Friday Homework for Lesson 371: Cross and Twist Stitch

I have now compared the #43 Moss Stitch and the #371 Cross and Twist Stitch. I find that the latter is far easier to perform.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Red Silk Kimono Scribble Cloth

WIPW - World Embroidery Day Progress, among other things

 Work In Progress Wednesday and  World Embroidery Day Progress.

World Embroidery Day

Last week Thursday was World Embroidery Day, when we celebrate the joy of stitching.  

I filled in one block on the Canvas Sampler with #360 Basket Filling Stitch in blue.

 Furthermore, I started a sashiko kitchen cloth. It is a kit I found in the 100Yen shop called Seria.

Hexablooms

Three floral blocks were completed. Look carefully at the picture and you can see S17, T17 and U17, 

Row 17 is the last row, and what remains now is to make the flowers: # V, W, X, Y, Z and Aa. So six more blocks, and then they are all done!

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 371: Cross and Twist Stitch

Today we will start a new set of five stitches. The first one is a close relative to a stitch we learned nine years ago, in 2017 - the #43 Moss Stitch. Click on the link to see the instructions for it.

What we are learning today is the #371 Cross and Twist Stitch. The name tells you it is a crossed stitch. Printed instructions can be found in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.

The first part of both stitches is done in the same way - an individual cross. The cross is then given a third arm, which is tied into a knot in the middle, and here is where they differ; see the difference in a picture at the bottom of the post. Finally, the needle is taken to the back.

It sounds more complicated in written form than in pictures, so let's have a look at these photos:

Pull tight.

Anchor.

The completed Cross and Twist Stitch.

You can shorten (or lengthen) the third arm.

Mary Thomas also suggests that you work the 

third leg in a contrasting thread/colour/weight.

Here you can compare the #34 Moss Stitch and #371 Cross and Twist Stitch

Homework:

Play around with the Cross and Twist Stitch on the various samplers.

Friday Revision Homework - Stitches 366 - 370

If one stitch is called Balloon Stitch and another Whipped Stem, it is easy to come up with a design idea for this Sunbonnet Sue stitch sampler - child's play. 

Sunbonnet Sue is about 10 or 11 years old and enjoys her new striped hula hoop and the quaint balloons. One is like a woven rose, while the two others are square-ish and could be taken for kites...

The Colcha Stitch made a very nice stretchy top that clings to Sue's skinny body. What happened to her puppy fat? 

The same stitch made beautiful hair and a ponytail. The rest of the hair was woven into a Spider's Web bun.

 I quite like the Single Wave Stitch for her skirt. The waves make the skirt swing.

Stem Stitch and Straight Stitch were used for the outlines, socks and shoes.