Friday Homework for Lesson 371: Cross and Twist Stitch

I have now compared the #43 Moss Stitch and the #371 Cross and Twist Stitch. I find that the latter is far easier to perform.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Red Silk Kimono Scribble Cloth

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 371: Cross and Twist Stitch

Today we will start a new set of five stitches. The first one is a close relative to a stitch we learned nine years ago, in 2017 - the #43 Moss Stitch. Click on the link to see the instructions for it.

What we are learning today is the #371 Cross and Twist Stitch. The name tells you it is a crossed stitch. Printed instructions can be found in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.

The first part of both stitches is done in the same way - an individual cross. The cross is then given a third arm, which is tied into a knot in the middle, and here is where they differ; see the difference in a picture at the bottom of the post. Finally, the needle is taken to the back.

It sounds more complicated in written form than in pictures, so let's have a look at these photos:

Pull tight.

Anchor.

The completed Cross and Twist Stitch.

You can shorten (or lengthen) the third arm.

Mary Thomas also suggests that you work the 

third leg in a contrasting thread/colour/weight.

Here you can compare the #34 Moss Stitch and #371 Cross and Twist Stitch

Homework:

Play around with the Cross and Twist Stitch on the various samplers.

Friday Revision Homework - Stitches 41 - 45

We have learned 45 stitches so far here at Sunday Stitch School. Today's homework shows the last five stitches in a Sunbonnet Sue sampler.

Like many little girls Sue dreamed of becoming a ballerina. For many years she practiced hard at the barré, did her pliés, forced her feet into toe shoes, stood en pointe, pirouetted and leapt across the stage in a grand jeté.
(Check out the lingo here).

At 15, Sue the prima ballerina, retired, behind an armful of flowers. Time to move on to other interests!

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 41 - 45

Sunday Stitch School has been running for more than a year now. 45 stitches have been learned so far.

Once again it is time for another revision lesson to sum up the last five stitches, which have all been related to plants.

Click on the headline to see instructions and homework.

41 Thorn Stitch
Easy and quick, it adds a lot of 'spike' to a line.

42 Rambling Rose Stitch
It is just as lovely as a real rambling rose. This stitch, too, is quick and easy.

43 Moss Stitch
The moss stitch is named well, some species of moss really look like this!
Making the knotty part is a bit fiddly, but it is worth it as the knot stands out so well in the middle.
Work it in black and you have an insect instead.

44 Mille Fleur
Lazy Daisy, Lazy Diasy, Lazy Daisy.... give me your needle do, (and some thread, too) I'm half crazy all for the love of you....
It IS a lovely stitch, it WON'T drive you crazy, not even half crazy. Instead when used in a circle you have a nice flower.
What's more, you don't need to stitch while on a bicycle built for two!
(Lyrics)

45 Leaf Stitch
If you make a flower, you will most likely need a leaf, too. Here is a nice one.

Homework:

Use the five stitches above to full advantage on this Sunbonnet Sue sampler, already drawn and coloured with crayon.

Friday Homework for Lesson 43: Moss Stitch

Welcome to Kyoto where I saw this fallen leaf on a moss carpet in a temple garden.

The knot on the Moss Stitch is slightly complicated. If you don't like knotty stitches I'd recommend the Cross and Twist Stitch that can be found in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, page 76. The knot is not as prominent, but still looks good.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 43: Moss Stitch

For today's botanical lesson  we will make an excursion to Saiho-ji Temple in Kyoto.
It is often called Kokedera, which would be 'Moss Temple' in English.
Read more about Saiho-ji, the regulations for entering, and look at pictures of the green 'carpet' here.

Now for the stitch. I found Moss Stitch in A - Z of Embroidery Stitches 2. For those who have this book and can compare, you find that I have experimented with how to loop the thread, as you can see in my pictures below:

First make a cross stitch.

 Take the thread out above the cross.

Twist the thread around your finger to make a loop :

Place the loop around the cross.

Insert the needle under the cross, but don't bite any of the fabric.

Pull the loop tight till you have a knot, and insert the needle below the cross to anchor.

You have made one Moss Stitch.

 Make a zillion more and you have a moss carpet as lush as those of a Kyoto temple garden.

This is my 'Aida Moss Garden'!

Updated later:

As far as I know there is no Swedish name for this stitch.

Mattia, who always helps to find French names for the stitches, points to the French translation of Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, where there is a stitch called Point de Croix Bouclé. 

I had a look in my MTDoES in English. There is no stitch under the name Moss Stitch, but a similar looking stitch called Cross and Twist Stitch. 

However, the knot is made differently. 

Have a look:

The Cross and Twist Stitch is far easier to make! I wish I had seen it earlier! Thank you, Mattia, for pointing me in this direction!

Homework:

1) You need to make a new Reference Chart as the first is filled with Stitches 1 - 42

 

2) On a red background make a moss garden with linen thread.