Friday Revision Homework - Stitches 91 - 95

Wow! Of all the 19 Sunbonnet Sues I have made with Sunday Stitch School's stitches, this one was the most fun.

Here a prehistoric Sue is a Viking maiden weaving a Rya rug, a 'fake fur' coverlet.

I used stitch #91 Double Fly for the flowers,
#92 Parma for the timber weaving frame,
#93 Rya for the fluffy tufts of wool in the weave, as well as Sue's long hair,
#94 Smyrna for decorations on her dress and
#95 Chemanthy for the sun - Vikings worshipped the sun.
The rest of the picture is made up of Stem Stitch (outlines of body, and warp) and Needle Weaving (weft).

I hope the next set of five stitches will give me as much enjoyment!

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 91 - 95

As we have learned five new stitches it is time for a revision lesson.
Click on the name for each stitch to get to instructions, pictures and homework.

91 Double Fly Stitch

I am sure you already know the Fly Stitch, so piling one on top of the other is easy.

92 Parma Stitch

This Italian stitch gives you a rich and elegant thick line. It is based on two well-known stitches, Chain and Buttonhole.

93 Rya Stitch

When Rya Stitch is used for making pile carpets it is of course used as a filling stitch, but it is very decorative just as a single loopy line. 

Many a doll has been given hair of Rya Stitch.

In the past Rya was also a weaving technique used by the Vikings to make 'fake fur' - more exotic than real fur which was easy to come by in the forests of Scandinavia.

94 Smyrna Stitch

An easy stitch that quickly and effortlessly fills up a large area.

95 Chemanthy Stitch (simple version)

This most beautiful Indian stitch is surprisingly easy. Think of all the ways it could be used for flowers, the sun, wheels, coins, the moon...

I love the spiral, spinning look.

Homework:

Use the stitches above to illustrate what Sunbonnet Sue is up to. Here is a teaser:

Friday Homework for Lesson 92: Parma Stitch

Oh, here I got double pleasure, both Chain Stitch and Buttonhole Stitch are among my favorites.

 Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Working Parma Stitch on a curve is supposed to be a challenge. I didn't find it so, but spaced the links in the Chain so the stitches in the inner curve are slightly shorter than those on the outside edge of the curve.

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 92: Parma Stitch

This is a stitch I could call 'The Lost and Found Stitch'. I learned it, forgot both how it is worked and its name, then with the help of a friend, found it again. This time I'd better be safe than sorry and feature it here on Sunday Stitch School, right away.

Parma Stitch
is a made up of three parallel rows of Chain Stitch, that are then buttonholed together into a textured 'braid'.
You can see and read more about this Italian stitch here, at Italian Needlework. Also check out Stitches Stories.

Work it like this:
Stitch three parallel columns of Chain Stitch.

Next, turn the work to get three horisontal rows of Chain Stitch. 

Use Buttonhole Stitch to join the chains.

I have used a different colour to clarify how to stitch, but you can use the same colour (green).

I have also used only one stitch to make the instructions clear.

For the proper stitch, add more Buttonhole Stitches, (see the blue Buttonhole stitches below).

Continue to join the middle and lower Chain Stitches together, work from down to up.

Here I have joined the Chains with groups of three blue Buttonhole Stitches.

When worked in the same coloured thread, you get a nice textured braid.

Don't you think it looks like crochet?

Homework:

Add Parma Stitch to these three samplers.