1. Scotch Checker Stitch
Stitch diagram:
Type: Block Stitch
Count: over 3
Pattern/Texture: Checkerboard pattern, significant texture
Ideal for: large blocks of color. i.e. backgrounds, borders
Overview: This is a variation of the Scotch Stitch. It works well in one color as well as two. The stitch will have a more dramatic look when stitched in two colors. Stitch all of the Tent stitches in the area first, then fill in the alternating Scotch Stitches.
I started PW05 Poppy Plaid Needlepoint Pillow in the upper right-hand corner. This canvas has a border to "frame" the design, and quite a bit of background. I'm needlepointing the darkest green lines in Continental Tent Stitch. I had to add a stitched dark green line to the outside of the needlepoint canvas so the inside of the border would be even. (why I didn't painted it that way I'll never know?!?!) I'm stitching the inside the border background in Basketweave Tent Stitch with a bright white thread.
Tent Stitch (a. Continental) Stitch diagram: Type: Diagonal Stitch Count: over 1 Pattern/Texture: minimum diagonal pattern, nominal texture Ideal for: very small areas and outlines Overview: Continental Tent Stitch is not recommended for large areas as it will distort the canvas. This distortion may not be able to be blocked out. It provides good coverage on both the front and back of canvas. Continental Tent Stitch can be stitched , horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Tent Stitch (b. Basketweave) Stitch diagram: Type: Diagonal Stitch Count: over 1 Pattern/Texture: minimum diagonal pattern, smooth, nominal texture Ideal for: large areas of color Overview: The most popular basic stitch used in needlepoint. Provides good coverage on both the front and back of canvas without distortion. It is worked diagonally descending, then upward with the grain of the canvas.
Finally!!! I learned how to basketweave tent stitch with the grain of the canvas. It is really embarrassing to admit that I didn't do this before. I didn't know how. It wasn't for lack of trying or being taught. My great friend Jean tried a couple of times to teach me how to properly needlepoint the basketweave stitch with the grain, but I couldn't "see" it. I'm a "hurry up" kind of gal and didn't really get why it mattered. I was researching stitches so I would be able to write more extensively about each stitch and I was going to skip the tent stitches all together because I figured everyone knew how to stitch them. Then I thought I better include them and started reading the research. Why stitch with the grain of the canvas? Because the threads lay flat and smooth. They don't twist up and the canvas doesn't show through. I always stopped in the middle of a diagonal row so I did know where to start up again, but if I stopped at the top or bottom of a diagonal row it was a pure guess where to start. Sometimes I would get those ridges on the back and hope they didn't show too much on the front. Now I'm ridge free! Here are two pictures that I hope show what I couldn't "see" for so long:
If the needlepoint canvas mesh thread is vertical on top, stitch down the diagonal row. Vertical = Slide Down
If the needlepoint canvas mesh thread is horizontal on top, stitch up the diagonal row. Horizontal = Step Up
The needle is in the canvas showing the proper direction. I hope this helps anyone that was as confused as me!
I'm starting a new project, Which Stitch Where? The canvas I will be needlepointing is PW05 Poppy Plaid on #14 mesh. I chose this canvas because it has big blocks of color where decorative stitches would fit. It also has a border to "frame" the design, and quite a bit of background. It's a simple canvas and hopefully I will pep it up with my decisions of "Which Stitch Where?" I wanted to take the whole "painted stitches" idea a step further and show how decorative stitches can be used on any handpainted needlepoint canvas. Below is the thread pull for PW05 Poppy Plaid. I'm stitching the whole canvas with Vineyard Silk Classic Colors. I wanted to highlight the stitches, not the threads. The Vineyard Silk will give me a smooth, consistent thread to show off the decorative stitches.
This stitcher changed the thread colors on PS02 Painted Stitches 6x6 and added a checkerboard border . She had it finished as a small frame. I love it when needlepoint is changed and altered to fit the stitcher's personality!
(all above are Vineyard Merino needlepoint wool)
I added a thread color that isn't on the paint chart. I was going to needlepoint the bamboo "shadow" in M-1144 Golf, but the thread color was too much of a shade jump so I added the thread M-1179 Mojtio to my thread colors.
PS06 Tropical Bamboo is my newest design and my current stitching project. It is 14.5" x 11.75" on #14 mesh canvas. It also comes in other sizes. I've been playing around with the lattice bamboo for a while, then decided to put brightly colored "painted stitches" in the blocks. I'm using Vineyard Merino for my needlepoint thread for the entire project. No fancy threads, just a beautiful wool. I thought that was best for highlighting the stitches and I love working with Vineyard Merino. My hope is to show the different stitches painted and stitched, then to talk more extensively about each stitch and where these stitches could be used for any needlepoint project.
Gingerbread Farmhouse is finished and off to the finisher!
Anne from Wool & Willow and I are sharing a PiPN intern. Yesterday was Erin's first day. We're very excited to have her helping us this summer! The following article talks about the program and here's the PiPN link too!
