Seek and Ye Shall Find

February 12, 2020 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch comes from my stash of unfinished needlepoint. I love this stitch and I love this piece and…I have no clue if and when I’m going to finish it. While that’s not a perfect trifecta, I am thrilled I have this stitch to share with you.

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.

The stitch is vertical columns of diamonds with DMC Perle Cotton #8 (black lines) and Flair (gray lines) covered with size 8 Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines) on 18-mesh. I used it for a background on a grid of a variety of fruit. I love integrating splashes of color into solid colored backgrounds. It is such an easy way to tie an entire piece together.

This stitch will make great clothing. Imagine it as a cute skirt with Soie D’Alger (black lines) and Entice (gray lines) covered with Flair (yellow lines). Alternatively, use it for pants with a Petite Very Velvet (black lines) and Fyre Werks (gray lines) covered with Silk Lame (yellow lines). It would also be perfect for a tall narrow vase with Petite Silk Lame (black lines) and Elegance (gray lines) covered with a lightweight Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines).

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 has a book for you! Mary’s Whimsical Stitches 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. For more information, visit here.

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!

Cold Weather Requires Full Coverage

January 15, 2020 whimsicalstitch

It’s a bleak 30-45 seconds between waking up and getting the heat turned on these days, even here in So. Cal. So I think I need to extend my streak of full coverage stitches so I can get warm over here.

This is an oldie but goodie and from long before #whimsicalwednesday was a twinkle in my eye. This is so from so long ago, hashtags were still pound signs. And for those of you with a keen eye, Santa is NOT flying. He is part of a tree skirt from our friend Melissa Shirley. Since I stitched the background in same stitch in every panel, some of the Santas look wonky if you don’t look at them as part of the whole skirt. (And I would do it that way all over again.)

The stitched sample uses Very Velvet (black lines), Frosty Rays (yellow lines), size 8 Kreinik Metallic (gray lines), and size 16 Kreinik Metallic (turquoise lines) on 13-mesh. Clearly, it’s a great stitch for clothing. You can lighten it up with silk floss (black lines), Flair (yellow lines), Petite Silk Lame (gray lines), and a Kreinik Metallic (turquoise lines) for trees or a roof. I love the diagonal stitch across the top of the smaller Scotch squares. I think that is a really elegant touch. The stitch sequence is black lines followed by yellow lines. Cover the yellow lines with the gray line and cover the gray lines with the turquoise lines. Someday I would like to see a bead for the turquoise lines. I think that would be a darling doll dress.

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, 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!

Best Laid Plans

November 13, 2019 whimsicalstitch

I thought this morning’s blog would literally write itself. The diagram was complete…the photo of the stitched sample existed…so, it’s done, right? Do I need to tell you that this was not the stitch diagram and photo I was anticipating I would be sharing with you? Even so, it’s still kinda cute!

The stitched sample is a pear from a vintage Melissa Shirley fruit piece (as part of the pinnacle of my fruit pillow years). It uses DMC Perle Cotton (black lines), and two Kreinik Metallics (gray lines and yellow lines).

Eyelet stitches are beautiful but do require a smidgen of pre-planning. As you can see in the stitched sample above, the stitches creating an eyelet share a single and larger center hole. The larger hole was created before the stitching began by inserting a tapered laying tool inside this hole and gently pushing it to create a slightly larger hole. Truth be told, this terrified me and I always found someone to do it for me…or wouldn’t do eyelet stitches at all. I got over it when I realized, to create similarly sized holes, you could put a small tick or tiny rubber band (ask your kid’s orthodontist for some) on the laying tool to indicate what point to not pass.

The second point to keep in mind is, with any hole that multiple (more than 2-3) stitches share, always stitch from the outer edge to the inside shared hole. This minimizes friction on the thread inside the shared hole. (Also, fun fact for you. Eyelet holes don’t have to be in the center!)

