On the Other Hand...Our Mid-winter Q & A

Daisy pattern pillow, based on our icon

We began this blog in late February, 2013. Since then it has grown a lot. Some of you, bless your hearts, have been with us from the beginning. While it is possible to work your way backward to that beginning, it would take a very determined person to do so. Most of you have joined us in later years, found one or more topics that interest you, and used the search engine to find posts on those topics. Sometimes someone asks a question about topics from long ago. I'm going to try to answer a couple of them today. Those of you who already know all this, feel free to use the search engine to just browse or check back for our next topic in a week or so.

"I want to do a pillow like the one you did with the daisies all over it, but I get confused by the chart you gave for it.. Can you give me one with the graph paper squares instead? I don't have any trouble with those. Also, I want to use different colors of daisies. What is the best way to arrange them?”

Graphed pattern for daisy needlepoint stitches

Here is the pattern in squares. Each square represents 2 stitches side-by-side, each stitch over 2 threads on #10 canvas. If you are working on #14 canvas, you may want to adjust the squares to 3 stitches over 3 threads for each square. I hope you find it much easier to follow this chart. I prefer to start in the center of the canvas and work outward. For arrangement of colors, there are many ways; here are four suggestions. Make the center row in your main color and do the rows above and below it in the other colors, (above) ending with the outer rows in the main color. Do the same thing but put the colors in diagonal lines, with the main color in the center and at the corners. Put the main color in the center square and make concentric squares of different colors around it, repeating the center color at least once, preferably in the outer square. Or you can scatter the colors randomly, even if you use a different color for every flower. It is an excellent way to use up odds and ends of yarn. I'm sure other patterns will occur to you as you lay out your colors.

"My needlepoint is starting to feel heavy and awkward. Is it all right if I turn it around and work from the other end when I get to the middle?”

That depends.  I doubt that it is going to feel any lighter, but it might seem less awkward. If you are working with continental stitch on a printed or hand-painted canvas, and both the canvas and the design are even, you can safely turn the canvas 180 degrees. If there are patterned stitches in the design, don't turn it. If you are working from a chart, I advise you not to turn it. If you are working on a symmetrical geometric design such as a 4-way, 6-way, or 8-way, definitely don't turn it.  If you do turn it, be sure you reverse it the entire 180 degrees. If you turn it 90 degrees or some in-between amount, the stitches will not join properly at the center.

Home-made device for rolling needlepoint canvas

I suggest you try this instead. After completing two or more inches of the design, use masking or packaging tape to secure the top edge to something cylindrical: a mailing tube or the center of a roll of paper towels or gift wrap.  Use small metal clips to hold the canvas in place and readjust them as you make each new turn. I think you will find this helpful and the finished piece will require less blocking.

"I would really like to do needlepoint, but I am left-handed and all the directions and charts seem to be made for right-handed people. I have seen advice to sit across from someone who is doing needlepoint and make a mirror image of what they are doing, but I don't know anyone. I got some plastic canvas like what you advise us to learn with, but that is as far as I've gotten. I don't want to put a lot of time or money into a project and then find out I'm not able to do it. Can you help me?"

I will certainly try. I expect you will be able to do it. I understand your hesitation, though. My mother was strongly left-handed and I am right-handed. She did embroidery and some conventional needlepoint, but she got frustrated trying to teach me and stopped trying. I had to teach myself. I agree that you should not invest much money to begin with, but I hope you are willing to invest time.  If you find you enjoy needlepoint, it will become a lifelong pastime and pleasure.

A complex-looking Gobelin stitch pattern

You will need at least two contrasting colors of knitting-weight yarn and tapestry needles with eyes large enough to thread the yarn through.  Later I will teach you a simple way to do continental stitch, with which you can stitch canvases with patterns printed on them or ones from black-and-white charts. There are other tent stitches, but continental is the only one you really need. Right now I want you to practice some patterns with upright stitches. You don't need to be concerned with the slant of the stitches, as you do with tent stitches. These patterns often look much more difficult than they are.

