Dot Dot Dot

Yes, the title is dot, dot, dot.  As in Dotted Swiss.

As you know, I am a huge advocate of Plain Needlepoint in every piece.  It provides balance and a place for the eye to rest.  The stitched sample for this stitch is a perfect example of this philosophy.  It's Melissa Shirley's Vintage Pears with a stitch guide by Beverly Churchfield.  The pears are gorgeous.  If you want to do an exquisite version of that canvas, I strongly encourage you to get Bev's stitch guide.

The background is a Dotted Swiss variation to allow the pears to shine as they are truly extraordinary.  That said, I did add a little sparkle to the background as well.

I used DMC Floss and Crystal Braid with similar color values.  And I love it. 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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available, including the newest Tea by the Sea, and more are in the pipeline.

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

A Tramme TBT

Today's TBT is the Tramme Stitch.  

The diagram for this stitch, along with 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 for Melissa Shirley Designs and Zecca Designs.  28 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

More Beads!

Snow stitches beg for beads.  Today's stitch finds its inspiration in earlier posts.  While I wholeheartedly recommend the Baby Bling stitch or Chopsticks (with beads) for snow, let's change the shape of the stitch in between the beads this week.

I present Beads with Diamonds.  

This is an open stitch that is perfect for the wonderful snow shading.  The light blue or gray shading will show through beautifully with this stitch.  Consider using a clear bead, such as Sundance Beads color 131, for the accent.  Frankly, I would use a light sheen Metallic, such as Flair, Frosty Rays, or Crystal Braid, for the diamond itself.

I'm including a couple of variations to (hopefully) inspire you.  The first adds an Upright Cross stitch to the center of the diamond.  I strongly recommend using two different metallics, one for the Upright Cross and one for the Diamond.  

The last variation leaves the center clear but fills in the diagonal stitch between the diamonds.

Beads with Diamonds Variation 2.jpg

It's all a matter of taste.  And your taste is perfect.  

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, want to learn some very creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  27 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

Santa's Landing Pad

This stitch is unique, to say the least.  And I love it.  I've used it for a blouse and a piece of fruit.  Yes, random areas but the proportions were perfect.  It also makes a perfect snow covered roof.  

When using this stitch for a roof, I strongly recommend a well-defined thread that keeps its shape, such as a Kreinik Metallic, for the dark gray line.  If you want a little less bling on your roof, I recommend a lightweight Silk Pearl (Elegance, Grandeur, or Gloriana Princess Pearl) for the dark gray line.  For the light gray line, Flair or Crystal Braid have the perfect amount of flexibility to cover the area without overwhelming it.  The final touch is the bead between the rectangles.  A clear, white, or clear opal bead would be perfect.  Consider using light blue beading thread for the bead to add a unique smidge of color.

The two stitch samples are from the obscure objects I mentioned earlier.  The first is from a blouse on a Melissa Shirley Indian Girl. The second is from a pear on Melissa Shirley's Vintage Pears...also known as my cat's favorite napping spot.

 Changing directions on this stitch is especially impactful.  This stitch on the vertical is perfect for a tall, slender area.

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, want to learn some very creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  27 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

X's and O's

I love stitching snow.  The variety of stitches we can use are virtually limitless.  I can't think of a needlepoint artist who doesn't add some sort of secondary color, whether it is gray or blue, to add depth and nuance to the snow.

And those additional colors are exactly why I favor open stitches.  The shading is so beautiful and subtle I don't want to cover it up.  Today's stitch honors that objective and is for a snowman you want to stand out.

Add the base threads (gray lines) first, and follow up with the accent threads (green and yellow lines).  

With most tramme stitches I previously shared with you on this site, I used a matte thread for the base (typically Very Velvet or a heavy Pearl Cotton).  On the stitched sample on Instagram for this stitch, I used all shiny threads.  The base thread is Petite Sparkle Rays.  The green accent thread is Crystal Braid and the yellow accent thread is Shimmer Ribbon.  

When using threads with the same finish, take a moment to make sure they are distinguishable from each other.  As an example, Neon Ray would not work with either Neon Rays + or Shimmer Ribbon as the finishes are too similar.  If you are using contrasting colors, have fun with the colors!  Finish matters less in that scenario.

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 for Melissa Shirley and Zecca Designs.  27 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!

It's a Cluster

But in the best possible way.

Today's stitch is another base pattern from Ann Strite Kurz's book, "The Potpourri of Pattern" by Ann Strite Kurz.  The base pattern begins with a Hungarian stitch, or over 2-3-2 rows.  You may recognize the sequence from the more well known Criss Cross or Woven Hungarian stitch.

As with the Explosion stitch of last week, the fun begins with what stitch to put in the intersection.  Five 2X2 alternatives are provided.  Yet, if you want to fill more space with dramatic effect, I suggest either of the larger crosses at the bottom of the image.  Both fit in the exact center.  For both over four alternatives, the yellow cross on top would be exactly where the yellow alternating tent stitches are in the main diagram.  That will help you visualize the position of the gray lines.

This would make a fantastic background for a seasonal piece, whether it is Halloween, Christmas, or Spring.  You can select colors from the main area of interest from the canvas to bring it all together.  It also works well in a sampler.

On a separate but related subject, I would love to receive feedback on whimsicalstitch.com.  Please visit this link to fill out a short survey.  Thank you!

My preferred thread combination is matte threads, such as Pepper Pot Silk or DMC Pearl for the clusters and a contrasting metallic for the yellow centers.  The stitched sample on Instagram is a tone on tone version of this stitch, using a Smyrna Cross in the intersections.

This stitch diagram, along with other #whimsicalwednesday and #smallspacesunday stitch diagrams, can also be found on www.pinterest.com/whimsicalstitch/whimsicalwednesday.  

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 for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  22 guides are currently available and more are in the pipeline.

Enjoy!