A Brief Light Coverage Tutorial, Part One UPDATED

One of today's needlepoint style trends is to not completely cover very detailed and shaded parts of a canvas with thread, but to choose open stitches that allow the shading to show through.   I've noticed people are curious about the technique so I thought I'd give some general  information on light coverage if you want to try it.

First of all, any stitch can be used for light coverage, even tent stitches.  Just use a lighter weight thread than normal.  Think about basketweave on a face—on 18 count one would normally use 3-4 plies of a cotton floss to cover.  Try using 1-2 plies instead.  Often the features (nose lines especially) will show through the thread and you can easily skip stitching those.  In the example pictured above, this discontinued Melissa Shirley 13 count design had the face stitched with one strand of Impressions, which allowed the expressive facial feature lines to shine through.  The nose, ear and neck lines were not stitched in gray.  You simply see the gray paint showing past the white Impressions.

When you use lighter coverage stitches, you are going to have to use different techniques to start or end threads since often there is no good place to tie off your stitches unless a heavier stitched area is next door.  (Red Geisha's face threads could be buried behind the robe area or her wig since those areas were full coverage.  Here is an older Blog article about starting and ending threads for light coverage stitches.
https://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2010/06/anchoring-ends-when-stitching-light.html

Here's another, more technical explanation from Joni Stevenson.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/10/those-pesky-ending-threads.html

There are a whole series of books that talk about light coverage stitches. (See above.)  All three of Brenda Hart's books Favorite Stitches, Favorite Stitches II and Stitches for the Millennium (in the back row) feature stitches that work well in light coverage.  dede Odgen calls light coverage stitches Shadow Stitching and she has two books on the topic.  I own More Shadow Stitching but not Shadow Stitching.  The final book I recommend SuZy Murphy's Lite Stitches.  However, you can use any stitch as a light coverage stitch.  If you like darning stitches, the Finger Step Designs books has one you might be interested in.
http://store.apneedlearts.com/045485.html

UPDATE:  SharonG's "It's About Darn Time" is also a great reference for darning stitches.
http://nimbleneedlenj.com/product/its-about-darn-time/

Plus Amy Bunger's "Barely There" DVD is very useful as it is all about light coverage.
https://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-amy-bungers-barely-there-dvd.html

If you just want a few stitch ideas, read what Mary Legallet has to say about light coverage stitches, which she calls Open Work.
http://www.whimsicalstitch.com/whimsicalwednesdays/2015/8/19/open-sesame

Tomorrow I'll talk about the problems of mixing light and regular coverage stitches on a canvas.  See you then!

Here's the link to Part Two for those who arrived late to the party--https://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-brief-light-coverage-tutorial-part-two.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 20, 2017 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Techniques with Joni: Coming Up/Going Down in the Same Hole

Joni Stevenson has posted another fascinating article on her blog about coming up and going down in the same hole. She discusses all the ways to do this and explains the drawbacks of each.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2015/12/turning-corner-with-couched-thread.html

Fascinating!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 14, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Key to Compensating a Compound Stitch

The key to compensating a compound stitch is planning ahead according to Joni Stevenson as she continues her terrific compensation series.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2014/10/it-never-hurts-to-plan-ahead.html

If you aren't familiar with Joni's blog, please explore.  She's a fabulous teacher and there is a wealth of information there on better technique that will make your next piece better than ever.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright October 26, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Heidi Goes to Seminar with NJNA UPDATED 8/27

Heidi and her friends from the New Jersey Needle Artists Chapter have arrived in Chicago for the 2014 ANG Seminar.   They plan to blog about the experience and have invited us to listen in.  Here are their postings so far.  I'll update this article as classes begin.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/22/getting-to-chicago/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/22/we-have-arrived/

UPDATES:
Rosie is taking Chicago Blues from Joni Stevenson.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/23/chicago-blues/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/chicago-blues-day-2/

Carol's in the class as well.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/first-day-with-chicago-blues/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/25/chicago-blues-second-day/

Carol is also taking Margaret Kinsey's Little Yellow Basket class.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/the-little-yellow-basket/

Heidi is taking American Mosaic from Gail Sirna.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/23/day-one-of-american-mosaic/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/day-two-of-american-mosaic/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/25/day-three-of-american-mosaic/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/day-four-of-american-mosaic/

http://ornadesign.blogspot.com/2014/09/im-back.html

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/09/02/forward-plans/

So is Sue.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/23/stitching-across-america/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/almost-to-the-mississippi-river/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/25/crossing-the-mississippi/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/roaring-thought-the-western-states/

DMB is taking Puzzle Pieces from Jackie Murawski.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/23/puzzle-pieces-first-day-progress/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/puzzle-pieces-day-2/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/puzzle-pieces-day-3-and-4/

