Friday Homework for Lesson 168: Croatian Stitch

Easy and quick and great in many ways. I was thinking this could be a super way of 'decorating' an appliqué ...

Aida Sampler

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

WIPW - Slow Progress

My Work In Progress Wednesday continues to go slowly. 

Log Cabin Challenge

I assembled two more units for the quilt, i.e. 24 blocks.

Considerably more time was spent on the 

Crazy for Crazy

where I joined all the 20 blocks, by stitching together their seams at the top, bottom and sides. I left the corners alone. 

This void at the corners, creates a square (on point), here indicated by yellow lines.

To cover it, I will add pieces of grey fabric with swirly gold print, on top, appliqué style, instead of fiddling with inserting piecework.

I should be able to complete this by next week, so the flimsy will be completed.

The rest of the week has been spent on darning, mending, replacing lost buttons, re-stitching hems etc on winter garments before packing them away for the summer. It has been stitching, but not the fun kind!

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 168: Croatian Stitch

Basically, today's stitch, Croatian Stitch, is a Laced Running Stitch. 

This one we have already done. The point with Croatian Stitch, though, seems to be to fill in a shape.

I found Croatian Stitch at Kimberly Ouimet's blog. She in turn had seen it in Mary Webb's Embroidery Stitches.

You start by drawing a shape and stitching the outline with evenly spaced Running Stitch.

After that use a (contrasting) thread to lace the stitches to fill in the shape. 

Now I am not sure if the lacing thread can to go through the Running stitches only once, 

or if twice is possible...

With this double threaded way, the shape really IS filled in...

Personally I like the double version better... and isn't it a good showcase for a variegated thread?

I'd be interested in any information you might have on this stitch. Where does the name come from? Is there a story behind it?

Homework:

Use Croatian Stitch on these samplers.

Friday Homework for Lesson 167: Fringed Buttonhole Stitch

 This was a fun and unusual stitch. It does take some time, though.

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Aida Sampler

WIPW - Busy, but with the wrong things

It is just before midnight and if I don't hurry up this will not be a Work In Progress Wednesday report, but a Work In Progress Thursday one.

This past week I have been busy, but with the wrong things, i.e. unrelated to stitching.

Log Cabin Challenge

Two panels were put together.

Crazy for Crazy

I have joined together ten of the blocks, and partly inserted the 'fillers', most of them are just pinned in place.

No need to comment.

I hope to have more to show next week.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 167: Fringed Buttonhole Stitch

Do you know Sharon Boggon? Her website Pintangle? Her Take A Stitch Tuesday online stitch course/challenge, TAST? Her online Stitch Dictionary? Her excellent book Creative Stitches?

If not, you are missing out. Go check the links.

Today's stitch, the Fringed Buttonhole Stitch, is one I found in the above book.

To make it you need a crochet hook.

Work it like this:

Make a line of Buttonhole Stitch

Cut strands of thread and use the crochet

hook to take them under and over the

stitch line to make a knotted tassel.

Pull tight (trim later)

If you take the looped thread

in the other direction, you get

another 'knot'.

Which knotted head do you like best?

Trim the threads to the desired length.

The fringe on the left lies flatter to the fabric.

The one on the right has a tendency to lift itself

up from the fabric.

Homework:

Play around with the three samplers

Saturday Sightings of Spring - 13

 Spring has sprung, and almost gone; next week the weather will be warm and summery. 

I have completed the Jacquie Harvey design cushion I have been working on.

As you might know, I have used Shantung silk for the base fabric, felt for the appliqué and worked many of the embroidery stitches I have learned through TAST and Sunday Stitch School to embellish the felt. Finally I have echo quilted in Kantha style. I got my inspiration from Fay Maxwell's fantastic work.

I used the envelope style opening, and so avoided inserting a zip.

.................

Sightings of Spring

Yes, spring has come a long way and will turn into summer soon, I guess. This will be record breakingly early. 

The double cherry blossoms ended up in the gutter.

The rhododendron is showing off.

as are the irises.

Thank you for having followed me on this stitch adventure. This is the last post about this cushion. I will take a little pause before I start the next new project or one of the UFOs I have lurking in the cupboard.

Friday Homework for Lesson 166: Satin Herringbone Stitch

 This was fun! You can be tricked into believing this is not based on Herringbone Stitch.

Aida Sampler

Here the Satin Stitch has a gap, I think if I do this stitch again on Aida I will use a sharp needle and make another Satin Stitch in the middle, too.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Good in two colours!

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

It could be used for a grid, as a filling stitch,

or a chain of bow ties, holding hands!

WIPW - Assembling the Crazy

 Work In Progress Wednesday - here is my report on progress.

Crazy for Crazy

I have started assembling the octagon blocks.

Log Cabin Challenge

The third panel of 60 log cabin blocks is completed.

Laid out on the day bed the three panels look like this.

Saturday Sightings of Spring

The silk cushion is completed, as you might have noticed in the picture above. A longer report will be posted on Saturday.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 166: Satin Herringbone Stitch

The first in a new set of five stitches is a variation of the Herringbone Stitch. It is overstitched, or couched down, with Satin Stitch. As I have found no official name I will call it Satin Herringbone Stitch. Leave a comment if you know the real name, please.

I found it on You Tube, posted by Rose World.

First stitch a row of Herringbone Stitch.

Turn the work upside down and work another row - mirrored.

Anchor the last stitch.

Come up where the arrow is, go over the crossed threads and go down on the other side.

Make three or four stitches before moving to the next cross.

Homework:

Work these three samplers