Shocking!

April 20, 2022 whimsicalstitch

As I was stitching away on a cute skirt on a project from my personal stash, a little voice was nagging at me. Much to my surprise, the voice was whispering, “Use a full coverage stitch there.” The voice was right.

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.

To add to my surprise, I chose to do a variation of an Or Nue. Perhaps it is not your typical clothing stitch, but it really helped balance the open background on the canvas all the while not clashing with other decorative stitches on the piece. Win, win. The stitched sample uses size 16 Kreinik for the base threads (black lines) and Splendor for the stitches on top (aqua lines) on 13M.

I talk at length about Or Nue here. I encourage you to read the post as it offers additional insight and, more importantly, two other (more traditional) ideas for Or Nue.

The version I am sharing today simply skips a row between the top stitches (aqua lines). It almost looks like a weave. The diagram includes a sequencing path at the top, separate from the entire diagram. The path is all numbers, despite the fact it uses two threads. This is because it is very important to complete an entire row with both threads before you proceed to the next row.

To begin, add your base thread from edge to edge on a single row (black line, steps 1-2). The base thread rests in the ditch between two canvas threads. Park the first thread on the side and bring your second needle up from a hole under the first thread and return the needle one row up, gently pulling the base thread on top of the canvas thread above the ditch. Repeat this step across the row. When you get to the end with the second thread, park it to the side and return to your first thread. Add your next base thread from edge to edge and cover with the second thread.

I am really pleased with this version of Or Nue for clothing. It could also make a very interesting tree trunk, of all things, with two shades of Vineyard Silk, Rainbow Linen, or Straw Silk. It will make a pretty rug or bedspread with two different shades of threads, say pink and green.

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, 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!

King (or Queen) of the Land

April 12, 2022 whimsicalstitch

A snazzy argyle stitch is one of the ways to be the king (or queen) of all the pumpkins. Today’s stitch is a charming way to dress up an area with some simple stitches assembled in a creative way, courtesy of the Needlepointer in Edmonds, WA.

The stitched sample is Mandarin Floss (black lines), size 12 Kreinik (yellow lines), and Petite Silk Lame (aqua lines) on an adorable funky pumpkin by Eye Candy. This pumpkin is part of a club being hosted by the Needlepointer. It’s an adorable set of canvases with some cute stitch guides written by Linda Wimer.

This stitch is going to make the cutest sweater ever with three colors of Bella Lusso for a traditional sweater or a single color of Bella Lusso (black lines) with two shades of Silk Lame (yellow and aqua lines). And, obviously, this makes a great stitch for pumpkins or whimsical bears. Wouldn’t a bear (or elephant, pig, rooster…you get the idea) be the king or queen of the land with an argyle coat? Too cute. Select the appropriate matte, whether that is Very Velvet, Pepper Pot Silk, or a favorite wool, and have fun with the single stitches with metallics.

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

The Village Steps in Again

April 6, 2022 whimsicalstitch

It is always fun to visit stores outside my home base of California and see what fun they are having with stitches. Today’s stitch comes to us from a lovely stitcher in Texas who played with some stitches and came up with an adorable stitch that I think is the cat’s meow!

The stitched sample is a single strand of Impressions (black lines) and a size 8 Kreinik (yellow lines) on an adorable Melissa Prince canvas (18M). The end result is a really cute smallish stitch that adds a lot of interest to the piece, without overwhelming it.

I’m looking forward to using this stitch for trees with Vineyard Silk (yellow lines) and a darker shade of Vineyard Silk or a Silk Lame 18 for the black lines. It will also work well for flowers with ThreadWorx metallic for the yellow lines and a solid silk floss for the black lines.

The only variation that pops into my head is to add a single seed bead or pearl in the single intersection in the center of where four diagonal lines meet (in between the oblique layered crosses).

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

Beware of the Technical Terms

March 30, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is a classic embroidery stitch that works so well in needlepoint. The Lazy Daisy is an easy stitch that adds charm and interest to your projects.

Creating a Lazy Daisy is super easy. Come up at 1 and return your needle through the same hole, leaving a small-ish loop (plus some extra thread) on top of the canvas. Bring your needle up two or so holes away and catch the loop with your needle. Continue pulling on the thread until you create a small loop on top of the canvas, returning the thread one hole away to attach the loop to the canvas.

Here is where the technical terms come in. I prefer more oval loops, so I will use my needle to play with the aforementioned extra thread to scooch, finagle, or wrangle the loop into my desired shape before I tack it down.

