A Bit More About Whipped Backstitch Outlines

I've continued working whipped backstitches all around the perimeter of O'jishi's face.  Since I'm using one ply of my golden Gloriana silk for the backstitches and the whipped stitch, the result is a thin raised line.  I've included a huge image of as much of the design as I can get on my scanner bed without taking the canvas off the stretcher bars and have my fingers crossed you can see the effect around the outside of his face.

While I worked, I thought about whipped backstitch and have come up with some conclusions about how to work this stitch successfully on NP canvas.  First, so you don't have to go back through Blog to find it, here is a link explaining how backstitch (which is the foundation of whipped backstitch) is done.
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/10/embroidery-stitch-video-tutorial_24.html

Now, also from Mary Corbet's site, is whipped backstitch.  Her stitch tutorials have both a short video demonstration and a written explanation, by the way.  I think they are terrific!
http://www.needlenthread.com/2006/11/whipped-backstitch-video-tutorial.html

These are embroidery stitches, normally done on something like linen or Aida fabric.  When you stitch on NP canvas, especially on top of other stitches, you have to adjust the stitch technique slightly.  It is important to make the backstitches the same length, which is difficult on NP canvas, especially following curves like the outline of the mask face.  I tried to always make each backstitch four holes long, coming up in one hole, skipping the next hole, and going down in the third one.  Sometimes I had to cover four holes, however.  Or two.  You will have to compensate backstitches and whipped backstitches.  I just did the best I could.

I did think about using a sharp needle to make my backstitches more even when the available length was longer/shorter than the norm, but finally decided there wasn't enough compensation to make this necessary.  If you try this on your canvas, you may decide differently.

When you are ready to whip the backstitches foundation, it helps NOT to have a sharp needle.  It is going to be difficult to avoid catching some of the background threads as you work, and a sharp needle makes it easier to split stitches which you do not want to do.  Occasionally, I whipped with the needle eye instead of the tip but generally I found it easier to slide my needle's tip under the backstitch I was going to whip over.

Whip always in the same direction (I worked from right toward the left when inserting the needle) and when you get to a longer than usual backstitch, you might need to make two whips instead of one.

I hope these tips help anyone who tries whipped backstitch on a needlepoint canvas.

I plan to shovel more snow (I need to clear the porch if at all possible today) and also finish the whipped backstitches around O'jishi's eyes, nose and forehead.  After that, I need to see what finishing touches the canvas calls for.  Border stitch, anyone?

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

Beaded Warts

I've actually gotten some stitching done between snow shoveling sessions and trips to the basement to feed the wood stove.  (Not to mention trips to the kitchen to feed the family!)  I've gotten all the beads attached to the O'jishi mask.  I wish you could see them in person.  They look terrific!

I used gold/copper hex beads from Mill Hill's Magnifica line (#10012) in the bulk of the warts, but I did mix in a few Toho 11/0 silver lined gold hex beads (#1955-008) for warts that were painted white instead of old and for dots here and there on his nose that were tiny warts without a metallic bead cup to sit in.  The Toho beads look yellow, especially on top of the gold silk.  Mixing the two colors of beads on the canvas adds a bit of extra interest and allows me to follow the shading of the painted bumps.

In a few places I put two beads inside a bead cup stitch for the larger warts.  I hope you can see in the photograph how I mixed the two colors, used beads without a bead cup, and added two beads in some places to vary the warts.

I need to work on backstitching a lot today between shoveling sessions.  And I am seriously tempted to make a pan of fudge and eat the whole thing after all that physical activity shoveling snow!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

What's A Threadaholic To Do?

I am pretty much stuck at home under 18-24 inches of snow, depending on where I measure.  Some of us love snow!  We eat it, we lay in it, we run around like a maniac in it.

But some of us don't!  (Especially when it is still falling.  The white streaks above are snowflakes coming down hard.)  I'm one of the latter group.  So what's a threadaholic to do when they are stuck at home four days before Christmas?  Why, do Internet shopping, of course!

Fireside Stitchery sent an email this morning reminding me of their yearly clubs which are about to start up again.  My favorite is their unique Thread Collectors Club.  Have a thread you adore that you can't get locally?  For a monthly fee, have a selection of colors sent to your door. You collect your favorite brand at a discount a month at a time.  Here are all the thread brands they offer this way.
http://www.firesidestitchery.com/fs/clubs/index.cfm?fuseaction=getClubList&CategoryId=2&showStart=1&groupNo=1

Nordic Needle also emailed me this morning.  Their weekly newsletter has specials, including a pages and pages of threads on sale.  There is a lot of Kreinik metallics available, mostly in Cord and the larger 12, 16 and 24 sizes, and they have selected colors of Silk Mori and Silk Serica also on sale.  Check out the selection here.
http://www.nordicneedle.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=NN&Offset=0&Category_Code=L06-00-00&ph=&pl=&CpField=&CpValue=&show=&SortBy=&Search=

If you are more interested in monthly canvas clubs, how about the feathers and fur group, the nature set, or the Getting Ready for Christmas club What's the Point offers?  Click on the photo of the stitched example to see the entire set.  By the way, if you are a Buckeye fan, click on the Buckeye Corner link on the left side of the page to see Ohio-specific canvases.
http://www.whatsthepoint.biz/clubs.php

