Bullions

When I posted about the Golden Rabbit's bullion stitch paw, Mickstitch wrote this comment on Blogspot, "I love your bullions! Any tips on how to get them to lay flat? I've been practicing them for one of my current projects, but I always get an extra strand underneath that twists the bullion. Any suggestions?"

I thought perhaps Mickstitch wasn't pulling the tail of the loose end of thread tightly enough, or perhaps wasn't holding the wraps tightly enough to keep one from unraveling into that extra strand underneath. It's not possible to diagnose a problem without seeing the problem stitch but here are two websites with good instructions for making bullions.

The first is SharonB's site. She has a whole series of stitches here, all with clear instructions. Note that she is making a small bullion. When you are learning, just do a few wraps. A 20 wrap bullion is a lot harder to do than a 5 wrap. Wait until you understand the stitch before running wild, ok?
http://inaminuteago.com/stitchdict/stitch/Bullion.html

This site is by Carol of Stitchin Time. I think she is a counted thread and XS designer, although I'm not certain. Look carefully at the needle she uses to explain how to make a bullion. It is longer and thinner than the one SharonB used for a reason. Bullions are made by wrapping thread around a needle, then sliding the needle through the wraps. Using a needle with a narrower eye than tapestry needles means you don't have so much trouble sliding the needle through the middle of the stitches. A lot of folks use millinery or crewel needles for bullions since they have narrower eyes. That's my first tip--use a needle with a skinny eye! They will have sharp tips, though, so be careful. By the way, MickStitch, perhaps your bullions are curving because you did too many wraps for the area you want to cover? Carol is curving her bullions because she is making roses from them.
http://www.needlework-tips-and-techniques.com/bullion-stitch.html

Another tip I've heard--as you pull the needle through the wraps you've made, think of this little rhyme. "Pull his tail, tickle his tummy." Pull the needle through the wraps, and continue to pull on the thread to snug the bullion down on the ground fabric. Don't rush this and use the tip of the needle to gently stroke the underside of the bullion so it lies smoothly. Bullions actually are about practicing until you get the tension right. You have to wrap the thread around your needle tightly but not too tightly, then hold the wraps steady with one hand as you pull the needle through the wraps with the other. This takes practice.

Gay Ann Rogers is called the Queen of Bullions by her students. Want to know why? Check this out!
http://www.gayannrogers.com/site_2/Bullion_Knots.html

Gay Ann says if you practice bullions ten minutes a day for ten days, you will own this stitch. I recommend you try it! You won't "get" this stitch immediately but you will eventually and it will become second nature.

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

Golden Rabbit Finished

While the computer was in the shop, I finished the basketweaved background around Kandace Merric's Georgian Rabbit, the last of the six pet guardian angels that I'm stitching to add to a group of these ornaments that will be auctioned next fall at ANG's Seminar to raise money for ANG programs. You see the Golden Rabbit above. Note that her halo is surrounded by three gold Mill Hill beads topped by a pale copper Toho bead for contrast.

Below you see the Golden Rabbit with the final touch added--a Mill Hill "Glass Treasure" which is a glass charm that has a hole in the top leg of the star. I simply sewed it on with a few passes of a ply of cream silk through the ecru background stitches. I like this final touch and feel lucky I noticed the star at Scarlet Thread during my stopover there on the way to the computer repair place. Thanks, Sara Leigh! Hope you all like how she turned out.


The next step is to finish all the ornaments and write up instructions so that the other folks stitching angels have something to use to finish their ornaments themselves. I plan to post step by step instructions here and then send a more coherent and polished set of instructions to the participants in this stitch-along. Whether you stitched an angel or not, I hope you find the instructions helpful. I'm going to start working on them this holiday weekend.

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