WIPW - Stars

December is just around the corner and I thought it was high time to stitch some stars. My Work In Progress Wednesday report, therefore, contains two star stitches on the 

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler 

#136 Tied Windmill Stitch is one of them, here seen on the left in yellow and purple.

To the right, there is a sprinkling of #150 Celestial Eyelet Stitch in variegated pale blue and purple thread.

Mandala

Here I have been adding more straight lines. Last week I showed Palestrina Stitch in grey radiating outward from the appliquéd circle (on the right in the picture below).

This week I used #232 Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch (to the left) stretching out from the centre in a similar way.

The two stitches are so alike in looks!

I like how the Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch stands up on the fabric. You could almost think they were beads! Look at the shadow underneath.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 234: Fancy Brick Stitch

 It is time for another Canvas stitch, and once again I have picked one from the collection at the Badasscrossstitch blog. The stitch is called Fancy Brick Stitch and is worked like this:

The green and blue stitches use four holes,

the red three holes.

Begin with the stitches at the top.

Make a column of three stitches using four holes.

Move to the right and make another column.

Continue until you have filled your area, 

or the 'block' you want to make.

Next use Running Stitch to make a

line of horizontal stitches (using four

holes) underneath the columns. 

Notice the placement.

Make a similar set on the return

journey.

It is now time for the vertical 

stitches. Use Upright Straight Stitch 

to make two stitches between the 

light green ones.

Observe that you have to 'dig' underneath

the longer green stitches.

Finally, make another set of columns

similar to the ones at the top.

Here is your block.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

How about using only one colour?

Or two colours?

Homework:

Fill in a block on the Canvas sampler, 

as well as these three:

Friday Homework for Lesson 233: Romanian Macrame Petal Stitch

Well actually this is not a stitch in itself, but a combination. The edge of the petal is made up of #232 Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch, which we learned last week.  I like that part very much. Using that linear stitch on a curve is OK on plain weave fabric, but it looks horrid on Aida, as you will see below.

Stretching the warp stitches must be done with care or they will either sag or pull the fabric too tight. I was also reminded that to make nice weaving you need an even number of warp threads, 6, 8, 10, 12 etc and not 7 or 9!

However, you can weave in different ways, over and under the warp. Another way of 'weaving' is of course whipping each of the warp. Then you get a bulkier look.

Aida Sampler

See how pretty the straight line of Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch (top of picture) is compared to the curvy one used as the edge of the petal. Aida is NOT always an easy weave to work on!

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

I think it looks good in two colours.

Mottled Wool Scribble Cloth

It is difficult to mark an outline on this fabric so I used a paper template to stitch the shape of the petal.

WIPW - Tofsar

This week's Work In Progress Wednesday report contains two projects:

Mandala

I stitched two more lines of Palestrina Stitch radiating out from the centre. One more to go. Then I will make another four lines with a different stitch.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

First I made 6 x #126 Sydd Tofs in wool. Then a five-petalled flower of #160 Portuguese Clover Stitch in salmon pink.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 233: Romanian Macrame Petal Stitch

Do you remember last week's stitch, #232 Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch which is a knotted linear stitch? 

Click the link above to see the instructions.

Did you watch the video that was included in the blog post? Then you know that the knotted line of Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch is the outline of a petal. Today let's make that petal. 

Here is a Romanian Macrame Petal:

Draw the outline of a petal on a piece of fabric.

Stretch that fabric in a hoop and work a line of 

Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch along the line. 

Anchor the last stitch.

Make two Straight Stitches across the base.

With the eye on the needle go under

the Straight Stitches.

Make a double stitch between the

side and the bottom of the petal.

For the next stitch go under the two

Straight Stitches again.

Work your way around the petal.

Anchor the last stitch underneath the

]fan] you have just created..

Come out again just underneath the last 

pair of warp lines.

Start weaving from right to left, under

and over two pairs of the warp (four threads). 

Continue.

Return from left to right.

halfway up the petal, skip the last pair

and work only the inner warp threads.

Anchor the last stitch.

The more warp threads you have 

the more of a rounded hill look

you'll get.

OR

Weave over and under each pair of

warp threads for a more compact

look.

Homework:

Sprinkle petals on these samplers.

Friday Homework for Lesson 232: Romanian Macrame (Flower) Stitch

Don't you think it resembles Palestrina Stitch? I do, but it is worked in a totally different way. As long as you use a hoop and stretch the fabric it is an easy and fast stitch. I think it will be a favourite of mine.

Aida Samper

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Mottled Wool Scribble Cloth

WIPW - Two More Types of Flowers

 It is Wednesday and here is the Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

#65 Rosette Stitch Rose in various pink/orange/yellow/brown hues, and #175 Woven Long Tail Lazy Daisy Flower in green/orange.

Mandala

I have made some progress on the Palestrina line, but not enough 'to write home about'.

World Quilt Festival 2022 In Yokohama - Part 6

To participate in the quilt contest you needed to be a member of the Japan Quilt Society.

Here are some of the quilts entered into their contest:

小田井由里子＊Odai Yuriko

made this beautiful Hawaiian quilt. In reality, the red was slightly more pinkish and made me think of blueberries and raspberries, not tomatoes.

平野祐子＊Yuko Hirano

齋藤由美子＊Yumiko Saito

柏木智子＊Tomoko Kashiwagi

谷口よし子＊Yoshiko Taniguchi

平沼淳子＊Atsuko Hiranuma

A group quilt

with many interesting blocks.

Ayfer Akşehirli Bickford and Serap Piskin 

lead a group from Turkey

Another group quilt 

inspired by the cherry lane in L.M.Montgomery's story Anne of Green Gables.

This book is extremely popular in Japan and especially among quilters!

長谷川徳子＊Tokuko Hasegawa

菅原真理子＊Mariko Sugawara

who won a commercial award with her 'Casablanca'.

安田榮美＊Eimi Yasuda

received, as you can see, an Excellence Award.

 

後藤恵子＊Keiko Goto 

also received an award for Excellence.

沖津明美＊Akemi Okitsu,

another award winner.

林敏鈴＊A quilter from Taiwan got the Clover Award

乾由佳＊Yuka Inui

also got a rosette for her Hawaiian quilt

草野純一郎＊Junichiro Kusano

landed 2nd prize with his colourful fantasy quilt

inspired by the viruses of the Pandemic. He wanted to make something to cheer everyone up.

1st prize went to 

界亜希＊Aki Sakai

She is a well-known and productive quilter.

 Her work is always feminine, sweet, cute, and impeccable, and has MANY tiny, details.

Can you spot all the small dolls, rabbits, Suffolk Puffs and the Sunbonnet Sue?

There was of course a third prize as well, but I did not manage to get a good photo. It was a beautiful and heavily quilted Hawaiian Quilt. My friend Pamela has a good photo on her blog. Check it out here.

This is my last report from the World Quilt Festival 2022 in Yokohama. Thank you for reading.

Finally, I would like to say that figuring out how to pronounce Japanese names is a challenge.

It is my wish that the organizers printed the labels with the names written in both kanji (Chinese characters) and roman script (ABC) to make sure the quilters' names can be read correctly. Please forgive any mistakes I have made in my guesswork.

Japan Quilt Society will hold its next show

 March 30th - April 1st, 2023

 at Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Trade Center Hamamatsucho