Each stitch in the patterns below comes up through a square of mesh, passes over 4 bars of canvas (which represent the threads in needlepoint canvas), and goes down in the hole directly below where it came up. The bottom of each stitch in the first row shares a square of canvas with the top of the stitch in the second row. No canvas is left bare. We count threads, not holes.  Leave a couple of inches of yarn dangling below the first stitch. When you reach the end of the row, push your needle under the finished stitches on the back of your work for an inch or two and cut the yarn. Thread the dangling yarn into a second needle and secure it under stitches on the back. Get into the habit of doing this each time. Bad things can happen when ends of yarn are not secured.

Sample 1

The first pattern is a simple 2-color checkerboard with 4-stitch clusters. Begin at either the left or the right side, whichever is more comfortable.

Sample 2

This scalloped design is a little more difficult because the stitches follow a curve. Count carefully. Once the first line is done, it is easy to follow.

Sample 3

Working from top to bottom, the next row, in the second color, will begin in the bottom of the first stitch of the first color. Continue with the pattern until you feel that you have mastered it. To complete your sample swatch, turn your canvas around and work as much of the pattern in reverse as you can until the rows are even.

These simple patterns can be done in as many colors as you like and can be used to make things as small as a bookmark or key ring or as large as a piano bench cover. The stitch you have been using is called upright Gobelin and is used in a technique called Bargello. If you liked doing the samples, here is a link to a lesson in beginning bargello: [Link].

Directions for doing the Continental stitch

Here is an easy way to learn continental stitch. Your stitches should look like those in the diagram above. Begin in the upper right-hand corner of your canvas. Your first stitch goes from lower left to upper right. Work the entire first row. There are two ways to proceed.. One is to turn your canvas at the end of each row and keep stitching as you did before. This diagram shows you the way to do this by numbering the stitches. This may be the easiest way for you. Or you can just remember that working from left to right, stitches go from lower left to upper right; working from right to left,  your stitches go from upper right to lower left. Incidentally, the smallest design on the post for January 1, 2019 is worked almost entirely left-handed except for two parallel green lines that were worked right-handed.

I hope these steps help all three of you. Good luck. Have fun.




 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The Chain-Stitch Family, Part II

(This post continues the series on crewel embroidery that Annake began in October, 2015.)

If you are a new reader of this blog, or if you haven't done any chain-stitch lately, you may want to read the previous post about chain-stitching (October 31, 2015) before reading this one. I suggested using a firm, but loosely-woven, fabric for your practice stitches. That advice is for this series of stitches as well. The fabric does not need to be wool. In fact, some of the wool/polyester blends are preferable for our purposes. You can use other fabrics, such as decorator burlap, too, but it is important that you can pull out a single thread easily without damaging the fabric. Work with the fabric in a hoop if possible. You can also stretch fabric over an empty picture frame and use overcast stitches to hold it in place.

Pulling threads for guide rows

In our first session, we stitched a series of plain chain-stitch samples, then embellished them with back-stitching, overcasting, couching, etc. This time we are going to do a group of variations on the plain chain itself. I strongly advise you to use the pulled-thread method to learn each variety of chain-stitch and practice each one until you can make neat, evenly-spaced stitches before you begin an embroidery project. I don't expect any of you to like all of the different stitches, but I do urge you to try each one. The first is similar to plain chain, except that the number of threads skipped with each stitch is not the same. I'm not aware of a name for this stitch, so I will call it Long-and-Short Chain.

Long-and-Short Chain stitch

Start with a waste knot. Begin as you did for plain chain, but skip 5 threads instead of 4 to make the first stitch in the chain. Skip only 2 threads for the second stitch. Repeat the 5/2 pattern to the end of the row of stitches. Pull the short stitches tighter than the long ones, but not so tight that it pulls the fabric out of shape. You can vary this stitch pattern in many ways: 5/2/2, 5/5/2, 6/4/2, etc. Be sure you use the same grouping each time, and try to end the row with a complete group, rather than a partial one. The short stitches appear nearly round, while the longer ones are oval or teardrop-shaped.

