Stash Threads for the Win

May 25, 2022 whimsicalstitch

It was a circuitous journey to arrive at today’s stitch, but I think it was worth it. And I learned a lot along the way.

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The stitched sample is me playing with Splendor (5-ply) and Flair (black lines), Kreinik Japan Thread #5 (yellow lines), and Fyre Werks (aqua lines) on 13M.

Splendor and Flair is not a typo. Most of my stitch and thread choices involve the use of a matte thread for the primary thread with metallic accent(s). I realized that the original Splendor choice needed something more to help with coverage and I really didn’t want to add more plies. The solution was to add a layer of Flair on top of the Splendor to gain the final coverage (in both directions) I was looking for. Flair is so good for this because it can lay flat and, more importantly, spread a little for the perfect poof of coverage. Having Kreinik Japan Thread in my stash was the chef’s kiss for this stitch because it had the structure needed for the diamond trellis. (Stitching this sample took way too long, but it was so worth it.)

I’m looking forward to using versions of this stitch for a fence with wools and possibly more Japan Thread. It will also make a beautiful bedspread with Alpaca (black lines), a Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines), and Flair (aqua lines). Substituting an oversize bead or small pearl for the Upright Cross is a fun variation to consider for clothing or purse, along with silk floss for the black lines and a Petite Silk Lame for the yellow lines.

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 is a series of three books offering contemporary how-to collections of more than 250 stitches (in each volume) for all stitchers, regardless of skill level. All books include updated and sequenced diagrams from this blog plus a collection of all-new stitches from private lessons and other class projects. All three books include chapters on Balanced, Diagonal, Layered, Oblique, Small, and Straight stitches. Volume 1 also includes a chapter on Borders. Volume 2 includes a chapter on Beading, and Volume 3 includes a chapter on Tent Pattern Stitches. Any or all are a great enhancement to your stitch library. Visit here to find a needlepoint retailer that carries my books.

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!

Such a Lovely Mistake

May 11, 2022 whimsicalstitch

This week’s stitch is a lovely mistake. I mapped out one of my traditional “double” diamonds. The customer added an extra row between what was supposed to be a pair of stitches, I added a bead and an X, and here we are. Teamwork!

For the stitched sample, I played with two plies of Soie (black lines), Petite Silk Lame (aqua lines), and a Sundance size 11 bead on a Zecca backgammon board (18M). (Full disclosure: this is me playing. If I go with this stitch for the backgammon board, I will eliminate the bead.)

The accent can be the X, the bead, or both. It really depends on how much attention you want to draw to the area. The original version of this used only a bead with a single ply of Gloriana for the diamonds for a sky (on 18M). Using this for clothing with Vineyard Silk (black lines) and Silk lame (aqua lines) would be a dramatic example of the other end of the spectrum. I’m looking forward to using this for an dress on an upcoming project with three plies of silk floss (black lines), Fyre Werks, and a bead.

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.

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

Skipping Along

May 4, 2022 whimsicalstitch

My love of diamond shapes in my stitches is well documented. My love of Alternating Skip Tent has equal documentation. Imagine my joy when today’s stitch merged the two!

The stitched sample is the background on a soon-to-be-released guide for the Wool & Willow/Blue Ridge Stitchery London series. It uses three plies of Needlepoint Inc. Silk (yellow lines) and Petite Silk Lame (black lines).

The stitch is a fun way to add two colors to a small-ish area or an area where you want some interest without overwhelming the remainder of the piece. A stitching friend of mine is going to be using this stitch for a white background on a colorful piece. She’s working with a metallic thread matching one of the bright colors from the main area for the yellow lines in the diagram and filling in the remainder with white stitches. This stitch will make a really cute two-color floor with a tan matte for the yellow lines and a light blue matte for the black lines.

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

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.

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.

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

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!

Charlie Brown

February 23, 2022 whimsicalstitch

I suspect the proper name for this stitch would include chevrons, bargello, stripes, or some combination thereof. However, I took one look at the stitched sample and instantly saw Charlie Brown’s shirt.

I was inspired by an oblique diamond background (created by straight stitches over four rows). I took the top half of that pattern, added two rows on either side, and ended up with these adorable stripes. The stitched sample is me playing with three plies of Mandarin Floss (black lines) and Fyre Werks (aqua lines). The drama of this stitch is undeniable, even with the open areas between the stripes.

This stitch will make fantastic clothing, especially a large Santa coat or dress you want to draw attention to. For the coat, I would use Vineyard Silk or Pepper Pot Silk for the black lines and a Silk Lame for the aqua lines. For a dress, I would like to find a silk floss for the black lines and a Flair for the aqua lines. I love the lightness of Flair, despite its persnickety nature. (Hint: The second I see the short end starting to fray, I snip the errant strand and carry on.) I would also consider using the Flair for the black lines with the silk floss as the accent stitches. I love dramatic stitches like this one for the stars of Melissa Shirley’s fruit or pumpkin pieces. To add even more drama to those, consider replacing the stitches over two rows with a bead centered over two rows.

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

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