Module Five – Chapter NINE – THREADS AND STITCHERY

EXERCISE ONE – LEARNING STITCHES

In a first sampler I briefly taught myself some stitches and being well aware that mastering them is totally a different story I promised myself to keep trying … As suggested in the Module workbook I grouped them in FIVE categories.
For most stitches I used a fine and when needed a medium pearl cotton.
 






 LEARNING SAMPLER



Area 1 – FLAT STITCHES

1, 6 Running stitch – 2 Back stitch – 3 Fern stitch - 4 Chevron stitch - 5 Herringbone stitch - 7 Cross stitch – 8 Thorn stitch - 9 Dot stitch – 10 Darning stitch – 11 Arrowhead stitch – 12 St. George cross stitch – 13, 17 Seed stitch - 14 Satin stitch – 15 Stem stitch–16 Ermine filling stitch
Area 2 – LOOPED STITCHES
1, 7 – Buttonhole stitch – 2 Single Feather stitch – 3 Fly stitch – 4 Feather stitch – 5 Open Cretan stitch – 6 Cretan stitch – 8 Sword-edging stitch – 9 Plaited Fly stitch
Area 3 – CHAINED STITCHES
1 Chain stitch – 2 Open Chain stitch – 3 Twisted Chain stitch – 4 Cable stitch – 5 Detached Chain stitch – 6 Wheat Ear stitch – 7 Split stitch 8- Braid stitch
Area 4 – KNOTTED STITCHES
1 French knot – 2 Bullion knot – 3 Coral stitch – 4 Hollie stitch – 5 Knot stitch – 6 Diamond stitch – 7 Palestrine stitch – 8 Antwerp Edging stitch
Area 5 – COMPOSITE STITCHES
1, 2 Raised Chain Band - 3 Raised Stem Stitch Band - 4 Threaded Herringbone stitch – 5 Twisted Lattice Band – 6 Raised Chevron stitch – 7 Threaded Back stitch – 8 Threaded Buttonhole stitch -– 9 Whipped Chain stitch – 10 Back Stitched chain - 11 Pekinese stitch
And these are the threads and yarns used in this and the next two samplers:
 

EXERCISE TWO – FORMAL AND INFORMAL STITCHING ARRANGEMENTS

The second exercise in Chapter 9 asks to choose a stitch and try to make it form different effects with it, following formal and informal stitch arrangements.
After some consideration my choice fell on BUTTONHOLE STITCH which I feel is very versatile. I also particularly enjoy forming it and following its rhythm.
Like the learning sampler, both the formal and informal samplers measure approximately 23 x 35 cms. They show each six rows of four sampling areas for a total of 24 sampling areas.  Each area in one sampler is more or less related to the same area in the other sampler, even if there are exceptions like the last two informal areas in the bottom row of the second sampler.
In the formal sampler I used almost everywhere the same pearl cotton thread from the learning sampler which shows the stitches well. In the informal one I introduced other threads in order to obtain a greater range of effects, a raffia yarn and tulle and fabric strips with the occasional addition of sequins and bits of fabrics.

FORMAL STITCHING ARRANGEMENT


INFORMAL STITCHING ARRANGEMENT