Double Chain stitch

Our next chain-stitch is a Double Chain. You will need a heavy yarn, floss, or perle cotton and a light one in a contrasting color. You can even use crochet cotton and plain sewing thread, but remember it needs to be yarn to qualify as genuine crewel embroidery. With the heavier strand, make a rather loose plain chain across the fabric (Row A), secure the end, and cut the strand. With the finer strand, start just outside the beginning of Row A and make a chain stitch that ends in the center of the first loop of the first stitch in Row A. The second stitch should pass over the joining of the first and second stitches of Row A and end in the center of the second stitch. Continue in this way across the row.

Zig-zag Chain stitch

You will need two pulled-out strands that are parallel, with 4 to 6 threads separating them, for the Zigzag Chain. Begin on either open row. Instead of ending the stitch on that row, however, point your needle diagonally so that the stitch ends on the second open row. Your second stitch will begin on that row and end on the first row. Continue alternating in this way, while trying to keep your stitches the same length each time. This takes a little practice, so don't get discouraged. This stitch makes a nice border. If I am doing it on a garment or any piece that will get heavy wear, I “cheat” on this stitch. I couch each loop down with the tiniest stitch possible before bringing my needle up inside the loop to make the next stitch. This makes the row of stitches harder to snag and easier to launder and iron.

Magic Chain stitch

Our next stitch is called Checkered Chain or Magic Chain. You will need two contrasting colors of yarn, floss, thread, etc. They should be of equal length and weight and similar in texture. Use single strands of yarn and not more than 3 strands of floss to begin with. Knot both strands together for your waste knot and thread them both into the needle. Start a beginning plain chain, but loop only Color A under the needle tip. Make sure that Color B stays on top of the needle. You may want to hold it to one side with your thumb, making sure it does not pass in front of or below the needle's tip. Pull both strands through the fabric. Only one color loop should show (Color A). For the second stitch, loop color B under the needle tip and keep Color A out of the way. Continue on in this pattern. As I come close to completing the loop, I gently pull the hidden color strand through the fabric first. Be careful to keep the strands from twisting around each other as you stitch. When you see that you will run out of one color, pull both strands through the fabric, secure them, and cut both. Start with two new strands of the same length, beginning your first stitch inside the last complete loop. This stitch can be bold or very dainty.

Cow's Head stitch

The next stitch has a number of names, including Wheat Ear Chain, Chain and Fly Stitch, and Tete de Boeuf (Cow's Head). It can be worked either horizontally or vertically. Start at one end of your open row. Make two short, slanted stitches: one on each side of the open row, with the pair meeting in a V at the same space in the open row. Bring your needle up just inside the point of the V and make a chain stitch. Couch it down with a short stitch. You have made the first “link” in the chain. Make another V so that its point is directly below the couching stitch of that link and complete it with a couched chain stitch. The slanting lines in each V should be parallel to the slanting lines in the first V and should be the same length each time. The chain should not show any fabric between the links.

Tete de boeuf variant

This picture shows a variation of the same stitch. Instead of two slanting stitches, start with one long straight stitch that you do not pull tight. Make your chain stitch over the straight stitch and at right angles to it. Pull the chain-stitch loop tight enough that it pulls the center of the straight stitch into a shallow V. Couch the loop with a small straight stitch. Make the next straight stitch across the end of this small couching stitch. Repeat.

Detached Cow's Head stitches

Do you remember the Lazy Daisy Stitch from the previous lesson in this series? It was a single, couched-down chain stitch that can be used to represent flower petals or other elements of a design. The single Tete de Boeuf (V and couched chain stitch together) can be detached in the same way. It is a good small motif for fillings and diaper patterns. (Use our Search Engine feature to find out more about diaper patterns.) I must say that these detached stitches look more like little rabbits to me than cow's heads.

Now I'm going to ask you to turn your hoop or frame ninety degrees. The Cable Chain, one of my favorites, is easiest to learn top-to-bottom. I'm going to teach you a two-handed way to make this chain, so rest your hoop against a tabletop –- or your knees. (Later you may want to try twisting the thread around your needle one-handed.) With your stitching hand, bring your needle up at the end of your pulled row. With the thumb of your other hand, pull the thread straight down and hold it. Run your needle horizontally underneath the taut thread and lift it a tiny amount. With your free hand, wrap the thread around the needle from back to front and around again. With the needle held vertically, pull the thread snug against the fabric until it covers two or three threads of fabric Insert the point of your needle just below the wrapped thread and make a chain stitch. Pull the loop to the size you want and hold the thread down with your thumb to repeat the process. This is shown in the picture of the deep purple stitches. The picture of white stitches on a blue background shows the Cable Chain worked from left to right. Keep the links the same size.

