Still Wishing I Was Tall

March 7, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is something that has been flitting in and out of my Pinterest feed. It's an easy way to add height to any area and looks good to boot. Win win!

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 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. — 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 me playing with Kreinik 1/16" Ribbon and Gloriana Florimel (silk floss) that I had laying around to be put away. I'm happy I did it in an atypical color combo because it illustrates the tall drama of this otherwise unassuming stitch.

Frankly, the Cross Stitch accent is completely optional, so the stitch could also enhance any beautiful painting. This would be wonderful as a field of grass, on either the horizontal or vertical axis. Keeping the Cross Stitch intact, this would make an intriguing tree trunk. Any wool or cotton floss would work for the turquoise lines. Have fun with the Cross Stitch here. Use Rainbow LInen or Straw Silk, as thought-starters.

This tall symmetry of this stitch also lends itself for elegant architectural applications, such as the columns of a fireplace mantle, or a door. It would make a fantastic roof, especially on the horizontal axis.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 61 guides are currently available, with 13 new Stitch Concepts just added! 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!

It Sure Doesn't Look Small

March 4, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch packs a lot of interesting detail for a small stitch. And it's fantastic.

The stitched sample uses DMC Floss and Kreinik Metallic for a roof on a small house from a Melissa Shirley vintage Halloween village. The symmetry makes it a perfect roof stitch.

The stitched sample used the same thread (the black Kreinik) to fill the open 2X2 intersections. Using two different threads for those intersections, as the diagram illustrates, offers a bunch of fun ideas. Consider it for a small coat or dress with Soie D'Alger for the black lines, Entice or Kreinik for the gray lines, and Petite Silk Lame for the turquoise lines. Another idea is to combine Gloriana Lorikeet for the black lines, Straw Silk for the gray lines, and Vineyard Silk for the turquoise lines. One last thought is to replace the gray lines with a bead and this could make a great small water stitch. You can have a lot of fun with this.

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! Enjoy! Happy #smallspacesunday!

Weaving In and Out

February 28, 2018 whimsicalstitch

And here we are at the end of February and glorious Spring is almost here! In honor of the pending spring, I bring you a cute little woven stitch!

While this looks like a Tramme stitch, it uses a different sequence. Add the black lines first. When complete, and only when complete, start at an outer edge and weave the thread under the groups of vertical stitches, alternating between two separate horizontal rows of stitches.

For this example, start at the upper right corner. Weave the thread under the groups of stitches on the top row and the groups of stitches two rows BELOW. Return to the top row, take the needle under the next group of stitches, and return to the next group on the axis below. Repeat until you reach the end. When you get to the end, repeat this sequence in reverse. Start on the third row of groups of five stitches and weave UP to include the second row of stitches.

This stitch is quick and easy...seriously. I used a variation of this stitch for the back panel of a wicker chair. It was a perfect fit for the chair and maximized the beautiful shading behind the chair. Other ideas include a basket using Rainbow Linen or Lorikeet. It would make a great fence with wools. It would also make a really charming roof. The stitched sample uses Pepper Pot (aqua thread) and Gloriana Princess Perle (white thread). I urge you to use single strand threads, especially for the top threads, to avoid any snagging when weaving the second thread underneath.

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!

Blackwork...in Blue & Gold

February 21, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is another adventure down my favorite rabbit hole of pattern stitching (aka blackwork). This is a beautiful embroidery pattern I discovered on Pinterest and translated for needlepoint.

The stitched sample uses Gloriana Duchess Silk and Kreinik Metallics Medium Braid (#16). Let's talk about the sequence for a moment. Speaking from my vast experience stitching this stitch (okay...the stitched sample), I strongly recommend adding the pinwheels first (black lines on the diagram/blue lines on the stitched sample). Since the pinwheels fit into each other and are offset, there's no easy way to do this. I strongly recommend starting near the center and stitching outwards.

With the diagram nearby, use a simple backstitch to create the pinwheels. Drag the thread as needed to begin or connect new pinwheels. The stitch sequence will vary with each pinwheel, so be patient and pay close attention to the diagram. Try to stay one step ahead of a pinwheel, meaning always look for the pinwheel shape to guide your stitching. (I hope that will make sense as you stitch it.) Adding the large X's in the center will be so easy when you're done!

