TAST #97 Shell Chain Stitch

TAST stitch # 97 is called Shell Chain Stitch, and Sharon B of Pintangle, who is running the TAST stitch challenge, says she found it in Edith John's Creative Stitches (p.43).

It is a book I am not familiar with, but the photographs that Sharon has taken of her own stitches and posted on her blog show clearly how this stitch is worked. 

Now if I only could pay attention! You see, I've done it again - looked at Sharon's instructions too casually. They made me think of my collection of Totsuka's Embroidery Stitch Books:

where Book No 3 in the series is full of chain stitch variations. Sure enough I found the 'Shell Chain', although it is simply called 'alternating chain and open chain stitch'. (Note also that almost all Totsuka stitches are worked away from you, which I find difficult, and I usually turn the books upside down to follow the illustrations).

Anyway, I grabbed my needle and thread and made these two rows,

only to realise that they are NOT the TAST stitch Sharon had given us!

I was so upset that I decided to keep them on my sampler just as a good reminder to do a proper job in the future! The Shell Chain Stitch should look like these:

Sorry Miss B,  for not paying attention in class. Will I get detention? Or worse, be expelled?

WIPW - Almost half done

My Work In Progress Wednesday Report this week is as usual on two ongoing projects, the quilt called Kafferepet,  and an embroidered  cushion.

WIPW is a way to make progress on your unfinished fibre related projects and sharing the work with others. Head over to Pintangle for more information.

Kafferepet

No interesting work here, just a few ordinary, but uneven quilting stitches on the blocks with blue fabric and lace. For a full picture of the quilt top before quilting started, click here.

Swedish Cushion

I filled the circle I created last week with TAST #68 Slipped Detached Chain Stitch.

In last week's comments I got some requests for a full view of the progress so far. I have completed almost half the piece of fabric. The cushion will be rectangular with this embroidery on one side and the yet to stitch design on the other side.

We have just got some new lovely TAST stitches that I look forward to adding.

TAST # 96 - Beaded Linked Chain Stitch

For the next TAST stitch, Sharon of Pintangle offered a beaded version of the previous stitch, so TAST #96 is called Beaded Linked Chain Stitch.

I like how the link stitch opens the chain enough for the bead to sit inside the frame of the chain.
Do you feel tempted? Want to try? Click here to learn how.

TAST #95 - Linked Chain Stitch

The first TAST stitch of the year is #95 - Linked Chain Stitch. It was easy and great fun to make!

To participate in TAST and learn new interesting stitches, go to Pintangle and join Sharon B on a grand 'stitch journey'.