Melitastitches4fun's Blog

I’ve been asked by my Needlework and Fiber Guild of Media to talk about selecting stitches for needlepoint next month in 30 minutes or less!

Having worked on landscape stitches for Gail Stafford’s class and now her Tar River Trail, I will share them and several canvas books that list stitches by effect rendered (fur, buildings, flowers, etc).

I also have this book, Embroidered Landscapes by Helen M Stevens who shares her masterclass in landscape through 5 major projects with templates, color charts, and detailed explanations of design elements.

These designs employ mostly linear stitches, including stem and straight stitches. The filling stitches look linear to me but are called opus plumarium or feather work.

For these designs, it’s less about the stitches and more about perspective. In the photo on the cover, you can see elements in the close, middle, and far distances.

Shading plays a big part with each design using between 19 and 26 threads. In 3 of the designs, between one-third and half the threads are in the yellow and green family.

The use of contrasting threads is employed by using shiny threads to add vibracy up close and threads with duller texture to recede.

Stranded cottons, stranded and twisted silks, Japanese floss silk, fine floss silk, and spun (fine twisted) silk threads are suggested.

An example of varying thread types was using twisted cotton for grass, a plied silk for a glossy river, and a very fine untwisted silk floss for the sky.

I am disappointed that actual threads used in the designs are not provided. Only the colors are suggested in the color coded design map. It would have been helpful.

These are best worked on a smooth, evenweave fabric that does not stretch. Suitable fabrics include cotton, polyester cotton (Percale), and linen. Although she suggests evenweave, she says, “As a general rule, if the weave is open enough to be used for counted thread embroidery, it will be too wide for us!”

One of the scenes resembles the perspective that I have designed for the second design from Debbie Rowley’s class. I did so want to get started on that, but I do really want to finish Tar River Trail before the seminar. Then, I’ll want to finish those pieces (3 classes)! Oh my. Got to get my head out of this book and back to stitching!