Heidi is starting her second Seminar class, Toni Gerdes' Geometric Butterfly Angel, explains what a class angel is, and reports on her door prize!
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/25/geometric-butterfly-angel/

Rosie's also taking the Toni Gerdes class Geometric Butterfly.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/26/geometric-butterfly-bittersweet-endings/

Sue is taking Toni Gerdes' Jasper class and is finished!
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/12/26/jasper-completed-on-christmas-eve/

Sue is taking Nancy Cucci's beading class and learning how simple changes can make a big impact.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/28/beadazzled-is-dazzling/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/29/end-of-a-great-seminar/

Heidi is in Sue Reed's Spirit class.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/28/the-spirit-of-chicago/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/29/all-good-things-must-come-to-an-end/

Sue worked on Sedona: Cathedral Rocks from Lois Kershner and has finished it.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2015/02/16/sedona-cathedral-rock-complete/

So of course everyone is hungry!
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/24/dinner-at-weber-grill/

Wednesday is often a free day with no classes so Heidi took tours.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/not-your-grandmothers-needlepoint/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/an-unstitched-day/

http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/28/silent-auction-teacher-expo-excursions-and-expo/

So did Sue and Rosie.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/27/stitching-what-is-that/

Diane has taken the time to summarize her Seminar experience now that she is home.
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/28/reflection-on-seminar/

Heidi's home, too, and exhausted!
http://blog.njneedleartists.org/2014/08/28/back-in-new-jersey/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 23, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Traveling Threads: Avoid Seeing Them on the Front UPDATED

If you do a lot of needlepoint, eventually you will have a situation where the threads on the back side show through to the front. Joni Stevenson shows you how to hide a traveling thread on the back of a canvas that runs from one spot to the next.  
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2013/11/hiding-travel-threads.html

I have my fingers crossed she'll tackle other situations in which the thread on the back side shows up on the front.

Hurrah!  Joni has added new information, this time on hiding traveling threads in compensated edges.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2013/12/keep-compensated-edges-neat-and-clean.html

Next, she discusses hiding traveling threads in large cross stitches.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2014/02/the-large-cross-stitch-and-hiding.html

http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-large-cross-stitch-and-hiding.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Medieval Medley

Because Joni Stevenson's blog is full of stitching tips and help, we forget sometimes that she teaches all over. Here is her Medieval Medley stitched by Jan for your viewing pleasure. It's it lovely?!
http://threadmedley.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/medieval-medley-by-joni-stevenson-finale/

Didn't know Joni had a blog?  Here's the link.  What are you waiting for?!
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com

You can see more of her beautiful teaching pieces on her website.  She's a very talented designer and teacher.  I've particularly partial to "The Wave."  What's your favorite?
http://www.jonisdesigns.com/Workshops.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Mark the Date to Go to Camden

The New England Needle Festival will be August 17th in Camden, Maine soon.  Susan just posted about it on Facebook.  Joni Stevenson is going to teach a class.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=632951773401356&set=o.108537025890131&type=1&theater

Yes, THAT Joni Stevenson!
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com

You can find out more or sign up for Joni's class through Fox View Needlepoint.  Wish I could be there.  Maine is gorgeous in the summer!  (It's gorgeous in the winter as well, but not nearly as easy to visit through all that snow and cold.)
http://www.foxview.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Railroading

While I've been working on my current Top Secret piece I've been railroading.  Ever heard of it?

Here's what the Cross Stitch guide at About.com says about railroading.
http://crossstitch.about.com/od/learnhowtocrossstitch/ss/railroadingtech.htm

Joni Stevenson has some wonderful things to say about laying threads that really apply here.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/08/laying-threads.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

All Rhodes

I don't always mention each and every posting that Joni Stevenson writes on her Creative Stitch blog, but that doesn't mean I don't read and study every word. This week Joni's discussion is about the Rhodes stitch and its creator.    Her first posting discusses compensating Rhodes stitches.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2013/04/rhodes-stitch-compensation.html

The second is a little about the stitch's creator, Mary Rhodes.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2013/04/do-you-know-about-mary-rhodes.html

 I can tell from what Joni says that she reads stitch books not for new stitches, but for the information that the writers have beyond a particular stitch.  This information is priceless--it is wisdom from our stitching ancestors which we should cherish, ponder and listen to.

It might be time for me to rummage through my stitch library and pull out Art of Canvas Embroidery.  I may be experienced enough a stitcher to appreciate it now, which I certainly wasn't when I bought it in the late 1980s!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
@ Copyright 2013 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

While Stitching to the Olympics....

