TAST 2010 - LOCK STITCH

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Week 33

What I want to know about a stitch are its properties, what it can be made to do beyond the basic.  For example, I want to know if its appearance can be altered by manipulating the line or curve, size of stitch components, or giving the stitch a different orientation.  Each band in this sampler is a separate experiment.  I know the threads I chose make it difficult to see, but this is what I was going for:

Band 1 -   The first line is the basic.  Foundation stitches are #5 perle and lock weave in #8 perle, different shade.  The second line is stitched one background thread below the first and is the same as the first but inverted.   Since the space between the two rows is shallow, the scallops that normally occur between thread pairs gives way here to parallel lines.  If I allowed greater space between the rows I think I would have opposing scallops as another design option.  The closeness of the rows did create a small diamond where the thread pairs meet;

that's where I placed the French knots.

Band 2 - This is probably double lock stitch.  I did the weaving top and bottom.

I love the oval/rounded square space that is formed.  I suppose it would become oblong if the foundation stitches were longer.  I worked a single diagonal stitch in the center with 2mm glitter ribbon.  The rest of this band was done with a single strand of Caron's Watercolours, as are all of the following bands except #5.

Band 3 - I simply worked the lock stitch sideways.

Band 4 - You have to look really close to realize here are parallel wavy lines.  I know now that the undulation would be more pronounced and more graceful if I placed the foundation stitches closer together in their rows.  The different colors are also a distraction from the wave.

Band 5 - I used a skinny rayon cord to make foundation stitches uneven lengths and slightly askew at the top.  The result might have been more interesting if I hadn't been so keen on using this really cool rayon boucle yarn that I have so much of because I made a sweater I had to unravel in its entirety because the yarn was so very stretchy.  So even though I knew it was too bulky for the size of the stitches I let it stay.  I tried desperately to push it down, but it springs back.  Color's pretty, though, right?

Band 6 - Working with foundation stitches on the diagonal -- I think this is not the best use of a variegated thread.  I also meant to try it with the lock weaving to the center.  Another option for later.  I get a nice surprise from this band.  Can you guess before I tell you further down?

Band 7 - Similar to Band 3, this one is double lock stitch on its side.  I used the same thread in both bands, but here I controlled the color.

Here is the sampler on its side so you can see how the stitches look as columns: 

 Take another look at Band 5.  I spy a column of

Sharon B's tutorial for lock stitch and info about TAST 2010 can be found here, and work by other participants can be found here.



TAST 2010 - SHELL CHAIN STITCH

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Week 32

 I love a stitch that meanders.  On its own it's about as exciting as a paper clip, which it can resemble when worked as a zig-zaggy line.  Fortunately for us, Sharon's sampler showed us the potential for wonderful texture with use of yarns and ribbons and inclusions.  This is why I went immediately to a burlap with loose enough weave to accomodate the funkiest of yarns.  As it turned out, I only used one , the soft lilac which is a knitted tube of gossamer fiber.

After laying down a few gentle curves, I experimented with a spiral and a simple, daisy style flower.  The gold rayon ribbon I used to weave as well as working the shell chain.  In the detail below you can see another flower with two rounds of shell chain stitch.

Here's a close up of that flower.  For the most part in this sampler I used perle cottons, #3 -#8, doubling some for bulkier effect.  The gold thread is an inexpensive one I bought on a large tube in a craft store.  It doesn't kink like some metallics and is very easy to sew with, although threading it is sometimes another matter.

TAST 2010 - RAISED CLOSED HERRINGBONE

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Week 31

Let's hear it for the threads!  I started in the center with the heaviest of the threads.  It is a #3 perle hand dyed in ametrine hues by Jane Van Keulen, a talented New Zealand artist.  The final round of tiny leaves and sprigs is hers also, a rayon floss I used double stranded.  It has spectacular sheen and variations of russet.  The four large coral-orange leaves were made with a single strand of  Caron's Watercolours.  They are followed with smaller leaves

stitched with a single strand of Stef Francis silk perle.  Finally the border uses 2 strands of Caron's Waterlilies and #11 seed beads.  The background is Belfast linen.

I was going for a medaillon effect so I found the center of the fabric and basted lines that would divide the work into eights and used those lines to center the leaves.  I was able to alter the shape of the leaves by varying the foundation stitches.  For example, the two foundation stitches for the largest leaves are the same length, but the reddish ones have a shorter upper stitch.  I realized if I began that upper stitch a little off kilter , I could get a slight curve for my leaf tips.

Although my design is symmetrically based, I tried to bring as much variety as I could.  I'm well pleased with the different colors and textures and wholeheartedly give credit to the threads!  Precision is for charted patterns.  I wanted my leaves, while "posed", to still suggest naturalness, and when imperfect stitches occurred I pretty much let them stay.

Don't forget to see what other participants are doing over on Flickr.