Cable Chain, horizontal

Happy stitching,

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The Chain-Stitch Family, Part I: Plain Chain With Variations

(Continuing the topic of crewel embroidery, introduced in the previous post.)

 A chain-stich sample, yarn on burlap

I like to think of related stitches as “families”. We've looked at cross-stitches, running stitches and back-stitches previously in this way. The chain-stitch “family” is surely in the top three of important stitch families ― and is my personal favorite. The stitch is very old and very widespread, indicating that it may have been “invented” several times. It can be found in the oldest surviving embroideries of such diverse places as Afghanistan, Egypt, Nigeria, Greece, Russia, Scandinavia, France, Bolivia and Peru. A glance at the maps makes me suspect some of it spread from contact and trade with ancient Egypt, where some authorities believe it was derived from a sail-makers' stitch used to make the sails of small boats that traveled the Nile stiffer and more durable. But the pieces from Bolivia and Peru predate contact with Europeans by more than a thousand years.

A line of simple chain-stitch

Before we explore the many varieties of chain stitches, let's take a simple chain and see how it can be embellished. To make the chain, place your fabric in an an embroidery hoop and make it tight. Thread your yarn into a crewel needle (a thin needle with a large eye like a tapestry needle, but with a sharp point). Start with a waste knot (see the blog post for Sept. 24, 2013) on the surface of your fabric. Push your needle through the fabric and bring it back to the surface several inches from the waste knot. Holding the yarn aside with the thumb of your non-stitching hand, insert the point of your needle through the same hole where it came up. Bring the needle up a few threads ahead of where it went down. Loop the thread under the needle from left to right (or right to left if you are left-handed). As you pull gently on the yarn, it will begin to form a teardrop-shaped loop. Draw the yarn through until the loop is the size you want and the yarn lies flat on the surface of the fabric. (Don't leave the loop loose and floppy, but don't pull it too tight or the fabric will pucker.) Insert the needle in the same hole you just made and repeat the process. You have made the first two “links” of your chain. Continue until the chain is the desired length. Stitch the top of the last loop down with a tiny forward stitch, pointing the tip of the needle back under the completed stitches. Overcast (wrap) the yarn around several completed stitches to anchor it and cut it close to the stitches. Cut off the waste knot, pull the yarn to the back, thread it into your needle and overcast several stitches at that end. The back of your chain should be a straight line of back-stitches. Practice several lines of the plain chain-stitch.

Closeup of simple chain-stitch

Another section of the crewel embroidery mushrooms

Chain stitch is used both as an outline stitch and as a closely packed filling stitch. In this section of embroidery, it outlines the cap and gills of the mushroom and the edges, stem, and veins of the large leaf. It is used as a filling stitch on the mushroom stem. These stitches are done with a single strand of tapestry wool, so they can be quite small, and it is difficult to distinguish individual stitches. If you begin practicing with large, visible stitches, you can then gradually decrease the size of your yarn or thread until your stitches  are tiny like the ones done in silk on the vest at the end of this post.

Removing a thread to create a straight void

Two things about chain-stitch usually require practice: keeping the line of stitches straight and making the “links” in your chain as alike as possible. To make this easier, I suggest that you start with a piece of fabric loosely-woven enough that you can easily withdraw individual threads. I've used wool, coarse linen, hop-sacking, and even burlap for this. You need to be able to gently remove a single thread completely without breaking it. Then draw out a thread every inch (2.5 cm.) or so before you put the fabric in the embroidery hoop. Stitching in the space where the thread once was will help you stitch a nice, straight line. You will be able to see and count the threads that cross the space. If you pass your needle under the same number of threads each time and use the same amount of “pull” (tension), your stitches should be fairly uniform. The tension on the fabric is important, too. Keep it stretched tight in the hoop. Adjust the hoop with the turn-screw as needed.

