Melitastitches4fun's Blog

I stitched too much getting caught up with Razzle Dazzle and Chicken Scratch. The repetitive manner of pushing the needle up from below the canvas with my middle finger on my right hand caused a dimple. I should have used a thimble or a finger pad to protect the area. But, I didn’t and my finger needed a rest!

Or, I could work on something that uses a different motion. That brings me back to Huck Embroidery that my EGA Brandywine Chapter explored a few months ago. I had extra towels left after leading the program. So, I stitched/embroidered a couple more in different colors.

The top one was my first and I didn’t start high enough to fit the bottom band. I used Leah’s Overdyed Thread, a discontinued thread line. There is a wide variation from red to blue to blueish purple. I color matched the thread and started each row in the center working half to each side. Since the path changes, the colors did shift but it’s gradual.

I redid that pattern for the middle towel but started high enough to allow room for the solid colored bottom band as designed. The bottom two towels used an overdyed DMC Pearl #5 4030. This thread has very slight color changes from very light aquamarine to a light blue. For contrast, I went with DMC Pearl #5 793 Medium Cornflower Blue on the bottom band.

To offer some variety to members, I provided a second free pattern that I located on the internet. It’s the bottom towel. It just fit perfectly!

Those towels have been done but I forgot to post them. And, I still have more towels. So, I pulled one out. With Huck Embroidery, the needle remains on the surface and slides under vertical ground threads to create the pattern giving my finger some well deserved rest and recovery time!

This towel is using DMC Pearl #5 4215 with pink, blue, and light purple. I did not color match the thread. The general rule of thumb for a working thread length is to cut X times the length of the area being stitched according to the instuctions. Once you stitch the first row, you can shorten the length. Twice the length was plenty for this pattern (2.5 x recommended). Starting in the middle working half left and half to the right is also the norm with Huck Embroidery. As you can see, I started the pattern in a different location. Four full patterns versus three plus two halves on each end. Starting in the center guarantees a symmetrical pattern which I think you know I like and which is why I like color matching so much. But, it looks fine done randomly too especially with less variation in colors of the particular overdyed thread. It’ll be folded so it won’t matter but I like the three full pattern better than the four full pattern.

The second towel is Pendant, one of 50 patterns from the book, Swedish Weaving Pattern Directory by Katherine Kennedy. It says that pearl #5 can be used but stitches were looking too close. So, I switched to the thinner pearl #8, Finca 7656, a solid rust color. This pattern calls for 5 times the length. It incorporates the loop stitch. Believe it or not, it was a tricky pattern. I had several missteps but always got back on track. I should have started left by one and down by one to be better centered but once it is folded and hanging, it will look just fine.

There are 6 more towels to do and although I can still see a slight dimple on my finger, it’s not tender. So, back to needlepoint!

Before I can dive into the book Swedish Weaving Pattern by Kayerine Kennedy, I had to do the two free online patterns that I handed out to the EGA Brandywine Guild members. Some of us will be getting together on Thursday for a Stitch-In at Fireside Stitchery.

I did this pattern, Autumn Windbreak by Sue Meier, previosly using a red and blue Waterlilies but hadn’t left room for the bottom zigzag border. By counting better, the whole pattern just fits on the towel. To end the thread, I ran the needle and thread into the center of the edge where it’s folded for about an inch before bringing the needle out and cutting the thread. I like it better than running back through on the front. The pattern can be found on the Wayback Machine at https://web.archive.org/web/20090419090854if_/http://www.nordicneedle.com:80/newsletters/stash/10/autumn_windbreak_09_29.pdf

This second pattern, Broken Arrow, came from Swedish Weave Designs (.com). I hadn’t gotten it done prior to our April session but I can bring it to our May session when we do crayon transfer.

I used the variegated DMC Pearl #5 4030. This was tougher than I expected. For some reason, I had a heck of a hard time with the mirror image on the bottom even though I had the whole pattern printed. But, it’s a pretty pattern and is now our current decorative towel in our bathroom. Bill understands that it is not to be used!

I’ll swap out towels for some variety.

Maureen C has done a wonderful resurrection of the EGA Brandywine Chapter’s website. It was abandoned by a member who got ill and it took quite some time (a few years) before we could get it back and find someone capable of taking it over. So, I suggest chapters have multiple people capable of handling your website and who have access approval as back-up. 

There is a list of upcoming and past programs for the EGA Brandywine Chapter under Prgrsms tab at https://share.google/srCSue0YtEEpS01aw.  You can also see recent Show and Tell pieces under the What Members Are Making tab.

We did Huck Embroidery yesterday, crayon transfer in May, and Or Nue (a Brenda Kocher design similar to one I stitched previously) in June. More on that another time.

Thanks to Linda M from Main Line Stitchers chapter who donated her stash skeins of DMC Color Variations. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s towels.