This stitch would be wonderful for so many areas. The first thing that pops into my head is what a wonderful floor it would make, using a silk or cotton perle in two different colors. It would make a wonderful coat with Very Velvet, Pepper Pot Silk, or Gloriana Duchess Silk and a rich Kreinik Metallic. Have fun with it. It's a really special 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!

Just How Open is Open?

February 18, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is a great variation of Reverse Basketweave. I recall when I was first encouraged to use this for a window on a small Halloween house. It makes me giggle to think about how nervous I was. I was convinced that it was too open to be a window. I was wrong.

As with most window stitches, I recommend a single strand metallic such as Petite Silk Lame (for 13-mesh) or Kreinik Metallics Very Fine Braid (#4) (for 18-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.

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

Ooh Tall La La!

February 14, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today's stitch is a whole lot easier than last week's...and much more pink. Somehow pink makes so many things better.

The stitch is a very straightforward Parisian Variation. Instead of the traditional over-4 and over-2 rows, I added height to it by changing the over-4 to over-6.

The stitched sample uses Rainbow Gallery Cashmere and Silk Lame.

This stitch would be great for any number of areas that you want to add a little something-something to, yet don't want to go nuts. The over-6 stitch adds height to this stitch, making it great for walls, tree trunks, pants, chimneys...all kinds of essential needlepoint-y things.

Don't overlook flipping it 90 degrees and stitching it on the horizontal axis. That would work really well for wide fields, sand, or distant mountains.

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!

Confession Time

February 7, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Today is a blog in two parts. First, I'm offering up a fun Scallop Stitch with four(!) different and fun options for filling. The second part spends a little extra time on one of the fillings.

The stitch is a scallop stitch over three rows. The topmost points of the scallops in subsequent rows are centered along the lowest point of the row above, creating small shell-shaped spaces in between the horizontal columns of scallops.

There are four ideas to fill the empty space (from top to bottom): Eyelet Stitch (turquoise lines on diagram, purple thread in diagram), Traditional Leaf Stitch (light gray lines on diagram, blue thread in diagram), Shell Stitch (yellow lines on diagram, white thread in diagram), Oblique Tied Stitch (aqua lines on diagram, purple thread in diagram). Feel free to mix and match the scallops and filling stitch to your heart's desire. The stitched sample uses Gloriana Florimell (yellow thread), Kreinik 1/16" ribbon, Kreinik Medium Braid (#16) (purple thread), and Gloriana Princess Perle (white thread).

Personally, I like the idea of the Eyelet or Oblique Tied Stitch as a single filling. Each offers a smidge of open work and lightness to the overall stitch. Conversely, I like the combination of the Traditional Leaf and Shell Stitch on alternating horizontal rows. They are very similar in shape (but not exactly the same!) and I like the alternating directions the two fillings offer. This is all a matter of personal taste! Mix and match to your delight.

Now it's time for my confession. This is the first time I've included an eyelet stitch on my blog. My confession is they make me nervous. Today, this changes.

Eyelet stitches are adorable and I appreciate what they can add to a piece, as the added element of a larger hole draws the eye in a unique way. And therein lies my fear...that the larger holes I create will not be identical sizes and chaos reigns. (I have enough chaos with my new kitten.)

Here's how I navigated this for the eyelet stitch above. A tapered laying tool is critical, as it provides more control over the size of the final hole.

Use a tapered laying tool as a guide for consistent eyelet hole sizes.  Final knotted ribbon on laying tool.  Just make sure it's tight! — Use a tapered laying tool as a guide for consistent eyelet hole sizes. Final knotted ribbon on laying tool. Just make sure it's tight!

Insert the laying tool in the hole from the front of the canvas and gently push it down until the hole is the desired size. Don't remove the laying tool yet. Tie a wide piece of a stash thread (e.g., silk ribbon) where the laying tool meets the canvas on the front, creating a guide for future holes.

Tie the thread tight, pull the laying tool out of the hole, and complete the knot by tying it again, making sure is tight. Move across the canvas, creating holes as needed. Revisit any outlier holes and repeat the process if required to make the hole larger. (I recommend silk ribbon because it is not a slippery thread and will, if tied tightly, stay still on the laying tool.)

