Thursday, March 31, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 59 Lazy Daisy leaves



Today I had a revelation...lol.... I found that if I pin the graph paper beside my stitches, it gives a guide to spacing the stitches. This way there is no distortion when removing the paper. Something that bothered the perfectionist in me. This mornings stitch is a long lazy daisy leave with 3 french knot center.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 58 cross-stitch


Today's stitch is a double cross-stitch. Work the first row of x's in one color of thread. Come back and work the second row in a different color. Very easy but very effective.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

365 stitch a long - day 57 French Knot flowers


Todays stitch is from an antique quilt. I sketched the stitch onto graph paper then basted the paper onto my block. I wanted a curved line so I used the left top vine(stitch last) to anchor the long vine and give it a curve. Finish with the French knot flowers.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Monday, March 28, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 56 fly stitch/lazy daisy


Good Morning. My world is bright and sunny this morning after a gloomy weekend. Todays stitch is a fly stitch flip flopped with a lazy daisy center.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Friday, March 25, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 55 Chevron combo

This is a cherry tree outside my kitchen window. There is another outside my sewing room window. Just love the pink cherry blossoms.
Todays stitch is a chevron with a little v added. A row of three french knots completes this combination.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Thursday, March 24, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 54 straight stitch flower


Ok all this crazy patching is getting to me. Couldn't decide if I like the green French knots or knot..lol... Will decide after another cup of coffee. Todays stitch is a straight stitch V with three smaller straight stitches in the center. Finish with French knots.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

365 stitch a long - day 53 Slant buttonhole


Todays stitch is a buttonhole on an angle. After turning my head to go in the right direction, it really is easy. A french knot was added every other stitch. My camera doesn't like the contrast between the black and white. Yellow french knots are there.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 52 -Chevron /flower


Today is a beautiful spring day with temps reaching around 80 degrees. I am going to enjoy it before a cold snap comes in tomorrow. Todays stitch is a chevron in two sizes with lazy daisy toppers. I used 3 rows of graph paper to stitch the chevrons.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Monday, March 21, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 51 zigzag/french knots


Todays stitch is a called a zig zag stitch in one of my books. It is straight stitches, done in a diamond pattern. The french knots make this stitch look like argyle or lace. Just love this one.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Saturday, March 19, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 50 laced vine/flowers


Somehow I lost a day..... This little laced vine will catch us up. Start with a straight stitch every 1/4" . Run a threaded needle (backwards or use a tapestry needle that is blunt) in and out of the running stitches. Pull thread until there is just a little gentle curve. Stitch lazy daisy flowers on your vine.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Friday, March 18, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 49 -shamrock 2


One more shamrock for good luck. I searched for the perfect shamrock and couldn't come up with one, so I just sketched one on graph paper and love it. This one has straight stitches in the shape of triangles. French knots could be added to the center.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Thursday, March 17, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 48 - Shamrock flower



Happy St. Patricks Day. May the luck of the Irish be with you and the Irish blessing be on you.

Todays stitch is my version of a shamrock flower. I chose pink flowers since white would not show up well on my fabric. The leaves are straight stitches and the flower is a lazy daisy.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 47 T stitch flower


Good morning. Today stitch is a variation of a T stitch with a bright orange flower. My spring bulbs are up and blooming and are the inspiration for todays stitches. I did learn a lesson on this one. When I sprayed a mist of water on the graph paper the orange thread ran all over the white fabric. It somehow got into my box of DMC thread. Luckily, I soaked it with Dawn dish soap and it came right out. I will be purchasing a replacement for my bright orange.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 46 - fan stitch


This seems like such a simple stitch after day 45. It is in the fan stitch group and made up of straight stitches. Enjoy.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Monday, March 14, 2011

365 stitch a long - day 45- straight stitch combo


Todays stitch is a combo. Hamburger, fries and a drink...lol... Actually, it is lots of straight stitches. Long ones in blue and shorter yellow ones in a fan shape. French knots and tiny X's in between the long blue stitches. I definitely used graph paper on this one. When using the graph paper, be sure to pull your thread taunt.


Keep stitching,
Janice

Friday, March 11, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 44 - diamonds


This morning stitch is purple diamonds. Stitching over the graph paper is definitely speeding me up and making my stitches more accurate. I am using large basting stitches to baste the graph paper in place.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Thursday, March 10, 2011

365 Stitch a long - day 43- boxed flower

Todays stitch is a little boxy number with a straight stitch flower and french knot bud. Found a hint to help keep your stitching evenly spaced. I cut strips of graph paper (two rows of lines) and baste the graph paper strip on the seam line. Speeds up your stitching and makes it more even.

Keep stitching,
Janice

365 Stitch a long - day 42- cross/flower



Todays stitch has a cross stitch base. A four leaf lazy daisy petal is then added. Maybe I should have saved this one for St. Patricks week....lol....

Keep stitching,
Janice

365 Stitch a long -day 41

After 9 days on the road, I am glad to be back home. Had a wonderful trip and the best show at Puyallop WA. It was wonderful to see old friends and make new ones. If you ever get to chance to go ..... run to this show.

Todays stitch is a fan stitch - stitched in groups of 4 straight stitches.

Keep stitching,
Janice

Wrens

Wrens
Flew the coup