Lazy daisy coverage can be tricky. Sometimes, if you pack every single inch of an area with lazy daisies, the effect can be…a lot. One of my favorite stitchers shared her solution with me. She adds a layer of Plain Needlepoint on the area before she adds any Lazy Daisies, as illustrated by the second diagram and the stitched sample. The end result is a lovely compromise where you can see individual lazy daisies along with a full coverage look. I love how this works out!

The stitched sample is my friend’s adorable Melissa Shirley angel ornament with DMC Floss (turquoise lines) and ThreadWorx Floss (black lines).

Fun fact. Lazy daisies make fantastic flower petals.

Click image to see #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday **Stitched Sample Gallery** on Instagram. (Note: swipe left to see this image in carousel of photos from this blog post.)

Super easy. The stitched sample is River Silks 7mm ribbon (black lines) with Kreinik (yellow lines) on 18M. Generally speaking, I recommend stitching the Smyrna Cross center first. When I stitched the stitched sample (eons ago), I don’t recall having issues with the silk ribbon versus the Kreinik. However, I would still advise patience and caution with that thread mix.

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

More Smiles

March 16, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is fun, easy, and cute. It doesn’t get much better than that.

The stitched sample is me playing with three plies of Soie d’Alger (black lines) and Flair (yellow lines) on a little skirt (on 13M). To minimize visible threads between the rectangles (in all directions), I added the rectangles starting at the upper left, moving diagonally down towards the lower right. The X’s covered any visible threads between the rectangles in that path. I followed a similar path for the X’s, burying my thread in and behind the pre-existing rectangles to get to the next open space (as needed).

I created this stitch for a background on an upcoming Stitch Concept. I wanted something interesting but nothing too dramatic as the background is behind some lettering. This will add interest and will also be very easy to compensate around the letters. Since I want to keep it really simple, I’ll most likely recommend a single strand matte (such as DMC Perle Cotton, Rainbow Gallery’s Elegance, or a single strand of Impressions) for the black lines and Neon Rays for the yellow lines. (I want to keep the background as flat as possible.)

As with a lot of my stitches here of late, it’s another great all-purpose stitch. I’m looking forward to using Vineyard Silk for the black lines and a Silk Lame for the yellow lines for more substantial clothing, such as a jacket or a pair of slacks.

You can replace the “X” with any of your favorite 2X2 stitches. Also consider replacing the X with four single beads for a glammed-up look, say for a dress or a vase. One other consideration is to fill in the remaining open rectangles at the top, bottom, and sides with smaller Cashmere stitches to fit with either a contrasting metallic (red would be adorable above) or a second blue metallic.

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.

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

Thanks for the Memories

March 9, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch comes to us straight from…iPhone photo memories. A stitching friend shared this stitch with me, um, years ago and I kinda forgot about it. Shame on me.

It’s a really cute…and interesting…layered stitch creating diamond blocks of sorts. The stitched sample is me playing with size 12 Kreinik (black lines) and Elegance (gray lines) on a cute little skirt.

I’m looking forward to using this stitch on a variety of architectural elements, such as a chimney or a roof with a matte single strand thread, such as Elegance or DMC Perle Cotton, and the matching Splendor or DMC Floss on top (gray lines). I also want to flip the diagram 90° and use it for a medium-size body of water with two shades of Petite Silk Lame or size 8 Kreinik. The stitch, as presented, will work well to accentuate anything tall, such as pants or jackets. Using threads with contrasting colors or finishes (or both) will add even more interest to this stitch.

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

Moo!

December 15, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Today’s ornament is from the way back machine, aka my early days of decorative stitching. It’s always a good feeling when ornaments from that time still make me smile. And who doesn’t smile at a cow with a red ribbon and a bell around her neck?

My best guess on the threads is Neon Rays (black lines) and Flair (yellow lines) on 18M. (UPDATE: The canvas is from the Susan Roberts Collection. It is not listed on the Susan Roberts website, so my guess is it has been discontinued. For those who want to see if they can find it through private resale, it is called Holstein Black and White Cow Roll up by Liz.)

I’ve shared some Byzantine stitches with you before. Today’s example is very close to one from the earliest days of my blog. The black lines are over two rows in the earlier version. The black lines in today’s version are over three rows, putting more emphasis on that thread and downplaying the yellow lines. And that may be something you want to do for a cute coat, Christmas tree, or animal you are stitching.

