It is worked like this: After taking the thread from the back to the surface, you leave the needle standing upright in the fabric (a pin cushion underneath is a great help) with the thread removed from the needle's eye, you then cast on the loops, re-thread the needle, pull the thread through the loops to the back and finally anchor the stitch.
Confused? I bet you are! Better check out these excellent instructions instead: Sharon's or Mary Corbet's.
In my mother's collection of thread I found some reels of darning yarn for stockings.
Perfect to use for hair on one of my stumpwork portraits, I thought, and with the Drizzle stitch, wouldn't it be possible to make DREADLOCKS??!!
So I made my first ever stumpwork MAN:
Although he was fun to make, the hairstyle is not very convincing. It needs more of a tangle and 'felty' look. Moreover, the point with the Drizzle stitch is that it should STAND UP.
My next project was to use Drizzle in the traditional way - in a floral motif. I had to make a birthday card anyway so put together this one:
Then I thought I would play around with a scrap of felt and used the Drizzle with some other stitches:
After three rounds I must confess, the Drizzle stitch is not one of my favourites!
I hoped you would make a stumpwork figure, though I expected a lady not a gentleman. Nevertheless he is a handsome fellow.
ReplyDeleteI like the flower and diamond also. Nice Tast framework.
I don't know, but it just felt right to make a MAN with dreadlocks. My Swedish nephew sported this hairstyle for a while, maybe that is why. Hopefully my next stumpwork portrait of a man will be more of a gentleman!
DeleteHmm not convinced about the Drizzle stitch although you have executed it well as ever. I like your man, maybe his hair needs to be more grungy!
ReplyDeleteI agree, the hair looks too clean and tidy. I think it would have been better to use wool.
DeleteBrilliant, dreadlocks! Who says drizzle stitches should stand up?
ReplyDeleteIf you like to sew them down at some point, why not?
Well, I think my stitched down Drizzle stitches could just as well be ordinary cast on or even bullion stitches...
Deletewonderful stitching - always an adventure, no? :)
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. Every stitch is a learning experience.
DeleteI like your stumpwork man as well as the flower
ReplyDeleteThank you Nalini
DeleteMy you have be busy
ReplyDeleteLike the man.
Busy, yes, because I was not satisfied with any of my attempts at taming the Drizzle!
DeleteRe your dreadlocks Queenie, what about trying to felt them slightly to get the unwashed look? I know they would loose a bit of the drizzle but would be interesting to see what happens. I enjoyed doing the stitch, found if I held the point of the needle under the fabric it was a lot easier to control than putting it on a pin cushion.
ReplyDeleteI admire you, Margaret, for being able to control the needle. I found the pincushion really useful to keep the needle upright and steady.
DeleteAs for felting the dreadlocks, that is of course what I should have done. In stead of the stocking darning yarn (some kind of silk?) wool would have been much better and then manhandling the thread to get that tangled up look.
Those dreadlocks are amazing, Queenie! What a great idea. Some of them are sooooo long!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a teen, there was a 5 and 10 that still sold those balls of darning thread. I used to buy them to crochet with. I wonder if I have any around. I'd love to find some one day if I ever get around to organizing my very messy sewing room.
I am happy to have used some yarn from my mother's stash, although I am not sure she would approve of the dreadlocks!! I still have some yarn left so maybe next time I will use it for pretty curls. I found that the fibres were very 'dried up' and easily broke. If yours is of similar quality it might not be good for crocheting with any longer
ReplyDelete