Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 162 - Cashmere Stitch

 It is time for a canvas stitch, don't you think? Today we will learn the simple Cashmere Stitch - four slanted stitches of two different lengths.

A good diagram can be found at The Needle Point Teacher.

Here is my photo tutorial.

Place the next block of four stitches either beside or underneath the first one.

Homework: Try it out on the three usual samplers, as well as the Canvas Work Sampler.

Better use waste canvas for the plain weave.

Saturday Sightings of Spring - 7

This is my weekly report on progress on the cushion in silk and felt that I am making. The design is Jacquie Harvey's Promise of Spring, but I have made changes in the instructions. 

I would say that I have completed the embroidery stitching on the leaves, or should I whip the Buttonhole stitch on the leaf...?

Maybe I will add a sequin or some metallic thread for a little extra sparkle, just to get better balance.

The next step should have been to quilt in Kantha style (Running Stitch in eco quilting, inspired by Indian Kantha work), but after looking at the size and how to construct the cushion, I changed my plan. 

As the piece of silk I am working on was irregular, I have cut off some pieces and patched them together in the shape I want the cushion to be. 

This has left me with an ugly seam on what is to become the back. Better hide the seam with a bit of felt appliqué and decorative embroidery similar to the front. 

The Kantha quilting will have to wait.

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Sightings of Spring is actually Smells of Spring - the Sweet Daphne is in fragrant bloom in Tokyo.

What a pity we walk around with masks on!

Friday Homework for Lesson 161: Ceylon Stitch

Although this is not a stitch known for counted work, it does look best of a gridded fabric like Aida.

Aida Sampler

I used six stands of DMC cotton and the result is very thick and filling.

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

The two blocks look untidy with this hard highly twisted cotton thread. 

Worked one stitch a line, (in soft silk) it really becomes the Vandyke Stitch. It takes a curve easily.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

The denser the stitches, the more of a knitted look you get.

WIPW - A Birthday Present

 Here we are again, ready to report on Work In Progress Wednesday.

Crazy for Crazy

I pieced the two blocks.

Log Cabin Quilt

Another 12 blocks were selected, and assembled (after this picture was taken). Together with the previous four sets, I will have the first panel. I hope to show it next week.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

I prepared the new Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart. There are 45 boxes, and I have to find 45 new stitches to fill them with!

Tatting

Do you remember the white circle of tatting lace with orange beads? It was too large to fit the white and orange Crazy for Crazy octagon block I recently completed. 

Instead I added a sting of orange beads and made a necklace out of it. This will be a birthday present.

Saturday Sightings of Spring

Here is a peep at the progress made. A complete report will be posted on Saturday.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 161: Ceylon Stitch

Here is a stitch often used in stumpwork. It is also good for filling in larger areas, but can be used as a band, too. It looks like knitting.

Other names are: Peruvian Knitting, Knitting Stitch.

Do you know any other name? If so, please leave a comment.

Work Ceylon Stitch like this: 

Make a long Straight Stitch.

Couch it down with the same thread.

Come out one step below the first one.

Go through the first loop, make sure you don't catch any fabric.

Keep the thread under the needle as if you were making a 

Buttonhole Stitch.

Continue.

At the end of the line, anchor the stitch.

Start again on the left side. Here I have changed to a different

colour to make it easier to see the pattern.

Work your way from left to right, catching only 

the crossed loop of the previous line.

Anchor at the end of the line.

Continue in the same way. When you have 

finished the last line, go back

and anchor all the loops.

Finally you will have a line of 'knitting'.

Homework:

The three samplers: 

Aida, 

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart and 

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth.

Saturday Sightings of Spring - 6

Work on the Jacquie Harvey design 'Promise of Spring' has continued, and this week I have been adding decorative stitches on the felt stems of my silk foundation.

Perle cotton #8 in three shades of green as well as a green metallic thread were used. There is mostly Stem Stitch, but I also used some other stitches as the fancy took me.

Next step will be to fill in the leaves.

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Saturday Sightings of Spring  - well the first signs of the hay fever season are here. Gritty eyes, runny noses, sneezing, sleepless nights ... all because of the pollen of cedar trees.

Friday Revision Homework - Stitches 156 - 160

Well, the Hyacinth Stitch just had to fill a pot of blue Hyacinths, both the flowers and the bulbs are made up of this clever stitch.

Portuguese Clover Stitch was useful for a rich belt.

All the three Invented Stitches can be seen in the skirt, but look at the hat, it is made entirely of Invented Stitch (Cross). By changing direction and size, and whether you make individual stitches or a continuous line, great patterns can be made.

For the outlines I have used Stem Stitch.

WIPW - Third Reference Chart Full

 Welcome to another Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Crazy for Crazy

I have only got as far as to mark the foundation fabric.

I also made a small tatting ornament to add to the brown block once it is pieced. See below.

Tatting

Here it is, light blue thread and small blue beads.

Log Cabin Quilt

I have assembled two more 12-block units.

One more unit and I have the width of the bed cover (15 blocks), and 1/6 of the length. 

Slow, but steady progress.

A Soft Toy

I was asked to teach a young student how to make a little soft toy. In the process I had to make one myself, of course, and here is the result. 

This little bird will wing its way to a newly born boy, so the teaching job turned out to solve my problem of getting a baby shower present.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

With stitch #160, I filled in the last box on the the third reference chart for the Sunday Stitch School.

I have printed out the names of the stitches and ironed on the labels. To keep the names stuck I have also stitched them down with nylon thread. I use these charts so often I need to make sure the labels stay put.

Here they all are, the 160 stitches, and more to come! Now I will have to prepare a new chart for the next set of stitches. 

Sightings of Spring 

Just a teaser before I give the full report on Saturday on my progress on this silk and felt cushion.