Friday night of the TNNA show was the Needlepoint Premiere & Silent Auction, Sponsored by The Needlepoint Group. "Join the needleart enthusiasts at the new Premiere and Silent Auction and bid on the latest handpainted canvases and products donated by our great exhibitors as well as a chance to take home one of these fabulous designs. Also, view some of the finished product on display." It was great fun!
I have tons to blog about from Columbus (a whole bag of stuff) but I need to get the orders together first. Then I will tell you all about what I saw. The shop blogs will probably give you the best idea, since I was at my booth most of the time and the shops were everywhere. Just wanted to share my booth photos and say how great it was to see everyone! Thank you!
My newest needlepoint design is Painted Stitches Tropical Bamboo. I'm planning on stitching it all with Vineyard Merino. But I'm not going to touch it until The Gingerbread Farm House is finished. I'm going to pick colors at the show since the whole line will be there. Each diamond is a different stitch and the bamboo lattice will be tent stitch. I wonder how all these "painted stitches" needlepoint canvases will go over at the show. I'll keep you posted!
I'm getting all packed up for the TNNA Show in Columbus, OH June 13-15. Hope to see you at Barbara Bergsten Designs Booth 1601!
I'm getting everything ready to teach my first TNNA needlepoint class. I'm so excited! Karen from Vineyard Silk donated all the threads and the canvas is my PS02 Painted Stitches Sampler 6" x 6".
The basket purse came from Queen Bea Studio! They have lots of great basket purses that have a good space to attach needlepoint designs.
Now it's finished! Below is the original post.
I worked up a design for the Needlepoint Basket Purse. I’m going to stitch it with Vineyard Merino with some highlights stitched with Silk Lame’ Braid. I charted the monogram from Tink’s Marvelous Monograms– vol. 1 Monogram #16 HexTriple34. I’m using the Diagonal Scotch Stitch, Scotch Stitch, Mosaic Stitch, Rice Stitch, Staircase Stitch and Basketweave Tent Stitch. I’ll keep you posted!
I've just finished the Gingerbread Farmhouse Roof. The stitch is Brick Cashmere Stitch. The needlepoint threads are Vineyard Merino #M-1145 Holly and #M-1061 Shamrock. I was hoping the stitch looked like roof shingles placed as two, color, green candy. Brick Cashmere Stitch is a dramatic striped stitch when needlepointed in two colors. The look can be muted by stitching it in the same color. Then you would have a wonderful texture without the bold stripes. Vineyard Merino is a great contrast to all the shiny threads and a joy to stitch.
I am working my way from top to bottom on the Gingerbread Farmhouse. The next area is the snow on the roof. I am using the Basketweave Tent Stitch and the thread is Caron Collection Snow #00 White. I have had my share of trouble with white, specialty needlepoint threads, but not this one. I love Snow!! (not in real life just this thread) This is what Caron says about it, "A synthetic metallic thread. It is very easy to work with and in weight is similar to #5 pearl cotton, six strands of floss or one ply of persian wool. White tends to reflect the colors used around it. Although it has lots of sparkle, decorative stitches look well worked with Snow. It also comes in a variety of colors." This is my go to sparkly white thread. Hope you try it!
Gingerbread Farmhouse Hearts are stitched with Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet. I thought it was the perfect choice for the hearts because I wanted them to resemble those little Valentine Day saying hearts. I used Rainbow Gallery Neon Rays for the hot pink "words" on each heart. The hearts were stitched in Basketweave Tent Stitch. Very Velvet is a great needlepoint thread any time you want a flat, matte look. When stitched in larger areas the stitches disappear and the area appears to be a solid block of color. Use shorter lengths of thread. The needle really wears through the thread so I use a very short tail to keep down waste.
Thank you Jean for finishing Anemones Stirling Tote. It looks great!
I was inspired by the chocolate candy bar with the gold wrapper for the X22 Gingerbread Farmhouse Chimney. The stitch is Staircase Stitch. I love this needlepoint stitch. I think it resembles bricks. The threads are Vineyard Merino #M-1113 Chocolate, a natural since it's named chocolate and I wanted a rich, matte look and Kreinik #16 braid 002V - Vintage Gold. With all the shiny, sparkly threads in the sky I wanted to use a gold that was more toned down. Vintage Gold seemed the perfect choice.
I have finished the entire night sky for my current needlepoint project X22 Gingerbread Farmhouse. The moon was stitched in basketweave tent stitch using Threadworx #12 braid 91018 - Baby Blue Eyes. I was going to stitch the stars in cross stitches but the Goldrush and Kreinik were too thick and I couldn't get the left slanting part of the cross to fit. So I did the stars in just tent stitches. The thread is Kreinik #16 braid 001 - Silver. Threadworx #12 braid will cover #14 canvas, but I wouldn't change thread color dramatically from the painted color or you might get some paint showing through. All the threads used for the night sky are metallics but each has a different sheen and texture to separate each area. I didn't what the whole thing to read as just shiny, but to give each piece of the sky its own facet. Hope it worked!
