an unusual pattern and, speaking of a lot, has a lot of yellow. And I can’t stop looking at it.

It’s nothing more than a combination of straight and diagonal stitches creating a fascinating step/slide pattern. It’s far more dramatic than I anticipated it would be. The stitched sample is me playing with two plies of Floche (black lines) and Crystal Braid (turquoise lines) on 18M.

I strongly recommend using two different colors, two different finishes, or both as the distinct slide pattern created by the groups of four will get lost if you stitch it in a single thread. (I speak from, um, experience.) Adding the second thread makes all the difference in getting the pattern to pop.

I’m looking forward to using this for an area I want to draw attention to, such as a Santa coat (with Petite Very Velvet for the black lines and a strong Kreinik Metallic for the turquoise lines). It will also make a very interesting roof with two shades of silk floss.

That said, flip the stitch 90° and it almost becomes a different stitch. It looks like birds flying through the sky. This direction will make a great snow-covered sidewalk with two shades of Petite Silk Lame (white and the lightest of blues).

This version intrigues me and I’m looking forward to playing with variations of this direction. There’s something more here, I just know it. I look forward to sharing this with you in a future blog.

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

Blue Skies Ahead

June 9, 2021 whimsicalstitch

There are too many things to love about today’s stitch. It’s cute. It has personality yet allows other stitches to shine. And, it is a quick stitch. Win-win all the way around.

The stitch is a sky from the Stitch Guide I created for Pumpkin Village by Melissa Shirley. (Full disclosure: it is also known as Pumpkin Lane.) I used blue Elegance on 18-mesh. I included numbering in the left column of the stitch diagram to illustrate specific guidance on the snowflakes. Stitch the snowflakes (also known as eyelet stitches) from the outer edge to the shared center hole. This minimizes wear and tear on the thread. In addition, the lines connecting the snowflakes are nothing more than single darning stitches.

Skies and backgrounds are obvious choices for this stitch. I would love to see it stitched with a lightweight metallic, such as Petite Silk Lame or Kreinik, for a night sky. Alternate columns between a matte, such as Elegance, and a shiny metallic like Fyre Werks or Kreinik Braid, to draw more attention to your sky or background. The only thread I don’t recommend for this stitch is Flair, as it has a tendency to spread when used in longer stitches.

Feel free to adjust the length of the connectors as needed for your piece. The connectors are ten rows tall and the tiny snowflakes are four rows tall. The snowflakes are centered against the connector, so adjust the position of your snowflake(s) accordingly.

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

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