WIPW - Bricklaying

Before the day changes from Wednesday to Thursday, I have to give you my Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Mandala

I used the beautiful #111 E Laced Edging Stitch on the tail of the 'flying object'. The silk thread I used was bought at the Silk Weaving Museum in Stockholm and it is a DREAM to work with!

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

Another row of #106 Tvistsöm (Horizontal) was added and then a set of #234 Fancy Brick Stitch.

WIPW - A Popular Swedish Stitch

In the last seven days I have been able to work on both the Mandala and the Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler, so here is my Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Mandala

First I stitched a line of Buttonhole Stitch along the edge of the appliqué. Then the baseline of the Buttonhole was whipped with a blue metallic thread.

I then led the remaining metallic thread underneath the 'legs' of the Buttonhole Stitch.

I have worked on all four objects.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

Inside the frame of Indian Herringbone I made last week, I have added #146 Knotted Stitch and #106 Tvistsöm (horizontal). This is a very popular Swedish stitch so it was fun to do and think of the old homeland!

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 106 - 110

Thank you for letting me take a wee break from Sunday Stitch School. Now back to work. It is time to revise the last five stitches.

Click on the titles below for instructions.

106 Tvistsöm (Horizontal)
Easy to do, relaxing and with a nice firm seam.

107 Tvistsöm (Vertical and Diagonal)
The Vertical version is also easy to do, equally relaxing and also gives you a neat solid seam.
The Diagonal took me some time to get used to, but once I turned the  fabric on the bias and stitched in the Vertical way, it was easy-peasy.

108 Crow's Foot
A tailoring stitch that can be used for freeform embroidery. It makes interesting flowers. Mind you it is trickier than it looks to get it even.

109 Knotless Coral Stitch
It is easy to confuse this stitch with Scroll Stitch, and it IS a Scroll Stitch, but done in the opposite direction. To a right handed stitcher I think this is easier than the Scroll Stitch.

110 Russian Chain Stitch
Group together Detached Chain Stitch x 3, and you have a nice flower or pinwheel.

Homework:
Can you build a picture of Sunbonnet Sue using these five stitches? Give it a try!

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 106: Tvistsöm - Horizontal

A warm welcome back to Sunday Stitch School, where we start the autumn term with a filling stitch. A Swedish stitch called Tvistsöm.

Well, where this stitch really originates from is questionable.
Among the many names for this stitch are adjectives like Portuguese (used for huge colourful carpets) and Slav, and it is also a traditional stitch in Icelandic embroidery. Examples of silk embroidery on linen from the 12th and 13th century have been found in Sweden, but were they imported pieces, and if so, from where?
By 1500 wool was used on linen to imitate tapestry on large wallhangings. Old ecclesiastical embroidery, probably done in cloisters, has been found in Sweden. The stitch reached its height of popularity in the southern part of Sweden, Skåne, in the 18th century when seat cushions became the fashion for weddings. Panama, a linen plain weave, called tvist, has given the stitch its Swedish name.
There is more to read in this article from Nordic Needle.


English names for this stitch are: Long-Armed Cross Stitch, Long-legged Cross Stitch, Plaited Slav Stitch, Portuguese Stitch, Twist Stitch
In French it is called: Point Natté Slave
In German: Slawischer Flechtstitch
In Icelandic: Gamli Krossaumurin or Fléttsaumur

Basically it is a Cross Stitch with an added long arm. The stitch line can start with a compensating half stitch or not, as seen here on Nordic Needle.
It can be worked horizontally and vertically.

Today I will introduce the horizontal version with a compensating stitch at the beginning and end of the line.

Stitch from left to right (red arrow)

 Start with the compensating stitch 1-2
Come up at 3

Make the Cross Stitch 4-5

Make the Long Armed Stitch 5-6

Come out at 7

Make the next Cross Stitch and

continue

From now it is easy peasy!

At the end of the line, anchor in the middle.

You now have to turn the fabric upside down

and continue stitching from left to right (blue arrow)

On the back the stitches are straight.

Homework:

Fill a section each on the Aida Sampler

Canvas Sampler and

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Friday Homework for Lesson 106: Tvistsöm - Horizontal

Wow! What a stitch! I LOVE it, and wonder why I have not learned it before. I feel tempted to make a cushion, filling the whole fabric with Tvistsöm, and work it in wool. Maybe something similar to a cushion I own, but which was not made by me.

Here is my homework:
Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

(I used waste canvas to help me get even stitches on the plain weave fabric)

Canvas Sampler
This took time to complete as the stitches are so small, but it was easy, relaxing and fun.