Stitch Your Stash Around the World Workshop

Stitch Your Stash Around the World Workshop

The Trip Around the World was a popular pattern during the 1930's. Trip Around the World quilts are loved for their simplicity and striking use of color gradation. It is a very basic block quilt that’s only distinction is the way in which the squares are arranged in radiating diamonds of various colors. "Trip Around the World" is the Mennonite name for this pattern, it is also called "Sunshine and Shadow", "Color Splash" and (if the patchwork pieces are very small) "Postage Stamp". We will be taking the spirit of this quilt pattern and converting it to a needlepoint piece. Above are examples of quilts and pattern to help us pick our color combinations.

The objective is to learn new diagonal needlepoint stitches covering 12 mesh strands using your own stash. Each stitcher picks their own threads, colors, size, shape and stitches. The foundation of the canvas is built on the Trip Around the World quilt.

 

Step 1: Blank canvas 18” x 18”, #14 mesh, Tape edges.

Step 2: Pick Threads – 8 different threads

Pull out your stash!!! Now what? We need 8 different threads but where to start. Color # 1 is a natural focal point, but you need only a tiny bit. Color # 2 is a darker shade of Color # 1. We will also need only a small amount. Colors # 3, 4, 5 are all in the same family. We will need the most of this group. Pick a color family you really like. Color # 6 is a neutral. We need a medium amount of this thread. Colors # 7 & 8 are a different color family. We need a medium amount of these two colors.

Step 3: Label threads

Write down your color choices. I also snip a small amount of the thread and tape it next to my written color. This helps me from getting mixed up!

Color # 1: _______________________________________

Color # 2: _______________________________________

Color # 3: _______________________________________

Color # 4: _______________________________________

Color # 5: _______________________________________

Color # 6: _______________________________________

Color # 7: _______________________________________

Color # 8: _______________________________________

Step 4: Stitching the Blocks

Find the center of your canvas lightly pencil in a 12 x 12 mesh threads box. Then continue to mark out all boxes or count each group of blocks.

Block 1 - Framed Star Stitch

Stitch Tips: Don’t pull this stitch to tight. Depending on the thickness of the thread you may want to frame or leave the stars unframed. Unframed more mesh will show through and be a “lacier” stitch. Framed you will cover more of the mesh. Finish all the stars and then decide if you want to frame them.

Block 2 – Mosaic Stripe

Stitch Tips: I’m needlepointing these four blocks in two colors. It’s much easier to stitch a two step stitch in two different colors. I’m stitching the short tent stitch stripe first in the light color of Block 1 and the diagonal mosaic stripe in the darker color I chose for Block 2 second.

Block 3 – Reverse Scotch/Cashmere Stitch

Stitch Tips: Block 3 is a combination of two easy stitches. Count down six mesh threads from the upper right corner and stitch two scotch stitches on the diagonal. Repeat in lower left corner. Start Reverse Scotch stitch in upper right corner of Block 3 continue diagonally to lower left corner. Fill in block with vertical and horizontal cashmere stitches. Stitch the Cashmere stitch continuously (without the single stitches except at the ends).

Block 4 – Byzantine Stitch

Stitch Tips: Start stitching on the upper left of Block 4, three threads down. Then follow diagram. Stitches are over three diagonal mesh threads. Fill in with shorter stitches where necessary after completely the full stitches.

Block 5 – Milanese Stitch

Stitch Tips: This stitch has little arrowheads in one direction then the arrowheads go in the opposite direction for the next row. Start the stitch in the upper left corner. To make sure the single stitches are in line draw a diagonal line through the block before starting.

Block 6 – Rosemary Stitch

Stitch Tips: Start in the upper right hand corner of block. At the end of block you will need to do a continental stitch shadow frame to cover all 12x12 stitches.

Block 7 – T-Stitch

Stitch Tips: Start in the upper right hand corner of block. I find it easiest to do all the right slanting stitches first and then go back and fill in with the left slanting stitches. This is an open, lacy stitch that leaves some canvas showing through the fibers.

Block 8 – Interlocking Goblin

Stitch Tips: This is our last block. The square is then finished out with two rows of Block 6 and Block 7 in the corners. I started my block 1 thread down and 1 thread over on the upper right. I did some fill in stitches on the right side when the block was finished.

Areas to use specialty needlepoint stitches*:

Framed Star Stitch – clothing, bushes, flowers, architecture

Mosaic Stripe Stitch – background, floors, walls, water

Reverse Scotch Cashmere Stitch – borders, backgrounds, architecture

Byzantine Stitch – architecture, clothing, leaves

Milanese Stitch – clothing, mountains, wreaths

Rosemary Stitch - border

T – Stitch – background, grass, water, clouds

Interlocking Goblin Stitch – fur, grass, trees, large blocks of color

All Stitch Diagram ©2007 Ruth Schmuff , *http://www.ruthdiltsdesign.com/