Not too many years before my time, girls and women made and framed “samplers” to show off their best stitchery. Now it is your turn to make a sampler. (Before you begin, you may want to review the stitches and terms shown on the Jan. 16, 2015 blog post.) Start by making a line of plain chain along each of the pulled thread lines that you made. Then try each of the seven variations I'm going to show you in the sampler below. I used 4-ply yarn, which is not ideal for embroidery, but I wanted to make big stitches that were easy for you to see and copy. The rows are as follows:

Chain-stitch with variations listed at left

1. plain chain stitch in medium blue;
2. chain back-stitched with a smaller white yarn from link to link;
3. chain with double-running stitch, alternating white and navy yarns link to link;
4. entire chain whipped (overcast) with the white yarn;
5. each side of the chain whipped with thin navy yarn, stitched one side at a time from center out;
6. Pekinese stitch done in white through the entire chain;
7. entire chain laced (threaded) with white yarn, with the loops then stitched down at the tops with white sewing thread;
8. entire chain laced with white yarn, first from one end, then from the other (double-laced) and then couched (stitched down) with a contrasting yarn.

 Demonstrating the Lazy Daisy stitch

If you look carefully at the bottom of the first practice sampler (photo at the top of the post), you will see some stitches that look like flower petals. This is Detached Chain or Lazy Daisy stitch, one of the first stitches I learned as a child. Look at the demonstration and try it for yourself. The next time we touch on this topic, I will have a design for you that you can download and do these stitches on in your choice of colors.

Practice, practice, practice,

Embroidered vest, silk floss on wool

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Weaving with Needles? Yes!

(This post is the first of a series introducing some new needlework techniques. Although the tools, materials, and patterns closely resemble what I have shown in the past, the underlying structure is very different. Except when working Holbein stitch, the back of the work didn't matter a great deal;  now, however, the back of the work -- even when not seen -- will be quite important. The simple techniques shown in this post lay a foundation for exciting future projects that appear much more complex than they actually are.)

Samples of background fabrics for needleweaving

Needleweaving can be done on any background material that has evenly spaced openings:  nylon net, filet crochet, fishnet, mono canvas, monks' cloth, etc. You can even use rug canvas if it has some flexibility to it. Some of the background threads will show through and become part of the design. If your fabric's mesh openings are considerably larger than the yarn or thread you are using for weaving, you can compensate by weaving two (and sometimes more) strands side by side through each square of mesh. All kinds of novelty yarns and threads can be used together for special effects. The kind of needleweaving we will look at today goes completely through the background fabric. In later posts, we will discuss surface weaving.

Annake's first needleweaving pattern (demo only)

I was introduced to needleweaving in first grade in a one-room country school. There were only eight students, so we did all sorts of projects. We little ones each made a needlewoven pillow top, which our energetic teacher then backed and stuffed for us. The older children made table runners. These were gifts for our mothers. I became fascinated by the fact that I could simply count the number of threads my needle passed over and under on each row and make a pretty pattern. That fascination with pattern has lasted me a lifetime and still plays a large part in my work. Here's a picture of that first pattern, done in knitting worsted on rug canvas so you can count the squares and figure out the pattern for yourself. (If I were going to do a project on rug canvas, I would use a much thicker yarn.)

Needleweaving on large-scale background fabrics like fillet mesh or #5 canvas is done with extra-large needles so that several stitches can be completed with one pull of the yarn. I use two weaving needles (see picture above). One is five inches (about 13 centimeters) long and about the diameter of a darning needle. The other is just a bit thicker and twelve inches (about 30.5 centimeters) long. Both needles have eyes large enough to accommodate knitting worsted-weight yarn. If you cannot find weaving needles, use the largest and longest darning, tapestry, or chenille needles that you can find.