Sometimes, you might make a hole a little too large (compared to other eyelet holes). To make that hole smaller, use the eye end of a size 22 needle to push the canvas threads back into place. Put the needle in the immediately adjacent hole, and gently push the needle against the canvas thread, helping nudge the thread back into place. You may need to do this on all four sides of the hole. It may take a couple pushes, so be patient. You can push them back and start over again or just push in a bit to get it to the desired size. Use your judgment.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 60 guides are currently available, with 12 new Stitch Concepts just added! 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!

Baby Leaves!

February 4, 2018 whimsicalstitch

I love finding new (to me) small stitches as it is always good to expand your repertoire beyond your traditional small stitches. I continue to be amazed at how many small space stitches are out there. Today's is especially cute!

I love a good leaf stitch and today's is a perfect one for a small space. It's offers generous coverage and is just plain cute.

The diagram is colored to offer clarity on the steps. Personally, I would stitch the diamonds first (dark gray lines) and add the leaves afterwards (light gray lines). As always, thread selection truly depends on the look you are going for.

Clearly, this stitch would make a great tree or shrub. A single overdyed floss or silk would be lovely (for the entire stitch). If the area has room for more personality, consider using two different shades of a single color. The stitched sample uses three plies of Soie D'Alger on 18-mesh. Adding one more ply certainly wouldn't hurt.

The diamonds around the small leaves extend its appeal beyond greenery. If this isn't going to be foliage, for goodness sake, have fun with dramatic color and finish combinations. Frankly, it would make an adorable coat or a floor covering. For the coat, I think a combo of Very Velvet plus a deep Kreinik Metallic or Entice would be gorgeous. For a lighter look, try silk perle (Rainbow Gallery Elegance or Subtlety, or Gloriana Princess Perle) for the diamond and a Petite Silk Lame for the inside.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 60 guides are currently available, with 12 new Stitch Concepts just added! 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! Enjoy!

Santa Came in January!

January 31, 2018 whimsicalstitch

With all the holidays this month, it was a so fun to receive an email giving me a gift. My new friend, Amy Poore, sent me today's stitch and stitched sample. It's adorable!

I've seen versions of this stitch around and really like what Amy did with it. It's a fun mix of diagonal and straight stitches, with some alternating directions thrown in for good measure.

Amy used a single color of Pepper Pot for this stitch as a background on one of her new pieces and it's adorable. I recommend stitching it in horizontal columns to keep the straight lines wrapped crisply around the edges. Don't obsess with dragging threads as needed as it is a pretty full coverage stitch. This stitch is great for anything you need to add texture and height to, such as pants, a chimney, a tree trunk...you get the idea.

I've seen versions of this on the horizontal and it's equally charming. It makes a great ground cover, open field, or even clouds.

Threads are dictated by the area of course. But, I do have a hankering to see this done with threads in two different finishes (one for the straight lines and one for the diagonal lines). I have seen this stitch as a ground cover in the combo of an overdyed and solid thread. It was gorgeous.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 60 guides are currently available, with 12 new Stitch Concepts just added! 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!

Christmas in January

January 24, 2018 whimsicalstitch

Come on, you knew today had to be Christmas, since we've celebrated almost every other fall holiday the past couple weeks.

Today's small stitch is a really cute darning stitch, a technique I love. Unlike most of my go-to darning stitches, this one is on the diagonal. And it's great. I need to do this more.

As a reminder, darning stitches are similar to running stitches, where you begin at one edge and weave your way up and down across to the opposite edge, whether that is on the horizontal, vertical or, like today, diagonal axis. Unlike traditional stitches with a crisp, wrapped edge, darning stitches are much smoother across their respective path.

Darning stitches are great for areas that you want to soften a bit, or want to have some of the beautiful painting show through. I (over)use darning stitches for floors and walls, skies, sand, or tree trunks, to name just a few. Today's stitch is illustrated as a background for Mile High Santa.

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 and stitch concepts for Melissa Shirley Designs, Zecca Designs, and Patience Brewster. 60 guides are currently available, with 12 new Stitch Concepts just added! 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!

#whimsicalwednesday blog