So Many Small Stitches, So Little Time

February 20, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s a fun #smallspacesunday. There’s a new stitch for you AND there are also several examples of previous #smallspacesundays. It’s a reunion!

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Today’s stitch is a wonderfully simple layered stitch. I love how the color and finish of the accent threads (top threads) change between vertical columns. It’s such a great way to bring attention to an otherwise forgettable area. The stitched sample is the red scarf on an adorable Christmas ornament with Vineyard Silk (gray lines) and a size 8 Kreinik (yellow lines) on 18M.

In addition to today’s stitch, the stitched sample on the far right includes Encroaching Gobelin (blue cap), Upright Crosses (green cap), Woven Hungarian (orange scarf), and Diamonds with Cross Stitches (red cap). This is an ornament I stitched a very long time ago, so the threads I’m about to offer are my best guesses. I used Bella Lusso or Designers Dream (no longer available) for the blue and red caps. I used DMC Floss for the green cap and orange scarf. Sundance Beads are also included on the orange scarp.

Back to today’s new stitch. I love layered stitches and love how this deceptively small one fits perfectly into the scarf area. I’ve used variations of this stitch for other short, wide areas such as the neck of a vase with two colors of Petite Silk Lame. The texture of Rainbow Linen is perfect for trees and roofs. For either of those applications, use the Rainbow LInen for the gray lines and Vineyard Silk for the yellow lines. I would flip the stitch 90° for a 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.

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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.

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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!

Looking Through a Keyhole

February 16, 2022 whimsicalstitch

I certainly went down a stitching rabbit hole last night. I love where I landed but it was certainly a circuitous route.

I discovered the general shape for the Diamond Keyholes stitch on Instagram. The stitched sample is me playing with two plies of Soie d’Alger on 18M. The stitch is larger than I anticipated, even on 18M. I love how the openness of the stitch lends itself to an interesting background that will do just that…stay in the background. I am already envisioning a variation with a couple of vertical rows in between the individual keyhole shapes for an even more subtle background (or wallpaper or floor).

Finding something to fill the keyholes was the very interesting journey I alluded to earlier. After a LOT of trial and error, I landed on a smaller keyhole (inside the larger keyhole) and NOT repeated in every keyhole.

I did not photograph every filling I tried because I wasn’t thrilled with the end results. Simply put, most of the attempts drowned out the larger keyhole, which is how I ended up with the smaller keyhole in select locations, allowing the larger outline shape to dominate. It was an interesting journey (for me), as I was confident it was going to be an easy shape to fill. Oops.

Either version will work well as a background or as architectural elements. I’m looking forward to using the filled version with two different color threads for a floor. If it’s a kitchen, the threads will be lightweight metallic, such as Petite Silk Lame. If it’s a hardwood floor in a hallway or dining room, I’ll use two shades of brown silk floss. For the top diagram, it will be a new go-to for backgrounds. I can’t wait to find that perfect piece where I can alternate colors between vertical columns. For some reason, I’ve got pink and white columns on my mind. That will be adorable. I love lightweight single strand threads for backgrounds, such as silk perle or perle cotton (e.g., Elegance or DMC size 8 perle cotton).

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.

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

What a Morning

February 9, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is more than just a really pretty stitch. It also represents where I suspect more than a few of us would like to be right now.

The stitched sample is the sky from a Cooper Oaks seaside scene and uses DMC Perle Cotton (black lines) and a Kreinik Metallic (on 18M). I love how skipping a row between the diamonds (yellow lines) creates more interest in the borders (black lines) and makes the diamonds closer together. I suspect you will be seeing that element in some future variations of this stitch. Visit here to see a similar diamond stitch to understand the context of what I’m describing in context. (TLDR: the link takes you to a diamond that skips three rows between the diamonds for a different look.)

This full-coverage stitch will also work very well for any number of architectural elements, such as floors, wallpaper, or roofs. I would love to stitch a floor in two different colors, even something as simple as black (black lines) and white (yellow lines) lightweight metallics, such as Petite Silk Lame. For a roof, I would use a matte thread, such as Vineyard Silk, for the yellow lines and a mild metallic (Glisten or Silk Lame) for the black lines.

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

Two-fer Part 2

February 6, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s post wraps up (see what I did there?) this past Wednesday’s post with another stitch from the same project and a full-ish reveal of the Santa.