I just got the Painted Stitches Sampler tote bag & Painted Stitches Ladybug tote bag back from the finisher. It's so rewarding to imagine a design, choose decorative stitches, decide on colors, paint it, pull threads and specialty threads, needlepoint it, and then see it in its final finished form.
Anemones, 8" x 8" square on #14 mesh, is off to be finished! My Mom finished stitching it for me, Thanks Mom! This is the first needlepoint canvas I've done completely in Vineyard Merino. It's beautiful and feels so "needlepointy". The colors are a rich, matte color. I haven't stitched entirely in wool for more than 35 years. This new wool experience was fabulous! The look, the feel, the depth of wool without all the old wool hassles. Thank you Karen for giving the needlepoint world a new wool. I love it!
Last night I taught the first of 3 two hour classes for the Painted Stitches Butterfly. The class description was: " Painted Stitches Butterfly is a great way to learn to use a variety of threads and stitches on the painted canvas. The 11 specialty stitch blocks are stitch painted, two-step decorative stitches on this 8" x 8" canvas on #14 mesh.. Painted Stitches Butterfly design helps the stitcher learn how to compensate stitches because the compensation is painted on the canvas. We will be stitching with a variety of specialty threads. 2 step color stitch diagrams included. " Each bag had the Butterfly canvas, Stitch Guide, #22 & #18 needles, and I kitted up the threads ahead of time in little bags for each block. We went through the first 4 blocks. I talked about using a larger needle for specialty threads, using thread straighteners to relax fibers, how these blocks were about stitching regular and in mirror of the stitch diagrams and how to compensate the stitches. I also showed everyone where threads were located in the shop and picked canvases from the shop walls to show where decorative could be used on other needlepoint canvases. I think it went well, I hope everyone had fun! I did.
It's recommended to stitch specialty threads with a larger needle. I would normally use a #22 needle on #14 mesh needlepoint canvas. I didn't have a larger needle so I was stitching the Gold Rush thread with the #22 needle. I was having a hard time. Yesterday I got a larger needle. They didn't have any #20 needles so I got a #18 needle. (the smaller the number the larger the needle) It was much easier! The theory is a large needle opens the mesh hole more and allows the specialty thread to glide through the hole. This prevents abrading the thread and you don't have to tug causing wear and damage. I'm happy with the #18 needle, even if it's a little too large because I can see the difference between sizes. I'm still stitching the night sky on Gingerbread Farmhouse. It's a slow go for me doing basketweave tent stitch on a frame!
I'm not a big "tool gal". Small sharp scissors and my needle threader are my only needlepoint tools. When I took the Fibers Class earlier this year I heard about Thread Straighteners. I thought, you've got to be kidding! But I'm trying to do things right so I bought a pair. Buy them!!! They are a must for metallic threads and any other thread with a kink in it. Wind the ends of the thread around the Thread Straighteners, pull the thread tight and then relax it to see if the bends are gone. If not repeat, pulling tighter. I've only broken one thread. You will get the feel of how hard to pull. By straightening the threads it keeps them smooth and stops them from popping up. Thread Straighteners are a must when stitching with Gold Rush.
Organization!!! I'm trying so hard to get everything together and in a usable fashion. Threads organized√ needlepoint projects completed√ Canvases to the finisher√ Organization of my computer information?!?!? I just switched computers, my old one was heating up to the point you could fry an egg on it. Switching computers is a terrible job but the up side is time to see what's hiding in the folders. I spent my weekend trying to get my needlepoint Stitch Guides and Stitch Sheets together. I have a long way to go but made some progress. Judy Harper was a huge help with getting them into .PDF form so they are easy to print. Thank you Judy! Please check out the Stitch Guides for Barbara Bergsten Designs. More will be added soon, I'm on a roll!
I have started stitching the my new Gingerbread Farmhouse. I've mounted it on a scroll frame to keep it straight and help needlepoint specialty threads and decorative stitches lay flat. With this "Stitch Along" I'm going to try to talk about the threads as well as the stitches I'm using. The Night Sky is stitched in basketweave tent stitch. I used this stitch because the thread, Rainbow Gallery's GOLD RUSH, is very lively and I think a decorative stitch would fight the effect of the thread for the sky. Another option would be to use long stitches, but I wanted the sky to look tight and sparkly with lots of color change and depth. I learned the hard way to stitch with short threads, this is not a thread to "scoop stitch", a firm up and down is needed. I highly recommend Rainbow Gallery 237C Gold Rush for a beautiful night sky.
I added beads to fill in the open parts in the Hungarian Cross Stitch. The top part of the picture is with the beads added, the bottom part of the picture is the stitch as it is shown in the diagram. I think the beads give this simple design a little more depth. Next to the canvas is the "Tacky Bob". This needlepoint tool is a MUST when using beads. Your local needlepoint shop should have them. The Ladybug is off to the finisher. I'm going to have the canvas put in a small tote bag. I'll post when it returns!
Recent Comments