This is a great all-purpose stitch for an area that you want to draw attention to and highlight the canvas painting. It’s great for clothing, water, Santa’s bags…even a floor. More substantial threads will draw even more attention to this stitch. For example, consider the combination of a single strand silk (Vineyard Silk, Pepper Pot Silk) for the black lines, Fyre Werks for the gray lines, and Silk Lame for the yellow lines for a clothing or bag stitch. Another idea is to replace the Smyrna Cross (yellow lines) with a single larger bead (size 8 or even a 3mm pearl) over two holes on the vertical 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.

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

BOO!

October 23, 2019 whimsicalstitch

And a very happy early Halloween to you! Today celebrates one of my favorite needlepoint holidays with two darling stitches from an adorable Mary Lake Thompson stand up (from Melissa Shirley).

Allow me to address what seemed odd to me as I mapped out the diagram. The orange columns are four rows wide and the white columns are five rows wide. It seems like an unusual purposeful choice for a stitch pattern, which leads me to believe it was painted that way. I can’t confirm or deny this as the canvas isn’t listed on Melissa’s site. BUT, this now becomes a great lesson in crafting a stitch pattern to fit how something is painted. You can adjust the squares or the long columns of white tramme to fit whatever width you need. (Reason #257 why I love Tramme stitches.)

The stitched sample for the background uses orange Fyre Werks, lime green size 12 Kreinik braid, white DMC Perle Cotton, and (because there clearly was not enough metallic), YLI Shimmer Ribbon on top of the Perle Cotton. The pumpkin uses a single strand of Impressions, tied down with another Kreinik metallic. It’s bright, it’s shiny, and it’s PERFECT for Halloween.

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.

IIf 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, 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, the 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!

Hello October

October 2, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is a very, very close cousin of a stitch I discussed in July. It’s a good example of how the direction and heavier threads make a substantial difference in very similar stitches.

The stitched sample is from the very burly chest of one of the Beach Boys, a recently added Stitch Concept. It uses all white threads, specifically Kreinik Medium Braid (#16) (gray lines), Petite Sparkle Rays (aqua lines), and Flair (black lines) on 18-mesh. I really enjoy Flair’s unique ability to absorb whatever color is painted underneath it, so the beautiful shading shows through. The larger Kreinik braid provides puffiness to each of the beetles on top of it.

Flip this stitch 90° for a choppy water, using a Kreinik Tapestry Braid (#12), Flair, and Petite Silk Lame. It will make beautiful clothing with a rich Petite Very Velvet (gray lines), Silk Lame (aqua lines), and a Kreinik Braid (#12 or #16) (black lines). For a smoother look on clothing, use a Kreinik 1/16” ribbon (gray lines) with a silk floss (such as Soie D’Alger, Planet Earth Silk, or Splendor) for the aqua lines and Flair (black lines). And, for goodness sake, don’t forget to have fun with colors. Consider using a different color for the gray to add a little surprise.

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!

All the Single Stitches

September 22, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Why do the single stitches always have to be in between stitches over two rows? I say pshaw!

The stitched sample is a small area of sky in Soie Perlee and Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid (#8) on 18-mesh. The inspiration for this stitch is the repeated pattern from my Ginabean stitch, technically a Reverse Mosaic. Something about that single stitch in the middle of stitches over two has been gnawing at me. Today’s stitch is one example of freeing the single stitches.

This stitch will make fabulous water with any lightweight metallic, such as Treasure Braid, Petite Silk Lame, Kreinik Fine or Very Fine Braids, Bijoux, etc. It will also serve any small roof or floor well with silk or cotton perle or wools. Consider using it for a mountainside or green field with overdyed silk floss. If you want to dress it up a little, add a single bead in between the pairs of stitches over two rows, or add another single stitch in a contrasting color.

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! Happy #smallspacesunday!

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!

Spring in Autumn!

September 11, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Today’s stitch is the promised alternate to the Layered Oblique Stitch from a few weeks ago. Truth be told, today’s stitch is what I included in the Stitch Concept until the very charming student went off the reservation. And, for the record, I love this stitch and I love the student’s interpretation of it.