Today’s stitch is a composite stitch that includes Rhodes squares (aqua lines) and Scotch squares (yellow lines) outlined with tent stitches and beads. Yum! It makes the perfect Santa Coat. The stitched sample is a cute Santa from Painted Pony Designs and uses red Shimmer Ribbon for the yellow lines and green Shimmer Ribbon for the black and aqua lines (on 18M). The beads (gray circles) are from Sundance Designs.

The stitch is colorful, cute, and easy. Clothing is an obvious choice for this stitch. It will also work for architectural elements, such as a roof, chimney, or exterior house wall with two hues of wool for the yellow and aqua lines combined with Rainbow LInen for the black lines. In this scenario, I would substitute a simple Cross Stitch for the bead.

Today’s stitch also reminds me of a blog post from the blog’s early days that discusses how to combine smaller stitches for larger areas. Scroll down the blog post to see a selection of 3X3 stitches and how they were mixed to create 9X9 squares. This link will take you to the stitched sample for one of the 3X3 mixes. Today’s stitch took this concept one step further by skipping a row in all directions between the 3X3 stitches. Have fun with the endless combinations!

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

Two-fer Part 1

February 2, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is the background from a cute little Santa stand-up one of my favorite stitchers is working on. Truth be told, Byzantine stitches are not top of mind for me but I always like them when I see them. Weird, huh?

Today’s stitch is a Tall Byzantine (three rows wide and nine rows tall). The stitched sample uses Pepper Pot Silk on 18M. (The two-fer is NOT the two diagrams. The two-fer is that other stitching on this project will be revealed on this upcoming Sunday as well as a full shot of the Santa.)

I’ve talked about Byzantines before and can offer a variety of earlier examples (here and here). One thing that stands out for me with today’s stitch is the height (obviously). I love how the long vertical columns accentuate the tall, narrow Santa (that you will see next Sunday). Yet, what I really love about this stitch is the horizontal version. Flip the diagram 90° and you have a fantastic water stitch, giving you the ebb and flow of a lake or ocean. It’s really fascinating how the two different directions offer completely different looks.

In addition to backgrounds, I love the tall version for clothing, such as pants or jackets, even a flapper’s dress. Single strand silks or silk floss are excellent choices for those. To jazz it up, consider alternating columns between two different threads (color, finish, or both). You can also fill the empty rows with tent stitches in a contrasting thread for a little more attention. I would love to see the flapper’s dress with silk floss and the empty rows filled with beads! The horizontal version works well for water with Kreinik Metallic or a Petite Silk Lame. It will also make a great ground cover with an overdyed floss or perle cotton.

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

Which Comes First?

January 26, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Do I start with a stitch idea or a stitched piece for the weekly blog? Well, truth be told, it’s both. The red background from a couple of weeks ago started with the seed of a stitch idea I had and today’s started with a small ornament I recently picked up from the finisher.

Today’s stitched sample, a vintage Melissa Shirley teapot ornament, uses Perle Cotton (black lines) and pink and white Kreinik (yellow and aqua lines). The white Kreinik is barely visible on the stitched samples, but I promise it’s there. The teapot bowl is stitched in a Brick Stitch (diagram here and another stitched sample is here) with DMC Floss or Splendor. (The leaves are double French Knots with overdyed silk ribbons and the flowers are spider roses with silk ribbons.)

I love how the openness of the Diamond Trellis helps the remainder of the full coverage stitching stand out. This stitch makes a great background (as illustrated). Other thread ideas for a background include silk floss (three plies for 18M and five plies for 13M) for the black lines and Silk Lame for the colored lines (Petite Silk Lame for 18M and Silk Lame 18M for 13M). I strongly recommend using a laying tool to keep the plies of floss untangled and flat. (And, for those of you who use your finger for this, you be you. If it keeps it untangled, go for it!) The laying tool (or finger) will make a meaningful difference, I promise.

This stitch will also make a very pretty piece of fabric, such as a sofa or a coat. I recommend two adjustments for this stitch as fabric. First, I would use a size 12 Kreinik for the black lines and a matte thread for the Upright Crosses, say a silk floss for the sofa or Vineyard Silk for the couch. On top of that, I would cover all of the intersections with the Upright Crosses (instead of just every other row). I love the hint of metallic under the silks. It’s an elegant twist on this stitch.

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

A Tale of Two Hats

January 19, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Today is a tale of two hats offering up a handful of cute small stitches that fit almost anywhere.

Let’s start with the first hat. It’s a small weave with pairs of stitches over three rows. It’s s mini version of this stitch. I love the tiny bit of texture it adds to the small hat, while playing nicely with (and not overwhelming) the even cuter double French Knots used for the pom pom and hat cuff. (The stitched sample is nothing more than Vineyard Silk on 18M.)

