Friday Homework for Lesson 72: Sham Hem Stitch

It was easy and fun to 'sham' this stitch.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart:

Aida Sampler

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

See how different they look when worked in two colours, red and teal with metallic, and white viscose cord.

So different you would think the white cord was the Spanish Feather Stitch, one of the TAST stitches. Compare them below:

 

It was CrazyQstticher that pointed it out. At first I did not see any resemblance as I worked the Sham Hem stitch horizontally and the Spanish Feather is a vertical line. Turn your Sham Hem around and you see how similar they are.

The Sham Hem Stitch is easy and very striking. For crazy quilting it is perfect. I am sure you will enjoy trying it.

WIPW - Out With the Whip!

Sorry to report late on my Work In Progress Wednesday. There are still a few hours left of the day so here goes.

Crazy for Crazy
I have been whipping chains! First I made a simple Chain Stitch along a seam, then I whipped each side. Sharon Boggon of Pintangel calls this Whipped Chain version 2 in her Stitch Dictionary.
Along the undulating edge of the lace I added Chain Stitches and whipped them straight over, Whipped Chain version 1.
Both versions can be seen and learned here.
I like version 2 better, it makes such a nice heart shaped line of stitches, similar to Magic Chain.

I then made a circle of Fern Stitch and added a French Knot on each arm stretching outwards.

More work next week, and there will also be a birthday card to report on.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 72: Sham Hem Stitch

The Sham Hem Stitch that I found in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, is the stitch of the week.

Updated: 
French names: Point Yougoslave
or it could be called Point Zigzag Entrelacé,
says Mattia.

You work it in two one-way journeys, and preferably in two different threads.

Make the first stitch shaped like a V.

Make another V, and you have a W.

Continue till you have as many Vs or Ws as you like.

Now change to another thread for contrast, or use the same to get a blended look.

Come out of the fabric slightly below the top right arm of the first V.

From now on you will be working only under the threads so a blunt needle is preferable.

Working from right to left, take the needle under the bottom of the first V.

Go back one step and take the needle under the first three arms.

Go back one step and take the needle under three arms again.

Continue in the same way.

You can see how the loops wind around each point.

Anchor the thread at the top left arm of the last V.

Play with different weights and types of thread, and you will change the look. 

Homework:

Friday Homework for Lesson 71: Twisted Fly Stitch

The Twisted Fly Stitch was easy to make and fun. I found that so many different detached stitches can be placed in the 'cup'.

Aida sampler

 Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Here we have from left, 3 Colonial Knots, 3 Bullion Knots, 2 Lazy Daisy stitches and a Berry Stitch.

Head over to CrazyQstitcher to see an underwater scene!

WIPW - Stitching Paper

Work In Progress Wednesday today has two things on the menu:

Stitched Bookmark
I was given a present and had to make a return gift, something small and easy.
In my stash I had a paper horse with punched holes for stitching. Small and easy! But see the power of the variegated thread!

Crazy for Crazy
I have worked on some areas, using recent Sunday Stitch School stitches and some store-bought ribbon rosettes.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 71: Twisted Fly Stitch

Welcome to an evening class at Sunday Stitch School. Sorry to be late, and sorry this will be a short lesson.

You know the Fly Stitch:

 The thread goes UNDER the needle.

Today's stitch is the twisted version, which actually is a Detached Twisted Chain Stitch (#56) with a LONG LEG. I found it in Embroidery Stitches A-Z 1.

 The thread goes OVER and UNDER the needle.

Work a cluster of French Knots or some Bullion Knots in the cup and you have a nice flower!

Homework for Friday:

SSS Reference Chart

Aida Sampler

Free form

Updated: 
Mattia suggested these two names in French:
point de mouche torsadé   or
point de plume torsadé

Friday Revision Homework: Stitches 66 - 70

This is what I wrote in my SSS revision lesson last Friday:
Well, homework is set for every Japanese child during the summer holiday, so why not join them. Sunbonnet Sue is taking part in her own way, have a look on Friday.

It is now Friday and we can have a look. 

Sue is a university student and has got a summer job helping these poor Japanese kids with their homework, and teaching them Botany. 
On the whiteboard we can see an illustration of the Russian perennial Point Russe (Consuo Ruthenia) with its elliptic or Fishbone shaped leaves (os piscis).
Sue can't be teaching in Japanese, it must be in some kind of strange language, Scottish Cretan, maybe, which I can't read, or is it just her scrawny handwriting? 
To gain respect she is dressing well above her age, in a dowdy Point Russe blouse, frumpy Berwick skirt, the belt and sensible flat shoes are of Scottish Cretan brand.
As she is teaching indoors, (it's too hot and humid to have a lesson outdoors) she has removed her sunbonnet to show off her coiffure. She has parted her hair in the Fishbone style and hitched up her ponytail in the Puffy Couching way.

(Even the green bow is made up of the Fishbone Stitch)

WIPW - Tossing the Salad

Work In Progress Wednesday.

Crazy for Crazy
I have been tossing in more ingredients into the Watermelon and Olive salad.

 Do you remember this ribbon from my stash photograph?

 It had the right colours, but I didn't like the stripes, so what to do?
Twist it, pin it, press it, and stitch it down!

I wanted some floral design and used the following stitches: Feather, Bullion Knot and Buttonholed Detached Chain (Lazy Daisy).

This is what the block looks at the moment:

Hopefully more progress next week.

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 66 - 70

After a week's holiday from blogging, here is the revision of the most recent five stitches of Sunday Stitch School.

To see the instructions and read previous blog posts, click on the heading for each stitch.

66 Berwick Stitch

It looks like Buttonhole Stitch with a knot on the base line, doesn't it? Why not try it out?

67 Fishbone Stitch

This is flatter than the Raised Fishbone Stitch (#61) and is worked from top to bottom. It is a great stitch for leaves.

68 Scottish Cretan Stitch

Make three Cretan stitches in a row, string them up and make another. Great fun and fantastic results. This stitch is easy, but looks complicated.

69 Point Russe Stitch

This is a great base stitch on which you can add a lot of other stitches, or use for needle weaving. It is really worth trying it out and let your creativity inspire you.

70 Puffy Couching

There are several ways to couch down a thread, ribbon or string. For thin fluffy yarn, this method makes a nice bubbly line.

Homework:
Well, homework is set for every Japanese child during the summer holiday, so why not join them. Sunbonnet Sue is taking part in her own way, have a look on Friday.

WIPW - Chopping Up an Olive and Watermelon Salad

Work In Progress Wednesday has been slow as the temperature and humidity levels are high. Anyway, for

Crazy for Crazy

I have begun to make an olive and watermelon salad. No feta cheese yet, if ever I put any in.

The lace was dyed, the fabric cut and pieced and the first embroidery begun.

Birthday Card

I made a simple birthday card with the leftover silk (seen underneath the pink lace, in the picture above).

Stem, Fishbone, Detached Chain and Straight stitches in all simplicity.

Friday Homework for Lesson 70: Puffy Couching

The heat makes it hard to come up with any fancy designs so I just did my homework straight up:

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart:

Aida Sampler:

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth:

Next Sunday will be a holiday, so no Revision of Stitches, nor any planning of Sunbonnet Sue.
Next week will therefore have no Friday Revision Homework, either.
Let's have a summer break!