As an example, I would use a lightweight matte, such as 2-3 plies of Soie D’Alger, on 18M with a size 8 Kreinik for the yellow lines for clothing. For a Christmas tree, overdyed silk or cotton floss is a great choice for the black lines and a Kreinik Metalic (yellow lines) will add a lovely sparkle. Burmilana or Bella Lusso wool (black lines) are great standards for animals. (Well, except for Christmas cows.) I recommend a mild matte for the yellow lines, such as Petite Silk Lame, or a second color of Burmilana or Bella Lusso (in a slightly darker hue).

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!

Let There Be Light

December 8, 2021 whimsicalstitch

It took my glasses, the iPhone magnifier feature, a window, and turning up the lights in my office to decipher this stitch from my earliest days of decorative stitches. I can tell this is from long ago because it is about as full coverage as a full coverage stitch can be.

My best guess on the threads is Splendor (black lines), Neon Rays (yellow lines), and a size 8 Kreinik (aqua lines) on 18M. The column of tent stitches down the center, underneath the beard, indicate where two edges of the front of the coat meet. As you can see, I used a slightly darker color to make it stand out and compensated the stitch so it matched on both sides.

As much as I love open stitches, I’m kinda thrilled I stumbled across this stitch and am looking forward to using it in an upcoming project. It will make beautiful clothing, as illustrated above. It will also make a beautiful tree that you would like to draw attention to. I would use a solid wool thread such as Bella Lusso for the black lines. Ideas for the two accent threads include Petite Silk Lame (aqua lines) and an overdyed wool for the yellow lines. If you want to simplify it a little, consider changing the yellow diagonal lines over three rows to match the black lines. In addition, consider using a single metallic thread for the Upright Tied Crosses in the open areas.

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

It's an Ornamental Time of Year

December 1, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Happy ornament season! While many of us hang ornaments year round, there’s something special about winter holiday ornaments. My plan for December is to share some new and old ornaments hanging on my office Christmas tree*. None of the new stitches are especially glamorous but they are great for small projects and, dare I say, ornaments in particular? And, yes, we are starting with a frog.

* By office tree, I mean my 4.5’ faux tree that Hank has already tried to climb. (And for those who don’t follow me on Instagram, Hank is my cat who also serves as the Office Manager…who doesn’t do much Office Manager-ing.)

The stitched sample is, well, a Christmas Frog. Duh. It uses two strands of Floche (black lines) and size 12 Kreinik (yellow lines) on 18M. (Full disclosure: those threads are my best guesses as this ornament is what one might call vintage stitching.)

I’ve seen this stitch pop up a lot recently in my needlepoint feeds on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, so I was thrilled to unpack this gem recently. It’s the perfect balance of thread combos and is a great universal stitch for clothing, architectural stitches, or flower petals (as thought starters). I look forward to using a Bella Lusso wool (black lines) and a Silk Lame (yellow lines) for a fall sweater. It would make a pretty chimney with Vineyard Silk (black lines) and a second color of Vineyard Silk (yellow lines) for a chimney. I would go to the other end of the finish spectrum for flower petals with a delicate overdyed metallic for the black lines and a solid contrasting metallic (yellow lines) for a flower petal.

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

Max

November 17, 2021 whimsicalstitch

When one gets THE call that finishing is in and that finishing is Christmas ornaments, it does not matter that Thanksgiving hasn’t arrived yet. You whip out the faux tree and fill it with Christmas ornaments. What makes it even better is one of the ornaments had a great background I could share with you!

Click image and keep swiping to see the needlepoint version of the king and then Sir Max of Legallet himself.

Today’s stitched sample (center photo) is a cute little cat ornament honoring my never-ending love for orange cats. It’s from so long ago I don’t even remember stitching it, so I’m going to give you my best guesses on the threads. The background is stitched with two plies of Impressions (black lines) and Flair (yellow lines). This is clearly from my “no naked canvas” years, so I’m guessing the late 90’s. (The cat is stitched with a single strand wool of the day, probably Appleton.) The current orange king of the household is Max, so here we are honoring Sir Max of Legallet (one of my vet’s many nicknames for him).

I’m thrilled to discover this overtly diagonal stitch because they are not my go-to stitches. As you can see, it makes a great background. It will also work well for a rug or bedspread with a single strand silk such as Pepper Pot Silk or Vineyard Silk (black lines) and a mild metallic such as Silk Lame (yellow lines). It will also be a very pretty coat or skirt with a silk floss and a size 8 Kreinik. It will also work well for slightly rough water with two shades of metallics, such as Petite Silk Lame or Kreiniks.

I’m going to play with it for a future project by leaving a single empty row between the yellow and black blocks to see what that adds to the equation. I suspect that could make a pretty hillside or field. And, if it doesn’t work, I will fill those empty rows with tent stitches for an even more elegant version of today’s stitch.

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

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