...Your mind starts to wander and you ponder stitching as a sports metaphor.  The Summer Games are over but this is worth thinking on while watching baseball, football, gold, any sport you adore.
http://www.mrxstitch.com/2012/08/13/improving-your-stitch-new-world-record/

If you don't have anyone nearby to act as coach as described above, visit Joni Stevenson's blog and take her tips for better stitching to heart.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

How to Use a Laying Tool

If you need a refresher on how to use a laying tool, or if you have never used one and are curious about them, you need to spend a little time at Joni Stevenson's blog.  There are definitely tricks to getting the best results from laying tools!
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/08/laying-threads.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Accidental Shadow Stitching (with Remedies)

Joni Stevenson continues her excellent Creative Stitch blog with tips on avoiding dark shadows behind your work.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/06/thread-shadows.html

http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/07/thread-shadows-part-2.html


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Hiding Where Different Stitches Meet

Joni Stevenson's latest topic is what to do with the empty space between straight and diagonal stitches.   This isn't compensation exactly, but knowing how to make different stitches lie next to each other without a blank space is an important skill to master. Joni explains all and gives you help in hiding these joins.  She also promised more help on hiding joins between other types of stitches, so stay tuned.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/05/straight-stitches-next-to-diagonal.html

http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/06/straight-stitch-compensation-and-canvas.html

Better yet, bookmark this important site.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

How to Prevent Dandruff (and Why)

Diane is about to start stitching a large nutcracker canvas with a huge amount of white background. She has decided to paint the white background so that no matter what stitch Amy Bunger recommends when Diane takes this canvas to an Amy class, no white bits of canvas (often called "dandruff") show.  Here's how she learned to paint out white background.
http://dianestakingtimeouttoneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2012/05/dry-brushing-nutcracker-canvas.html

If you are unfamiliar with canvas dandruff, or want to know other ways of preventing it, settle down with Joni Stevenson for another terrific explanation of stitching techniques and how to improve your finished project.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/05/canvas-coverage.html

http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/05/look-at-cross-stitch-and-fabric.html


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Tent Stitch

Joni Stevenson has written a series of essays on tent stitches that you will want to read and re-read.   It's dense going, but if you want to improve how you make tent stitches, it's a Must Read.  Joni starts out with a look at the three different stitches in the tent stitch family.  You'll learn all about half cross, continental and basketweave, from their disadvantages to how best to end threads if you are basketweaving, and there are plenty of good photos to illustrate Joni's points.  If you've never understood how to use the weave of the canvas to do beautiful basketweave, read this.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/04/tent-stitch-part-1.html

Once you understand part one, settle down with Joni and read part two, which talks about basketweave in detail, particularly how to achieve a smooth look when you change colors, and also explains why stitching tent stitches on linen and on needlepoint canvas is different.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/04/tent-stitch-part-2.html

In part three, Joni talks in depth about starting and stopping threads when you are doing basketweave. Her technique will keep the starting point for a new thread from showing on the front as a hole.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/04/tent-stitch-part-3.html

The last tent stitch article talks about ending waste knots and about pin stitches, then goes on to analyze the best starting points for large areas of basketweave.
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/2012/04/tent-stitch-part-4.html

My favorite book  about basketweave (and the only one I've ever seen that treats basketweave in depth although Joni says Jane Zimmerman has also talked about basketweave) is Davie Hyman's The Diagonal Basket Weave.  This book is out of print but well worth hunting down.  There's nothing about basketweave that Davie didn't understand and explain well, including how to basketweave if you are left handed.  Here's a bit about the last (fourth?) edition of this wonderful book.
http://www.daviehyman.com/book.htm

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

The Teacher Speaks

I have some good news--Joni Stevenson has started a blog!
http://creative-stitch.blogspot.com/

Joni is a teacher and certified judge of needlepoint.  In other words, she's forgotten more than I ever knew, but luckily she is willing to share that knowledge.  Her first blog entry explains stitch compensation.  It's a Must Read for anyone who has trouble truncating a stitch when they reach the edge of an area.  The second article is about starting/ending threads when doing light coverage stitching and it is full of helpful information.  There are going to be at least two more entries that illustrate how to start/stop each step of a complex light coverage stitch so that the threads on the back don't show.  Very useful information!

