Sunday Stitch school - Lesson 157: Invented Stitch (Cross)

Do you sometimes have problems interpreting instructions? I am sure most of us have at one time or another followed instructions, either written or illustrated, only to find the result didn't look right.

That was the case when I tried the Invented Stitch from Arts & Design. The drawing of the completed stitch looked so neat, but however many times I followed the text or the step-by-step illustrations, my result looked nothing like the sort.

I found the situation even more confusing when I read the text and also looked at the pictures. By following only one set at a time, I suddenly had two different stitches.

In the end I had three different stitches - and they all looked great. Three for the cost of one, so to speak.

I will introduce them to you one by one, in three consecutive lessons. Let's start with # 157 Invented Stitch (Cross).

Combining a Stem Stitch with a Buttonhole Stitch that is pulled askew you get this neat individual stitch. Keep on going and you have a straight barbed wire look.

Work it like this:

Notice the holes used on the Aida cloth.

Make a Stem Stitch where you take the needle out slightly above the stitched line.

Take a Straight Stitch on the other side of the stitched line

Keep the thread under the needle, to make a Buttonhole Stitch, and pull through.

Now pull the thread back across the Stem Stitch, and insert the needle on the upper side of the stitched thread, forming a cross.

It is beautiful as an individual stitch, or

continue in the same way for a neat line.

Homework:

Add to the samplers

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 156 - 160

First of all A Happy St Valentine's Day to all.

I made this 19 years ago. I followed the instructions in Elly Sienkiewicz's book 'Appliqué 12 Easy Ways'.

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Here at Sunday Stitch School we have learned another five stitches so it is time to review. Click on the title to see how to do them.

156 Hyacinth Stitch

Thanks to Rachel's clever stacking of stitches we have the beautiful Hyacinth Stitch.

 

157 Invented Stitch (Cross)

This is a real nice stitch, it has already become a favourite of mine.

158 Invented Stitch (Half Cross)

This 'cousin' of the last stitch has the look of a winged insect.

159 Invented Stitch (Slashed)

Another 'cousin'.

160 Portuguese Clover Stitch

Here is a stitch that could be a flower, a pine cone or a raspberry, or ....

Homework.

Be inspired by the stitches to make a Sunbonnet Sue.

I have taken the help of crayons and a molding mat.

Friday Homework for Lesson 157: Invented Stitch (Cross)

 This homework shows the first type of Invented Stitch - the one that creates a cross.

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Aida Sampler

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Aren't they nice?

Some might think it is simply a Straight Stitch with a Cross Stitch worked on top. For me it can't be - I always make my Cross Stitches like this:

First I make the black stitch, then the green on the return, which means the green line is on top. 

Look carefully at the purple stitch and notice the cross have the lines in the other order. This is achieved with the mock Buttonhole Stitch. See the instructions picture 5, 6 and 7 for more detail.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 158: Invented Stitch (Half Cross)

Here is the second version of Invented Stitch. It is basically worked in the same way as the cross version we learned last week, but the needle is inserted into different holes.

Make the Stem Stitch and come out on the same line as the first stitch, underneath the thread.

Go across and make the Buttonhole Stitch, one line down.

Pull the thread askew and anchor the needle under the first stitch line.

The result is a butterfly shaped half cross kind of stitch.

Individual or

worked in a line.

It's your choice.

Have fun!

Homework:

These half crosses want to join their cousins on the three samplers.

Friday Homework for Lesson 158: Invented Stitch (Half Cross)

As I already knew the cross stitch (full cross) version of this inventive stitch, it was easy to do my homework.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Very simple homework, no need to comment.

Friday Revision Homework - Stitches 156 - 160

Well, the Hyacinth Stitch just had to fill a pot of blue Hyacinths, both the flowers and the bulbs are made up of this clever stitch.

Portuguese Clover Stitch was useful for a rich belt.

All the three Invented Stitches can be seen in the skirt, but look at the hat, it is made entirely of Invented Stitch (Cross). By changing direction and size, and whether you make individual stitches or a continuous line, great patterns can be made.

For the outlines I have used Stem Stitch.

WIPW - The Bow Is Tied With A Satin Knot(ted Stitch)

 Work In Progress Wednesday. 

Mandala

I repeated what I did last week on two more pieces of beaded sari silk. The fourth piece is left as you can see. It will be done before the next WIPW post - I hope!

Something pink is also needed for these four sections, so I will continue working on them.

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

I filled in the rest of the outline of the bow in #158 Invented Stitch (Half Cross).

Then I made the knot in the centre in #11 Knotted Satin Stitch. I am so glad I didn't chicken out a second time. It was easier to do this stitch on a smaller scale.

Friday Homework for Lesson 159: Invented Stitch (Slashed)

I have already done the two other version of this stitch, therefore a third type was not difficult. 

It might be difficult to keep the three of them apart, but I hope the description (Cross), (Half-Cross) and (Slanted), will remind me of the look.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

WIPW - A Full Set?

Here is a very late report for Work In Progress Wednesday. 

 Log Cabin Challenge

I made another five blocks, which means I have a total of 350 blocks. My plan is that that will be the full set. I might have to make a few more to be able to set them in a grid where two pieces of the same fabric don't edge up...

My next challenge is to find fabric for the backing. I can't go out shopping, and I don't know if I have enough fabric at home for the whole back. Should I use an old sheet? It's not the best of fabric, obviously.

Tatting

I go on studying and trying out new ways. 

There are so many YouTube videos and many different ideas it is hard to pick out a method that works for me. Should I close the rings and chains before or after reversing the work? 

Some videos count the picot as the first part of the double stitch, others make a full double stitch after the picot has been 'hooked up'.

I continued to play around with beads, and tried out a way where three beads make a pile, and four beads are placed so one beads is part of the ring, and the other three are in place of the picot.

Crazy for Crazy

I added stitches to outline the flower on the left, a ring covered in Buttohonle Stitch and filled with white pearls on the right, three buttons along a line of Invented Stitch (Cross) and Colonial Knots. There are also white pearls along the curved hem.

Saturday Sightings of Spring

I have started decorating the felt. You can see more in my report on Saturday.

WIPW - Fillers

I am still working on just two things, so my Work In Progress report is on the same projects as last week. What progress have I made?

Log Cabin Challenge

I am now coming closer to the edges of the quilt so the quilting is easier to manage than the blocks in the middle.

18 blocks were quilts as can be seen in blue on the left of the graph. The thread is running low in the bobbin!

Sunday Stitch School Stitch Sampler

What I had intend to do last week, but had no time to do, I did this week. I added fillers to the paisley designs.

Inside the light purple paisleys on the right of the design are #157 Invented Stitch (Cross).

The paisleys in blue toned purple were filled with #4 Danish Knot Stitch.

All colours are so OFF, I wonder why. Is it the graphite grey wool I am stitching on that confuses the camera so?