Friday 16 November 2012

TAST2012 - Week 46

For this week we were given Magic Chain as a TAST challenge by Sharon of Pintangle.


After a bit of pondering I made my embroidery piece. However, I first thought I would cheat, do nothing and simply show an old example of the Magic Chain. You see I have used this fun stitch several times before. Unfortunately many of my embroideries have been on greeting cards or small gifts so I have few examples left. Anyway here are a few seams on old miniature crazy quilts:




In June I also posted a short tutorial of how to make other kinds of two coloured chains. Please click on the link for details.



Now, last week I made an evening gown. It was sleeveless and if you feel a chill at the party what would you do? Go home? Or put on this cardigan? Or go home, cuddle up on the sofa with a good book and put on this cardigan?



It was made with one strand of DMC floss and you can see the scale by looking at the needle. It was a bit fiddly, time consuming, of course, but much more enjoyable than actually knitting a cardi, which I am sorry to say I have never succeeded in.

33 comments:

latha said...

OMG!!!! This is fantastic and wonderful!!!! I didnt have the patience to read the details and I really thought it is a knitted cardigan and you did embroidered it...It really look like a knitted adult cardigan...and after reading I was shocked !! You did a good job Queenie. This is going to be NO:1 in the coming weeks. CONGRATS!

City Krafters said...

Oh! Can we see your evening gown ?
Please.

Lins Artyblobs said...

Fabulous cardi.

crazyQstitcher said...

Queenie, you take my breath away. Your ideas and execution are always marvellous.
I am positive I would have skipped the party and just cosied up with a book in THIS cardigan.

Shami Immanuel said...

Your cardigan is adorable with magic chain stitch. very creative idea to use the stitch in the cardigan.

Lis Harwood said...

I too thought it was a full size cardi - didn't spot the needle!! Amazing work. And yes, for me it would be go home, get the book and the card :-)

Leelagovind said...

wah great!unbelievable..oops!i too thought that it was knitted sweater on which you embroideried the given stitch..its a big surprise queenie..you are very very clever to think out this great idea..im damn sure you will be the 1st to be highlighted by sharon this week..as latha said,my congrats too in advance..

Claudia said...

WOW, Queenie, this is breathtaking! I love the idea and the wonderful execution! I admire your patience finishing such a time consuming project. Really wonderful!

Séverine said...

Oh queenie, your cardigan is wonderful, It's necessary to look at the needle to imagine the size!!!

Luiz Vaz said...

Queenie, you rocks! Lovely cardigan!

Raphaela said...

A wonderful cardigan. Congratulations.

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you Latha. Your words are always so encouraging.

Queeniepatch said...

Yes you can! At: http://queeniepatch.blogspot.jp/2012/11/tast2012-week-45.html

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you!

Queeniepatch said...

I would have joined you on the sofa!

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you Shami. The chain stitch is good to illustrate 'knitting' and the Magic Chain makes it possible to do pattern knitting. It's fun to play, don't you think?

Queeniepatch said...

Welcome to use my sofa. There's a library of embroidery books to choose from as well!

Mrs. B. said...

Immaculate stitching and so much detail in such a small piece. Great job! I really like your other examples of two-colour chains too.

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, you are are so kind.
I try, but don't always succeed, in trying to find a good 'look' for a stitch. As the chain stitch is shaped like knitting stitches, the look of a muffler or cardigan is easy to think of.

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, Claudia.
Were I not a stubborn person I would not have completed the stitching! You need a good audio book, or two, to keep you company while working. Also I love the raspberry colour so I had a good time.

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, Séverine.
It is difficult to know the scale on a close up photo so I added the needle. It WAS fiddly and I will think twice before doing anything as small as this again for some time!

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, Luiz.
If anyone's embroideries rock, they are yours! But it was great fun making this cardigan.
Happy stitching!

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, Raphaela. You are so kind.

Queeniepatch said...

Thanks, Lilian.
I don't know about immaculate, it is difficult to be precise on such a small scale, but it was fun 'knitting' thios cardigan. Fly and Chain stitches are perfect for immitating knitting so it was an easy choice.

Rose said...

Awesome Queenie! I can't decide which I would do, guess it depends on how great the party is! Can't believe the size of this work. I don't care too much for this stitch but you handle it beautifully!

Queeniepatch said...

Thank you, Rose.
There are a lot of embroidery stitches and naturally we like some more than others. You also need to be in the right mood for a stitch. The Magic chain in a no-no when you feel irritable or stressed, don't you think? I was lucky to have had a good week to work this stitch in.

Annet said...

This is stunning! I think I would prefer knitting something like this, much quicker!

Debbie said...

That's amazing, Queenie! You have a wonderful imagination! Thanks for showing us the other two color ways to do it. Very interesting!

Queeniepatch said...

Not for me!!! Oh, I envy you!

Queeniepatch said...

Thanks for your kind words.
Actually I found yet another version of Magic Chain which I will post today.

Kathy said...

So amazing! You are so talented!

Isabelle said...

what a wonderful use of this stitch. this cardigan looks so realistic.

libbyquilter said...

absolutely amazing~!!!~
you are so wonderfully creative with your use of stitches and it's always a treat when i have time to stop and see what you've done.

:-)
libbyQ