I had a lot of things to do this week so I decided to scale things down for Detached Chain Stitch. I also wanted a change of background, so I worked this week's sampler on commercial felt. I drew out a rectangle 5 by 3 and a half inches. I drew on my paisley shape and a circle. Last week, I had struggled slightly with the Broder Medicis threads that I used, the fibers caught and entwined with each other, creating a drag when forming the button hole stitches. However, I thought that it would look well with the felt, so I decided to stick with it for this weeks TAST.
When introducing Detached Chain, Sharon said that she had originally intended for the TAST to be variations of chain stitch, but had got so involved with Detached Chain that she had stuck with that one variation. After looking at my design for some time, I decided that I really wanted a continuous outline aroung the paisley, so I started with chain stitch. Inside this line, I did a second line, this time in twisted chain stitch. It was the first time that I had done this stitch and it took me 2 or 3 attempts to get going but once I had worked the stitch out, I enjoyed it. I think that the twists would show to better effect if I had used a heavier thread. For the circle in the paisley, I worked 2 rounds of radiating detached chain stitches. The mustard stitches point towards the center and have short 'tails' to hold down the loop. I then worked small loops with long tails pointing outwards in between those. I originally thought that I would seed the remaining space with oyster stitch (another new one for me) but seeing how delicate the circle 'flower' looked, I thought they might be too heavy so I worked plain detached chain stitches instead.
For as long as I can remember, my Dad has grown chrysanthemums. The red/pink threads reminded me of their colours. I thought it would be fun to try to stitch a chrysanthemum in the other circle. It looks rather better in the flesh than in the scan and I am quite please with it.
There is a lot more to try with this family of stitches, by they can wait until Sharon returns to chain stitch.
5 comments:
Very beautiful work! The twisted chain is lovely.
I do like this paisley design!
Very beautiful work and I ahd to just share with you being daughter with a chrysanthamum addicted dad! My dad grows for showing, has one named after him as he cutivated the variety! He is totally obsessed! But they have always been part of my life and so I can see this coming into my work too. Love Carol
Carol: I wouldn't say my dad was addicted to mum's but he used to enter various things in an annual show when I was young. I remember putting paper bags over the buds to stop insects eating the petals and 'combing' the petals into shape for him. These he doesn't show but in late summer he gives me a fresh bunch each week. :)
Kay: I'd never really thought much of paisley until I saw some on the web (I think it was Jo of NZ's site) that really took my eye. I am really enjoying working these. I'm not sure if I'll think of 52 variations, I may need to intoduce another design element.
Thank you all for your comments.
CA
Wonderful this cornucopia. So soft the colours and beautiful stitches.
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