The stitched sample is me playing with threads on hand on 18-mesh canvas. I used Petite Very Velvet (light gray lines), yellow Trebizond Silk (aqua lines), pink Trebizond Silk (black lines), and purple…wait for it…purple Trebizond Silk (dark gray lines).

Consider this stitch for a dramatic coat, bag, or blanket with a Kreinik 1/16” ribbon for the gray lines, Vineyard Silk or silk floss for the black lines, and a contrasting metallic in a smaller size (like a Petite Silk Lame or size 8 Kreinik) for the aqua lines. Cover the Vineyard Silk or silk floss (black lines) with a Kreinik braid (#8 or #12) (dark gray lines) and you are good to go.

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 creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, whimsicalstitch.com 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!

Connections

September 4, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Simply put, today’s stitch makes me smile. It’s wide open, sparkly, and stitched in this week’s favorite color, blue.

The stitched sample is a background for a bolster pillow. It uses Soie D’Alger (black lines) and Kreinik Fine Braid (#8) (gray lines) on 13-mesh. With open stitches such as these, I recommend stitching the octagons in halves, using a modified back stitch. Stitch the top half and then return across the canvas adding the bottom half. Add the pairs of straight stitches following the diagonal axis, weaving your thread through the stitching in the back to navigate around a wide open area to get to the next axis.

This stitch would serve you very well for clothing, such as a dress or a jacket, especially if it includes beautiful shading. I would love to see this with Petite Very Velvet with Silk Lame for a jacket. Consider using two lightweight metallics, such as Petite Silk Lame and Sparkle Rays, for water or a night sky. If you want to really bling it up, consider stringing 2-3 beads across the straight stitches.

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, Sandra Gilmore, Purple Palm, Maggie, and Patience Brewster, 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!

Hello Again

August 20, 2019 whimsicalstitch

The Milanese stitch was one of the first decorative stitches I learned and I thought it was magical. I used it a lot (okay, too much) and burned out on it. Seeing it again with cute accents makes me feel like we are meeting for the first time again.

The stitched sample uses all kinds of metallics, including Fyre Werks (black lines), Flair (turquoise lines), and Kreinik Metallics (size 8) on 13-mesh. It was stitched by my first needlepoint muse, the late Wendy Harwood of Aristeia. It’s a wacky flower on a Melissa Shirley purse.

This would be great for clothing with Vineyard Silk (black lines), Silk Lame (turquoise lines), and a Kreinik Metallic (yellow lines). It could make a very interesting tree as the overt diagonal stitches are offset by the straight lines. I recommend an overdyed Silk for the black lines, a lightweight metallic for the yellow lines, and maybe a French Knot in a solid silk floss for the turquoise lines. I would love to see the turquoise lines be a seed bead! That would be very fun.

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!

Two is Better than One

August 18, 2019 whimsicalstitch

Today's #smallspacesunday is a simple pattern stitch. Using two different threads makes an interesting and important difference in the final look.

As a refresher, Pattern Stitching is the use of what I call Plain Needlepoint to create unique patterns. Other examples are here, here, and here. The stitched sample is from my Stitch Concept for Frank’s Rug (by Frank Beilec distributed through Maggie & Co). It uses Splendor and Kreinik Tapestry Braid (size 12) on 13-mesh.

Back to my opening comment about two threads. I was drawn to this stitch because the two different threads add gentle direction to an otherwise simple stitch. The difference between the threads can be color, finish, or both.

The stitch is used as a background in the stitched sample. It will also be lovely for water, ground cover, or sky. For water, I suggest two colors of a lightweight Kreinik Metallic or Petite Silk Lame. I would love to see the ground cover stitched in an overdyed silk floss, such as Silk ‘N Colors, matched with a solid silk Floss, such as Soie D’Alger or Planet Earth Silk Floss. The sky will be pretty with a matte and metallic combination like the stitched sample. It will make a cute floor with Impressions and Silk Lame. I think you might get the idea.

This stitch is scalable. Consider increasing the number of stitches in each block for a wider area. Also consider using the same thread for two sequential rows and a different thread for the next two.

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!

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!

#whimsicalwednesday blog