That ought to keep us busy until all the snow melts!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

December Canvas of the Month (Jane)

The December Canvas of the Month is a 4 inch ornament (on 18 count canvas) from Rebecca Wood Designs called "Down the Chimney".  Chosen by Bonnie because of its simple and traditional design, you can see the canvas and others in the series on the Rebecca Wood website.
http://www.rebeccawooddesigns.com/ornaments.asp?pageno=24

Jane writes:

This traditional design would make a lovely ornament no matter how you stitch it, but since the holiday season is always so rushed, I thought I would try to stitch it a bit differently in a very simple style.  You will need just one thread, either Kreinik's 032 frosty white in blending filament size or Accentuate #300 Opal White.  You could also go gold instead of sparkling white and use Kreinik's 002 gold in blending filament or Accentuate #023 Gold.

Now stitch snowflakes all over the canvas.  Use stitches like the Square Eyelet

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/98-08.php

and the Smyrna Cross

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/1999/99-02.php

as well as the Double Straight Cross

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2001/01-03.php

and perhaps a few Upright Crosses to scatter big and small snowflakes across the design.

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/1999/99-04.php

If you want a large star in the night sky, use the Medallion Stitch (although I'd stick to just snowflakes myself).

http://www.needlepoint.org/StitchOfTheMonth/2002/Nov.php

If you are feeling particularly fancy, put a few crystal clear beads (preferably the hex shaped ones to add sparkle like Mill Hill's Magnifica beads #G11009) in the center of some of the largest snowflakes.  It will also add to the festive snow and ice feeling if you use the same beads to bead the rounded edge of the ornament in finishing.  If you choose gold instead of white for your snowflakes, use a few gold beads, preferably Mill Hill's Magnifica beads in #G11036 Victorian Gold as they sparkle more than round beads.

Finish this with either white or gold braid trim into a round ornament.  Put a piece of gold lame underneath the canvas so that more sparkle shows through.  Hang this on your tree, turn on the Christmas lights, and enjoy!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow

December Canvas of the Month (Bonnie)

The December Canvas of the Month is a 4 inch ornament (on 18 count canvas) from Rebecca Wood Designs called "Down the Chimney".  Chosen by Bonnie because of its simple and traditional design, you can see the canvas and others in the series on the Rebecca Wood website.
http://www.rebeccawooddesigns.com/ornaments.asp?pageno=24

Bonnie writes:

First of all warm holiday wishes to everyone who reads this!

This looks like a fun little canvas!  I may have to add it as an ornament to stitch for my girl’s ornament boxes.  I have these boxes with a few ornaments of various techniques that I have made over the years for them with the idea that when they leave home they will have a start for a tree of their own.  I started this the plan of adding one ornament a year, but that didn’t really work.  Some years I add two, some one, some none, but the collection is growing.

This Santa needs some rich textures for his robe and bag, but since the ornament is small there isn’t a lot of room for decorative stitches.

I would start with the Santa suit in a small diagonal brick or a tent stitch (maybe over 2) trying to match the shading with 2 colors of Silk ‘N Ivory. Since the area is so small may find it easier to just tent.    Fur trim in encroaching gobelin – Silk n’ Ivory to match the rest of the coat or a furry fiber, either one slightly brushed when done stitching.  Maybe do turkey tufting for the pom-pom on his hat.  Gloves, a simple tent stitch in Silk ‘N Ivory.  The belt would be a vertical satin stitch in Patent Leather or Ultra Suede.  And finally the boots would be a diagonal satin stitch in patent leather.

Santa’s face and his features are done in a strandable silk in tent stitch since it is such a small area.  His beard and mustache are tent stitched in a fuzzy very white fiber like Designers Dream and then random french knots over the top. May need to add a second color to get shading between beard and mustache or decide to let it all grow together with one color.  Make sure you don’t use the same fiber for his beard/mustache as you did for the coat!

For the chimney, I would use framed brick Cashmere (Amy’s Cookbook chapter 14) in an overdyed cotton for the bricks and a solid color cotton floss for the frame (mortar).  Not sure I would worry about the different shades of the sides of the chimney when picking my colors or do something simple like just change the direction of the stitches on each side instead.  Snow would be Kreinik 032 braid or Caron Snow in random upright crosses (some long upright crosses, some ‘normal’) to try to get some depth or maybe just staggered cross stitches.

I would stitch Santa’s Bag with a T – stitch (also called woven stitch) in two shades of petite very velvet.  Add gold beads on top for the dots on the bag. For the tie on the top of the bag, use a length of Kreinik braid and tie a small bow on the top of the canvas or a knot with end dangling.

And last, the sky in a  4 way continental or Alicia’s lace with a 12 perle cotton or a single strand of cotton floss, just go right over the snowflakes and then add them on top.  Snowflakes, a Smyrna cross in 032 Kreinik braid – may want to vary the size of the braid to get different size snowflakes.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
Archived Yahoo 360 postings at http://profiles.yahoo.com/chillyhollow