I got a note through Yahoo 360's messaging system that I wasn't able to answer Friday morning. The default if you use this system to send messages is No Replies Allowed, so when Barbara asked what the heart stitch on Holi's skirt was called and where she could see the stitch diagrammed, I wasn't able to reply privately. Barbara, this stitch is called diagonal hearts.
Diagonal hearts, like most of the stitches on the pet guardian angels that are new to me, seems to have been created by the designer Kandace Merric. I have not seen this stitch anywhere else. I looked again last night in my books but it isn't there, at least not under this name. If you happen to have a copy of the February/March 1992 NP Plus, you can see diagonal hearts diagrammed. But I bet the percentage of people who have a copy in their collection is low.
So last night I pulled out my black 10 count plastic canvas and stitched a diagram. You see my pretty awful looking attempt above. I should have pulled some tapestry wool to stitch this so it wouldn't have looked so awful but I didn't have the time or energy to go looking for it last night so you all will have to forgive me for the twisted threads. It's not possible to get good stitches if you use so little thread for a larger count ground material. So stop snickering and look at the diagonal row of red hearts. This is the basis for the stitch. I hope you can see where the diagonal lines go over two lines and where they go over three. (If you count boxes, it's over one box or two.) Once you do a diagonal line of hearts, you add the orange tent stitches around each side of the hearts. The red bits are where a contrast like a metallic thread goes, also in a tent stitch. The partially completed heart in the second line of diagonal hearts shows how I center the next row to make sure everything fits correctly into the framework of tent stitches.
And that's it! Hope this is helpful, Barbara. Kandy Merric has made us a lovely stitch.
Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow
2 comments:
Thank you for posting the Diagonal Heart. Your description with photo is very helpful. I have been admiring this stitch on Holi dog, and am anxious to either recommend it in a Stitch Guide, or to stitch it myself. And thanks to Kandace Merric.
Hope you have fun with this stitch, Robin. I should have mentioned in the original instructions, Kandy used white perle cotton #5 for the hearts, gold Kreinik braid 002HL for the single tent stitches that separate the hearts and dot the framework and white Kreinik 032 for the tent stitch framework. It is very elegant done this way!
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