Materials needed to start needleweaving

Woven fabric has two components: warp, long threads that run the length of the fabric, and weft (usually pronounced “woof”), back-and-forth threads that run at right angles to the warp. I'm going to show you some simple weaving patterns on plastic canvas. The exposed bars of the plastic will correspond to the exposed threads of the canvas fabric. Plastic canvas is not flexible, so I will use a tapestry needle and worsted-weight yarn. These patterns follow the warp “threads”, shown here as running left to right. The stitches begin at the left, where a short fringe of yarn is shown. I have woven the loose ends in at the back of the work on the right. I used 10.5 inch x 13.5 inch (about 27 cm x 35 cm) plastic canvas so that you can see several repeats of each pattern. I suggest you practice the patterns on plastic canvas and file them for future reference. You will need at least three colors of yarn: A, a dark color; B, a medium color: and C, a light color. Cut your yarn pieces a couple of inches longer than the canvas so that you can leave fringe at the ends or run the loose ends under the stitches on the back.

For the first pattern, cut 6 pieces of one color (color A). For Row 1, push your needle down from the top into the first open square and pull the strand through, leaving at least an inch for fringe. Run the needle under 2 threads (plastic bars), over 2, under 2, over 2 all the way to the end. For Row 2, insert the yarn in the same way, pass under 1 thread, over 1, then under 2, over 2 to the end. Rows 3 and 5 are like Row 1; Rows 4 and 6, like Row 2. Weave in all six strands. Notice the strong diagonals, both left-to-right and right-to-left.

First needleweaving sample, one color

By now you think you know all about the pattern and could do it in your sleep. But there is more to learn. Cut three pieces of color A and two of color B. Leave an empty row of canvas square (or more) between pattern stripes. Do Rows 1, 3, and 5 in color A, following the weaving pattern for the odd- and even-numbered rows. Do rows 2 and 4 in color B. Now the diagonals are much less noticeable and your eye begins to pick out small clusters in the stripe.

Second needleweaving sample, two colors

Now cut two pieces each of colors A and B and one of color C. Weave Rows 1 and 5 in color A, 2 and 4 in color B, and 3 in color C. This time the eye is drawn strongly to the center line of stitches. Would you get the same effect with A in the center and C on the sides? Try it and see.

Third needleweaving sample, three colors

Weave the second pattern in one color, then in a second color next to it, with no empty canvas in between. The pattern is the same for both. Start as before from the top in the first row of squares, work under 2, over 1, under 1, over 6, [*] under 1, over 1, under 1, over 1, under 1, over 6, repeating from [*] to the end. This is Row 1 and Row 5. Next, start the same, then under 1, over 1, under 1, over 2, under 4, over 2, [*] under 1, over1, under 1, over 2, under 4, and repeat across the row. This is Row 2 and Row 4. Start Row 3 from the top, under 1, over 1, under 1, over 1, under 2, [*] over 2, under 2, over 1, under 1, over 1, under 1, over 1, under 2 and repeat to end. Use the same pattern rows for the second color. When the piece is complete, turn it over. You will see another, different, pattern on the reverse side that you can use as well. If I were doing this pattern on needlepoint canvas, I would cover all the open squares with tent stitches in a third color. And, yes, many needleweaving patterns “translate” into needlepoint or even cross-stitch patterns.

A more complex pattern, repeated in two colors

If you want to practice your patterns and make something useful at the same time, make strips of pattern from six inches to ten inches (15.5 to 25.5 cm) long and an inch to an inch and a half (3 to 4 cm) wide. Leave short fringe at each end or make longer fringe and tie it or knot it together to make a tassel. Glue felt to the back of the canvas (but not to the fringe or tassels). Whenever you give someone a book, give them one of these pretty bookmarks. Or make a whole set of bookmarks for a student, a book club member, or any eager reader.

Happy weaving!

A simple needlewoven bookmark, in a daisy pattern

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Back to Bargello

Hello, again! Happy 2014! May it be a good year for all of us.

Original bargello that we use as the Annake's Garden icon

In a weak moment, I promised J.D. and some of the other “Gardeners” that I would take a two week “stay-cation” after all the end-of-the-year activities. You know:  stay at home and rest, read, work puzzles, play mahjongg online, give the cat a lot of lap time. I have now had about all the relaxation I can stand (although I did manage to make two needlepoint pillow tops and a small afghan when no one was looking), and I'm ready to work. J.D., who keeps track of such things, tells me that a great many of you have viewed last year's “Bravo Bargello” blog (May 1, 2013). I was delighted to hear that, since bargello is one of my favorite things, and I want to discuss it again. You may want to reread that blog post for general information before we begin.