If these are not topics that interest you, her website shows off her classes and also has a page about the Stitching for Autism fundraiser.  Regardless I expect to learn a lit visiting with Joni and I've bookmarked her site for regular visits.
http://www.jonisdesigns.com/Home_Page.html


Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

Morning Has Broken: A Supplement to What is Needlepoint

Last fall I had the privilege of going to Baltimore for the 2007 ANG Seminar. I was asked to write about the exhibit award winners for ANG's "What is Needlepoint?" section of their website. Now that ANG has redone the website and posted the winners for 2007, I want to add something to what I said about the pieces there. If you aren't familiar with "What is Needlepoint?," please visit ANG's website and click on the 2007 section to see what I said.

http://www.needlepoint.org/whatis.php

If you read my blurb instead of just being mesmerized by the fantastic stitching, you know I awarded my own ribbon for the piece I'd most like to take home. Due to the cost, ANG only photographed award winners, so I was unable to include a photo of this piece, although I described it thoroughly in my narrative on the ANG website. Through the kindness of the stitcher, Joni Stevenson, I am able to post a photograph of the lake scene I found so charming here on Blog.

Joni, who is working through ANG's Master Teacher Program and who will teach a piece at the Milwaukee seminar, has won ANG ribbons for various pieces over the years and has taught for ANG and EGA chapters. In fact, the 2007 winner of First Place in the Adaptation/Non-Professional category, a Judges Award, and the Best in Show piece was stitched by Joni. Clearly she is a master of the needle. Joni graciously wrote a bit about how she came up with this original design below, including listing the threads and stitches she choose to convey early morning fishing trips on the lake.

I hope you enjoy looking at Joni's original piece entitled "Morning Has Broken" which would look really good hanging over my mantel here in Chilly Hollow....


************************************************************************************************* This piece, Morning Has Broken, is dedicated to my husband, who last summer could not convince me or one of our four children to get up at the crack of dawn to go canoeing. I told him that the only family member that would be willing to do that would be the dog.

I have used a complementary color scheme of blue-violet and yellow-orange, which are the colors of first light. Early in the morning the fog lies across the water and in between the small islands before it is burned off by the warm sunlight of the day. The serenity of the moment is held in check by the quiet passage of a canoe across the lake. The quiet, peaceful horizontal lines of the islands and the quiet, strong vertical lines of the trees are contrasted with the sharp diagonal lines of the light of the newly risen sun pushing the dark of the night away. Soon noise and activity will be the dominant force on the lake, but for now it is still peaceful.

My choice of color scheme was purposeful in the respect that I wanted to test myself to see if I could achieve a good design using only two colors and their tints, tones and shades, including the tones created by the mixture of the two tertiary colors, which is a lovely neutral brown-gray. The most important aspect of a complementary color scheme is the control and use of value. While the premise is a peaceful moment on the calm water, I needed something more so as not to have the design be too boring. I emphasized the drama of the breaking morning by juxtaposing the light values of the sunlight with the dark values of the sky and water. I started by painting the slash of yellow-orange across the sky, followed by painting the rest of the 18 count canvas blue-violet.

The threads and stitches were chosen to complement the item being stitched. The clouds in the sky are stranded cotton threads, with several colors mixed in the needle to show the reflection of the sun on the underside of the clouds. The stitch I choose was a diagonal stitch because the clouds are in motion.

The background hills are stitched in tent stitch using Impressions, a silk and wool blend. I like to build the picture from the background to the foreground, so the trees are stitched on top of the background hills. The lightest value of the Impressions was used to simulate a foggy effect around the base of the hills.

The small islands and trees are stitched with wools and cotton threads. One of my favorite wool threads is RG's Twedie 18. (I am so unhappy that they are discontinuing making this thread. The color mixtures in this wool thread are wonderful to work with, and Rainbow Tweed does not come close to replacing it, in my opinion.) The trees in the far background are surface-stitched with random straight stitches in a single strand of dark cotton thread. The trees in the midground area are stitched in Outline Stitch (trunk) and random Gobelin stitches for the branches. We have white pine trees where I live and they have a wonderful airy look to them. The randomness of the Gobelin stitches are used to achieve that effect. I like to use several colors in my trees, not just green or brown. There is gray and navy blue in the trees also.

The water is stitched in stranded silk using a horizontal stitch to achieve a quiet, calm effect. I used silk here instead of cotton because it has more of a smooth, shiny quality to it, for the reflections in the water. I made the canoe out of silk dupioni fabric painted a darker value of the sky color, and the man and dog are stitched on Congress cloth and appliqued to the ground canvas. The dog's ears are covered wire, so that the ear facing the viewer stands out from the dog's head.

The man is facing away from the viewer, in the process of slowly paddling the canoe. He is stitched tent in stranded cotton and the dog is stitched in Encroaching Gobelin using Wisper threads.

I tried to use threads, colors and stitches to achieve realistic effects in this piece.

Joni Stevenson

****************************

I think you suceeded beautifully, Joni. Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of original needle art!


Main blog at http://blog.360.yahoo.com/chillyhollow