Friday Revision Homework: Stitches 126 - 130

It was Linda at Linsartyblobs who suggested I used Sydd Tofs to depict Sunbonnet Sue as a cheerleader with pompoms. What a great idea! Thank you Linda.

Now what team is Sunbonnet Sue leading us to cheer for?
It is of course the universal team of people fighting the Corona Virus and its devastating impact on our lives and livelihood.

Let's root for

• the heroic medical workers risking their own lives,
• scientists and researchers trying to find a vaccin and a cure,
• teachers, students or workers struggling to keep up with scheduled activities from home,
• the masses of people who have suddenly become unemployed, and maybe evicted, too
• those who have lost businesses,
• world leaders trying to solve new and unpredictable problems,
• lonely people struggling with isolation and depression,
• medical workers and patients who are facing discrimination
• families trying to keep peace in cramped homes,
• victims of domestic violence,
• all the people whose plans for surgery, weddings, holidays, exams... have been postponed
• those masses who have lost loved ones...
• and of course, all those patients who are fighting for their lives right now.

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 126 - 130

How quickly this five-week period of new stitches has passed. Let's repeat the stitches and then make a Sunbonnet Sue sampler.

Click on the title to go to instructions and homework.

126 Sydd Tofs
A beautiful fluffy stitch. It will add a new dimension to any embroidery.

 127 Amadeus Stitch
This, too, is so flexible in its 'put together into any constellation',  it will add a fresh look to traditional embroidery designs.


128 Four Legged Stitch
So basic, so useful, so easy, - and so tricky to unstitch, so be careful!


129 Olga's Petal Stitch
Wow! This was a totally new way of stitching. Can we call it surface drawn work?
Many shapes can be made, not only petals.


130 Antwerp Edging Stitch
Easy and quick, you can get two different looks depending on if you keep a tight tension or give the thread some slack.
It can be used not only on the folded edge, but as a surface linear stitch, too.

Homework:
How can I best use these stitches for Sunbonnet Sue? Well, I got a nice idea from one of my blog readers!

Friday Homework for Lesson 127 - Amadeus Stitch

Amadeus Stitch is impressive - with the basic 'spike' you can make all sorts of constellations.
However, as the vertical stitches go underneath the first long Straight Stitch, you have to be careful and place the needle in the right hole. The finer the grid the harder it is to locate the correct place. The easiest fabric to work on was the

Aida Sampler

Canvas Sampler
was a bit fiddly, and there are some mistakes, but doesn't it look attractive, never the less?

Next time I'd like a lower thread count or better eyes!

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

A lazy, stupid student marks the grid with pencil! 

Pencil marks that can't be removed!

Then this lazy, stupid stitch novice decides to change the pattern and the pencil marks stand out even more. Some people never learn!

Just because you had run out of waste canvas.

To compensate for this mistake Extra Homework was set:

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

And see how good it looks when you just eyeball it!!!!

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 127: Amadeus Stitch

A warm welcome to Sunday Stitch School. We are keeping classes open - thanks to our online classroom.

How about a canvas stitch for this week? Amadeus Stitch is not difficult, but you still need to pay attention to where you put your needle - good when you don't want your mind to keep wandering up 'Corona Lane'.

I found the Amadeus Stitch at badasscrossstich where you can see an excellent photo tutorial.
However I have made my own here.

My recommendations are to chose a fabric with a clear grid, I used Aida, or use waste canvas if you plan to work on plain weave, and stretch it in a hoop.
You need to use an odd number of holes in the grid. The higher the number the more complex the stitch will look.

In your mind keep these two lines,

the red one starts at the red dot and goes straight up. 

The blue goes down diagonally, one hole at a time.

So lets get started:
Insert the needle, (in my case)
in the 11th hole.

Come out one hole above the first, (the 2nd hole)

and to the left of the thread.

Insert the needle one diagonal hole down to the right.

You can see how your working thread is crossing the base stitch.

Continue in the same way

Your last stitch should go straight out to the right.

This is your basic stitch.

You now make a new set of stitches,
starting again at the red dot,
to the right.

If you make the version mirrored,

the fans will meet in the middle.

Make a mirrored version of those two:

Finally you have the complete
Amadeus Stitch.

..........

Or you can continue to make the fan spread out to the right.

When you have made four arms,

this will result in a windmill.

With various combinations you can get
all these looks,
and more, of course.

Green thread 5 holes, blue 7, orange 9 and purple 11.
As you see, the larger the design, the more impressive it will look.

The reds are all spreading the fans outwards, windmills or crosses.

Have fun!

Homework:
Aida Sampler
Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart
Canvas Sampler