Hand Stitching Plus Toned Down Sampler Part 1

It’s been quite a while since I’ve been here sharing what I’m doing. I had begun to slow my pace of posting and then in September I tried to post but my website was in trouble.  I have been working since then with a website designer to revamp my site and move it to a platform that will work best for my needs. So, I’m sure you’ll notice some changes in the look here.

I enjoyed the stitching on felted wool projects I shared here,  here, and here a lot. As an update to the last project, here is a photo of Leaf Within a Leaf framed. Click on the image for a larger view.

 

 

I wanted to continue with hand work as a focus but I also decided I needed to challenge myself. I found a great project in Sue Spargo’s Toned Down Circle Sampler. I was excited to receive the pattern and kits and get started.

 

 

Each of the ninety 1-inch circles is applied to the background wool fabric and each has a unique design for stitching. I thought I had a good stock of familiar stitches in my tool kit to start but, boy oh boy, I am learning a lot more. I have Sue’s Creative Stitching (Second Edition) but thank goodness for YouTube. Some of the stitches have been a real challenge for me to understand in written format so I’ve turned to visual demonstrations for clarity. Whew!

There are 10 colors of wool and each color has 9 1-inch circles cut from it. I used a 1-inch punch tool. It’s quite heavy and the cutting edge is sharp. I used a rubber mallet on the handle top to cut the circles.

 

 

 

That tool is essential. If I hadn’t purchased it, I would still be trying to cut ninety 1-inch circles that would all be exactly the same!

To get started, I stitched down the first 4 rows of 1-inch circles.

 

 

Then came the serious fun, the first design. The Bullion Knot Stitch in the outer edge was new to me so there was practice time spent on a spare piece of wool. And it was well worth the time to do that.

 

 

The second circle had another new stitch for me:  the Palestrina Knot. More practice was invested before I started that stitch on the project. Sue’s pattern calls for French Knots hunkered down in the Fly Stitch, but I’ve never been a big fan of that stitch so I used the Colonial Knot instead.

 

 

The third circle was a serious stretch for me. I spent several evenings practicing the Rosette Chain Stitch (edge of the circle) and the Double Cast On Stitch (four of them create the central design) — both new stitches to me and both requiring serious precision to create balance. Even with the amount of practice I did, I still took out the Double Cast On Stitches 4 times before I had them right.

 

 

Another thing that I’m learning along the way is the need for deciding where to begin the stitching. It’s key to creating the balance and correct spacing as I work stitches that build upon themselves, as in the fourth circle below:

 

 

Again, I practiced the Bullion Rose Stitch for creating the roses several nights before I tackled the project. And here is the fourth circle completed.

 

 

When I committed to this project I thought it would be something to keep me busy for this winter. I quickly learned that this project will keep me busy for the year! Stay tuned for progress on the new education I’m getting.

Be strong. Be patient. Be kind.