TAST 2013.17.65. Buttonhole bar-2

After exploring some more variations of this buttonhole bar, the stitch sampler was completed.

17.65.buttonhole bar-sampler2

4.Horizontal bars are worked in these two samples. The two rows buttonhole stitches are worked upwards and downwards alternatively in the first sample. In the second sample horizontal buttonhole bars in the bottom row are worked in between two buttonhole bars in the top row.

17.65.b.h.bar-4

5.The bars worked at two levels in the first sample and vertical and horizontal bars are alternated in the second sample.

17.65.b.h.bar-5

6.Broad version of the bars [three and four straight stitches] are worked in the first sample. I tried the triple straight stitches in different ways and worked the buttonhole stitches on them.

17.65.b.h.bar-6

7.In the first sample, the buttonhole stitch in the centre is extended and taken with the base fabric, to work curved buttonhole bars. A small knot is worked in the centre of the horizontal bars on the top sample in the right, and detached buttonhole stitches are worked on the bars worked on the bottom.

17.65.b.h.bar-7

I did not work these bars with other stitches in this sampler. These bars are ideal for embellishing any embroidery piece.
The sampler-

17.65.buttonhole bar-sampler

 

TAST 2013.17.65. Buttonhole bar-1

This week’s stitch on the TAST 2013 challenge by SharonB is buttonhole bar. Sharon has mentioned this stitch is commonly used on needle . I have not tried that type of embroidery yet. Still this stitch seems interesting to work with. The stitch is simple but takes a while to work 4 inches, which is the width of my sampler. So I am working small bands. The sampler progress-

17.65.buttonhole bar-sampler1

1.In the first sample, the bands are worked apart, then they are worked closer. In the next sample, they are worked in two heights and the last one is worked in two colours.

17.65.b.h. bar-1

2.Another way of working with two threads is tried in the first sample. The buttonhole stitches are worked on the lower half of the straight stitches.

17.65.b.h.bar-2

3.In the first sample, the buttonhole stitches are worked in one direction till the midpoint of the straight stitches and in opposite direction till the end of the stitches, thus to create a twist, which would have been visible if the straight stitches were longer. The second sample hve up and down buttonhole stitches worked on them.

17.65.b.h.bar-3

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-4

This tunic also as a motif below the yoke borders.

B&B kan-motif pattern

The motif worked with medium blue, dull gold and white threads.

B&B kan-m1

The motif looked like this after working with dark pink thread.

B&B kan-m2

Some more running stitch filling and stem stitch outlines were done with medium blue and light blue threads.

B&B kan-m3

The motif, after working the antique gold beads inside stem stitches.

B&B kan-m4

The completed tunic-
The yoke with printed fabric-

B&B kan-tunic yoke

The tunic-

B&B tunic

The sleeves with printed border.

B&B kan-tunic sleeve

I wear this tunic with light blue [same shade as the printed fabric base] leggings. I do tend to work with these colours quite often!

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-3

The pattern for yoke was similar to the sleeves, except for the dark pink details.

B&B kan-pattern yoke

Filling done on part of the squares.

B&B kan-y1

Triangles on the border worked with the same blue thread.

B&B kan -y2

After working with light blue thread and dull gold thread. The centre space is for the printed light blue fabric.

B&B kan-y3

 

Blue kantha on dark blue tunic-2

The crosses done with dull gold cotton skein were worked with running stitch filling in dark pink thread.

B&B kan-s4

The medium shade blue thread was used for lining the oval shapes over the dark pink circles. These  were worked in stem stitch. light blue thread was worked on other part of the triangles on the squares and the border lines.

B&B kan-s5

Tiny antique beads were added inside the oval shapes. The picture is out of focus here.

B&B kan -s6

After completing the embroidery on the sleeves, they were placed on the printed light blue fabric which will the border the sleeves.

B&B kan -s7

 

TAST 2013.16.64.Top knotted buttonhole stitch-1

This week’s stitch on the TAST 2013 challenge by Sharonb is top knotted buttonhole. I am still in the process of learning this stitch, holding the knot and inserting the needle is a bit difficult at this stage.
The sampler-

16.64.top knotted buttonhole st-sampler1

1.The stitch is worked in different heights and widths in these three rows.

16.64.tknbhole st-1

2.The zigzag version of this stitch is worked in the first row. The top knotted buttonhole stitches are worked on both sides in the second row. I like the way the stitches curl when it was worked, the reason may be the thread, the stitch height or may be both. The stitch is worked in different lengths in the third row.

16.64.tknbhole st-2

 

Multi coloured cream yoke-2

Chain stitches were worked with bluish green thread.

mccreamyk-3

The curves connecting the border and the small squares were worked in chain stitches with light green thread

mccreamyk-4

The closer look of the embroidery.

mccreamyk-closeup

I gave this embroidered yoke to my friend.it was hard choosing colours without seeing the background fabric, because I sometimes get inspired by seeing the fabric to be embroidered. I generally use colours similar to vegetable dye ,which is important aspect of kalamkari fabrics, to work , but this time it was different

 

Multi coloured cream yoke-1

An acquaintance of mine wanted an embroidered yoke in cream. She said that her cream based kalamkari fabric needed a multi coloured embroidered yoke. Since I had not seen the fabric, the colours were chosen on the basis of matching it with cream/gray/black.
The embroidery was done with, chain, herringbone filling, back stitch and double cross stitches. Starting with dark blue thread-

mccreamyk-1

Then moved on to dark pink, majenta, medium blue

mccreamyk-2

 

TAST 2013.15.63.Scroll stitch-3

I liked the way this stitch curled, so wanted to try motifs by combining with other stitches.
The sampler-

15.63.scroll st-sampler3

7.I started with working individual stitches to see the variation between this stitch and pistil stitch. then worked these individual stitches in a circle, then worked them with Algerian eye stitch, raised cross stitch and laced herringbone square. Detached buttonhole stitches are worked over scroll stitches in the last sample.

15.63.scr st-7

8.The first row is a combination of scroll stitch and chain stitch. After working the scroll stitch and individual fly stitches, Pekinese stitch is worked between them in the last row.

15.63.scr st-8

Though I couldn’t grasp the full potential of this stitch, scroll stitch is a very useful stitch and I am happy with these experiments.

15.63.scroll stitch sampler

 

TAST 2013.15.63.Scroll stitch-2

Today I experimented two rows of scroll stitches together. I was not able to achieve a braided look as suggested by Sharon because my stitches are still not neat.
The sampler –

15.63.scroll st-sampler2

4. In the first two rows I worked scroll stitches rows one below the other, though in the second row, I looped the thread through the previous row. In the third row three scroll stitches set are worked in two levels and I tried replicating it again, a failure!

15.63.scr st-4

5.In these samples scroll stitch rows are facing each other. I worked from left to right and returned back in the first sample. After working the top row left to right, I worked the opposite .that is, from right to left in the second sample. And to my surprise found that, I could control this stitch much better this way. Hurray! In the third sample, after working two rows of scroll stitches apart in my way, a thread was laced through both rows.

15.63.scr st-5

6. In the first sample, the scroll stitch rows are facing away from each other. The same idea continues in the second sample which was later whipped with red thread. The last few stitches were not whipped to see the gap between two rows and how the whipping changed the look of the rows.

15.63.scr st-6