Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 380: Valerian Stitch

For today, we have another trellis stitch. It is called Valerian Stitch and can be found in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.

Queenie's photo tutorial:

Mark a grid of squares. Space them with odd numbers.

I used five holes. 

Build a trellis of horizontal lines by starting 2 

holes outside the grid.

Space them 5 holes upwards.

Do the same with the vertical lines.

Next, change to a different colour thread and make lines

on the bias.

Before you start couching down the 

intersections, change to a Milliner's needle

with a small round eye, here on the right.

We are now going to stitch Bullion Knots 

over the crossed threads.

Wrap the thread 7 times clockwise around the needle.

Place your thumb on top and pull through.

Manipulate the 'worm' until it lies right across each cross

on the grid.

Anchor in the same hole as you came out from at the start.

Continue with the next Bullion.

Homework: Add Valerian Stitch to these samplers:

Friday Homework for Lesson 379: Spiral Trellis Stitch

This homework took much longer than I expected. It might be my slow stitching or my failing eyesight. What I found was that stitching with a monochrome thread was harder than with a variegated. The colour changes helped keep track of the 'bridges' between the knots.

Aida Sampler

Making a circle on Aida is not easy, so I eyeballed it.

 

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Red Silk Kimono Scribble Cloth

WIPW - Not Much to Write Home About

WIPW- Work In Press Wednesday. There is not much to write home about, as I have been busy making a cushion and writing up a tutorial for the process. Anyway, here is my weekly report.

Hexablooms

I'm almost there! There are only a few more blocks to fix to the flimsy, and it will be DONE!

Sunday Stitch School Indigo Sampler

A shy row of #377 Raised Chevron Stitch.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 379: Spiral Trellis Stitch

 Welcome to another lesson. Today we will be learning the Spiral Trellis Stitch from Practical Embroidery.

This ornamental, slightly raised stitch is easily built up from a circle of Back Stitch. Yes, it is an easy stitch, but it requires a lot of time, and it also gobbles up a lot of thread.

There is an excellent tutorial in Practical Embroidery's link above.

Here are my photo instructions:

Mark a circle.

Make a Back Stitch line.

Come out between two of the Back Stitches. 

For easy orientation, I also suggest placing a pin at the starting point.

Let's call this point 12 o'clock.

Using only the Back Stitch, make a knotted stitch.

Work your way clockwise around the circle.

The final stitch worked over the foundation Back Stitch.

From now on, use the bridges created between the knotted

stitches and work your way down to 3 o'clock.

Here, skip one bridge so that the circle gradually will become 

slightly smaller.

make another skip at 9 o'clock.

For the third row, skip a bridge at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock.

Finally you will reach the middle and have yourself a little dome.

Anchor the last stitch in the middle. Fasten the thread at the back.

Homework: