Melitastitches4fun's Blog

Last month, my ANG Main Line Stitchers chapter has started Circles by Lois Kershner, the ANG 2008 Stitch of the Month.

We are not going in the order Lois did so we have the background to stitch over the long winter months. I am very happy that Lisa, a chapter member, agreed to lead the project. I’ve wanted to do this for awhile. This month we stitched the Smyrna Cross Eyelet Combination that sits inside the Circular Buttonhole. I did use the dark Copic marker underneath but since I didn’t want the canvas to show through, I used Lois’ suggestion to place spokes in a circle first and then the buttonhole stitches. The spokes really helped me keep the buttonhole stitches even going around in a circle. If I were to do it again, I might use a thinner thread for the spokes to allow more of the blue to show through. Petite Frosty Rays provided almost full coverage.

Couched thread appears around that motif. My inclination would have been to stagger the couching threads but Lois suggested letting them radiate in a straight line and I tried it. Lisa staggered with matching thread and that looked good too. I find couching is challenging on a soft thread like DMC #5 Pearl because you want the thread to stay in place but without any indentation  in that thread caused by the couching thread.

Besides not liking the couching line on the second upper right spoke, I don’t like the texture or color of the pearl cotton next to the Petite Frosty Rays or the silks. So, I went to my stash. I found 4 possibilities including Alabaster, Gold Rush 14 Variegated, Petite Very Velvet, and ThreadworX. I previewed them and selected ThreadworX. It’s cotton and rayon and has a visible twist like Pearl cotton. Petite Very Velvet was my second choice because I like the texture but it’s not as bright a white as ThreadworX.

This time I used a pencil to make the spokes so I got them where I want them. Freestyle stitching is not easy! Much happier now.