"Wave" pattern bargello pillow top

If you are not a purist (you already know I'm not one), the term “bargello” can encompass much more than traditional large-scale patterns like the varieties of flame stitch. These were originally designed for upholstery, draperies, bed canopies, even wall coverings. It need not even be restricted to sweeping, all-over patterns like the evergreens and aspen trees you saw in the former blog or this new ocean wave pattern. It can include any small, repeated needlepoint pattern generally worked in upright stitches over carefully counted numbers of canvas threads. I say generally, because horizontal and diagonal stitches may be incorporated into some designs.

I don't know if you've paid much attention to the “A” icon I use in the "About Me" section of this blog (as well as a lot of other places, like in our favicon). The “A” stands for Annake, of course, and the repeated design in the background represents the daisies and white cosmos in our backyard garden. It is an easy, but versatile, design that can be used for many articles --- large and small. Such items could include coasters, picture frames, desk sets, album covers, handbags, footstools and pillows. The “flowers” may be any color that you choose or can be done in a rainbow of different colors (a good way to use up odds and ends of yarn). I decided to make a 16-inch square pillow cover.

"Daisy" pattern bargello stiches, close up

I pressed and cut my canvas, allowing an extra margin of unworked canvas on all sides. I then used 3/4-inch masking tape on both sides of the cut edges of the canvas. This makes the canvas easier to hold and prevents the edges of the canvas from fraying. I chose to begin the work at one edge of the square and work across it in parallel rows. I could have begun in the center and worked in both directions toward the ends, but I think that is harder for a beginner to do.

"Aspen" pattern bargello lashed to wooden picture frame

Now is a good time to say a few words about supports. As you can see, when I did the “Aspen” motif I worked on a square wooden frame. This is a simple 14-inch picture frame that I found at a thrift shop. I lace all my 14-inch canvases, whether pictures or pillow tops, to this frame and pull them taut. Another technique is to roll your finished work onto one roller while unrolling the unworked canvas from another roller. There are all sorts of commercial frames for these purposes, but they are expensive. For small projects I use a homemade device featuring two 1/2-inch dowels, a couple of links of chain and a sturdy rubber or elastic band. While working on the “Daisy” piece, I simply rolled the canvas into a tube as I completed each section and secured the ends with a pair of plastic clips or clothespins.

Simple, homemade roller needlework support

Like many bargello patterns, the “Daisy” design is based on stitches worked vertically over 4 threads. That is, you bring the point of your needle up in a canvas square, skip over 4 canvas threads, and take the point of your needle down in the next canvas square. Once you try this, some of you will say,”Aha! You skip over 3 squares of canvas. That's easier, so I'll do that.” True, and that thinking would probably not get you into trouble on this pattern. But you will soon encounter patterns (“Aspen”, for example) where there are very important places where the count is not over 4 threads. Please get into the good habit of counting threads, not squares. Then you won't have a bad habit to overcome later.

Checking the "Daisy" pattern bargello with a straightedge

Each row of stitches begins in the same canvas squares where the row below them ended. It is a good idea to check a completed row with a straight edge to make sure all stitches end where they should. If you find a mistake, correct it immediately or it will multiply in future rows. There will be places at the two ends where there is not enough room to complete some of the pattern stitches. Just do as much of each stitch as you can. Below is a diagram of the stitches in this pattern. Please note that I have used pink to indicate the stitches that are white on the actual bargello.

Stitch chart for "Daisy" bargello pattern

Some of the blog topics coming in 2014:

Counted cross-stitch and Spanish blackwork on monks' cloth and aida

Nordic stitch and more bargello basics

Holbein embroidery and Assisi work

Folk embroidery

Fabulous four-way bargello

More questions and answers

More interviews

More patterns to download

Some nostalgia pieces

Please let me know if you have a specific area of art needlework you would like me to address.

So happy to be back,

Annake

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