Finally, Sunbonnet Sue is here!
Sue needed to STRETCH the time with an extra week before she could show up here for the Revision Homework of stitches 351 - 355.
What has she been doing, then? Well, she's been STRETCHING and working out in the gym to be bikini fit for summer!
It's time to review
351 Twisted Chain Stitch (Learn it here)
352 Battlements Stitch (Learn it here)
353 Brick and Cross Filling Stitch (Learn it here)
354 Stem Stitch with Buttonhole Loop (Learn it here)
Homework:
Make a stitch sampler with Sunbonnet Sue.
The Brick and Cross Filling Stitch is not only attractive but also airy, as there is a bit of space around each cross, them being smaller than the block of bars.
Like all canvas stitches, the Brick and Cross Filling Stitch is difficult to work on plain weave if you aim for a neat and tidy look. I used waste canvas to make the job easier. Unfortunately, I marked the waste canvas incorrectly, so on the Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart, the stitches are packed like sardines in a can.
I also filled a square on my Canvas Sampler and made a wonky version, on purpose, for a wild look.
Aida Sampler
Well, as you know, the way to remove the threads of the waste canvas, once the stitching is complete, is to spray water on the canvas. The more water, the easier it is to pull out the threads.
Unfortunately, the red fabric I stitched on is SILK and should not be exposed to water. The mist I sprayed on was just a small dose, and it wasn't enough to remove the starch from the waste canvas weft and warp threads. So I tugged and tugged, but the starch was stronger than me until I put in more force, and as a result, the stitches look ruffled.
Canvas Sampler
Wild and Wonky Freehand Bricks and Crosses
Let's add another Canvas stitch to Sunday Stitch School's collection of stitches. Today I have a stitch from the Royal School of Needlework's Stitch Bank - Brick and Cross Filling Stitch. See it here. You can also find instructions in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.
It's an easy stitch, made up of straight and crossed short lines.
Have a look at my photo tutorial:
Please notice the spacing,
6 holes for the horizontal stitches.
Crosses underneath, don't forget the spacing.
The crosses are a little smaller than the sets of
horizontal bars.
colour combinations and choices of threads.
Homework: These three samplers want some Bricks and Crosses!