Next up is Hat #2. We’ve got more going on here and more color.

I’ve talked about my deep fondness for basketweave. I like making it “basketweave plus” by alternating threads with different colors or finishes or both. The red part of the cap is basketweave alternates between two rows of the same red Vineyard Silk (black lines) and one row of Shimmer Ribbon (turquoise lines). (My typical mix is alternating single rows of a matte thread and a metallic thread.)

The second stitch from the hat is a combination of two basic stitches, a Satin Stitch over two rows alternating with two rows of Plain Needlepoint. The stitched sample uses Neon Rays (black lines) and white Crystal Braid (yellow lines).None of these stitches are dramatic or terribly glamorous but they are great ways to balance the dramatic and glamorous stitches so they stand out even more. These stitches are simple, easy to stitch, and still have a little something something to make you smile.

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

Time for a Test Drive

January 12, 2022 whimsicalstitch

Working on new Stitch Concepts means new stitches for us. Today’s test drive started out as nothing more than a cute collection of vertical columns of narrow diamonds. And then…

…I added beads and fell in love with the stitch. The stitched sample is three plies of Mandarin Floss and a size 11 Sundance Bead on 18M. I used a larger bead than I typically would for 18M to make sure the bead wasn’t overlooked. I also pivoted from the obvious choice of a red bead and used yellow so the bead would stand out even more. I have no regrets.

Feel free to replace the bead with a single vertical stitch over two rows in a thread with contrasting color or finish or both. You could also add an Upright Cross in the intersection to add a little texture.

I’m looking forward to using this stitch for clothing, especially clothing that I need to add height to, such as pants or coats. I would add the Upright Cross I mentioned earlier for pants but would definitely use the beads for the coat. Threads under consideration for the pants are Burmilana (black lines) and Silk Lame (for the Upright Crosses). The coat needs a beautiful silk (floss or single strand) with an elegant contrasting bead.

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

There Will Be Counting

January 5, 2022 whimsicalstitch

And it will be worth it. The end result is a beautiful lattice that is the perfect background for a large basketweave project.

Today’s stitch was inspired by a Two Sisters mini shift. I called up Don Lynch (who manages Two Sisters) and asked him for the proper name of the pattern. After he stopped laughing, he said, “it’s counting out a lattice to fit within a mini shift.” And, voila, we have a name. (I own the fact I make up many stitch names out of whole cloth, but I do try to find out if there is a proper name. And, my favorite stitch names are exactly like today’s….made up out of whole cloth BUT with a good story behind it.)

As the title states, there is a lot of counting. Sometimes, I stitched a full diamond or hexagon and then added subsequent shapes from there. Other times, I would follow a diagonal path (three rows wide) for a while and then add the offshoots. It depended on my mood and attention span at the time. I also found it helpful to identify counts of shapes and between shapes to keep me on track. For example, the outside edge of the long sides of the hexagons are nine rows long. Another important count for me was the three rows in between the lower corners of a horizontal hexagon and the upper corners of nearby vertical hexagons. Those are what worked for me. You may find your own counts or use mine. As you can see by the photo on the far right, I certainly think it was worth the effort.

The stitched sample is five plies of Splendor on 13M. The resulting size of this stitch on canvas surprised me, but I absolutely love it. It is the perfect background to offset the basketweave used on the remainder of the project.

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

Let it Be

December 22, 2021 whimsicalstitch

Today’s small…no, tiny…stitch comes from exactly how the canvas is painted. But you can do this anywhere, I promise.

Today’s stitch is a dashing stitch literally inspired by Joanna’s painting. In other words, Joanna painted little snowflakes with four simple stitches with an empty intersection in the center. All I did was add Cross Stitches over the four gold points AND add a 3mm pearl in the center. Voila! I may have followed Joanna’s painting but you can add little snowflakes like this to any piece you’d like.

As you may see on the stitched sample on the far right, there is some visible thread between some of the snowflakes. It shows up more in the photograph than in real life. But, I know this will drive some people nuts, so it was the perfect chance for me to share an alternative sequencing for Cross Stitches. It is illustrated in the diagram on the far left. Add all of the bottom stitches (of the Cross Stitch) FIRST, and then return over each of them in the opposite direction. This offers you more real estate behind the canvas to bury threads under those stitches. Admittedly, it’s not a lot of real estate, so I' recommend burying the thread a couple times. Proceed to the next area and begin anew.

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

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