March Stitch of the Month - Glittering Kimono

The March stitch for Tony Minieri's Glittering Kimono project is up. The stitch is called Kimi Stitch. It's done in two parts. First you lay down a diagonal line of cashmere stitches, then you fill in the gaps between rows with a tent stitch, then a backwards leaning long stitch.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2009/mar.php

But before you start, MAKE SURE that you look at the road map diagram that shows where March/Stitch 2 belongs. I think Tony is tinkering with the placement of stitches because the first road map I printed out has this stitch as the wide ribbon that runs down from the right hand side shoulder. You'll find the road map at the bottom of this page. Click on the link and a PDF page will open. Make sure you understand where to put the March stitch before you start, especially if you printed this out early on.
http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2009/jan.php

In the photo above I've done my offset cashmere stitches using 2 plies of Gloriana silk # Jewel Blue on both sides, being very careful to leave 12 threads between each section for the edging trim. I also was careful to make sure my collar is 6 stitches high. It is a little difficult to make the curve of the collar but I probably can hide the rough area where the collar and edge trim meet the Kimi Stitch.

On the upper right side I've started filling in the empty spaces between the cashmere stitches with Kreinik #8 braid in 329. Note that Tony uses more plies and a larger metallic thread but I only had the right color of canvas in congress cloth so I am forced to go lighter weight and fewer plies to make this work. Not much of this step is done but the stitch diagram just appeared on the ANG website and insomnia only allows so much stitching time before you fall face down on the sofa!

It is a very pretty stitch and looks quite delicate. Makes you wonder who Kimi is and how she came to have a stitch named after her....

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Today's Thread Day

When I discovered the hibiscus had buds on it last week and one bloomed, well, I thought spring was here! I took the snow scraper out of my car, put the snow shovel and snow broom in the corner and started haunting the rose bed looking for signs of leaves. Sadly, this morning I am watching it snow hard here in Chilly Hollow. Sigh.

Oh, well, let's declare this thread day! Threads always cheer me up. With the TNNA trade show in January, there are always new thread colors coming out. Needle in a Haystack has a list of the new colors they've just gotten in and links to their online thread catalog where they have added pictures.

http://needlestack.typepad.com/whats_new/2009/02/more-new-thread-colors.html

Elmsley Rose has posted photos of several threads she is excited about on her blog. She does 17th Century reproduction embroidery so was excited to find several silk dyers selling their threads on eBay. One of them pointed her to Aurora Silk, my favorite silk perle line. The Aurora colors are gently faded as they are naturally dyed and the silk perle very easy to work with. The LNS that up and moved to PA (sob!) carried their threads so I stocked up before they left town. Lovely thread! Click on Needlework Silk to explore what they offer. Before I move on, check the photos Rose has posted of a Gilt Sylke piece. I've been very curious about this historical reproduction thread that mixes metal thread with silk into a perle twist since the Plimouth Plantation historical reproduction of an embroidered jacket started and they managed to have this made to their specifications. It looks like any project done with this very special and expensive thread will be special indeed!
http://elmsleyrose.blogspot.com/2009/02/historical-sampler-special-threads.html

Barbara Bergsten has shared tips on working with specialty threads she learned at a class at her local shop on her blog. It's an interesting read, and may help you figure out why you hate that thread everyone raves about.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/02/specialty-thread-tips.html

Michele Herron has been in class, too. She took a class at the TNNA show from Amy Bunger. (I am green with envy, Michele!) Read about her experience with new threads (and hot fix crystals) on her shop blog. By the way, I disagree with her on Princess Perle. I have to use short lengths but it doesn't misbehave with me. Obviously I am a much meaner stitcher! LOL
http://bristlythistle.blogspot.com/2009/02/needlepoint-peasant-dress.html

Before I close, I want to return to Barbara Bergsten's blog. Barbara is starting a new project, a butterfly canvas, to illustrate how you use a variety of threads and stitches on painted canvases. The real theme of this is compensation. If you are interested in learning from Barbara, here is the first posting of the Butterfly Stitch-along. Click on Main so see the first section of the butterfly.
http://createneedlepoint.typepad.com/create_needlepoint/2009/02/painted-stitches-butterfly-stitch-along-fixed.html

Now I need to go shovel off the porch!

Jane/Chilly Hollow
Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow