Jizee6687's Weblog

A lovely name for detached  triple chain stitch. The method of working this stitch is on Queenie’s blog. Working this way gives more dimension to an ordinary detached chain stitch. So I worked the stitch on satin cloth, pattern taken from old pattern book.
The flower in two shades of blue with four strands of cotton skein.

The stems are worked in outline stitch.

The leaves are again  worked with mille fleur stitch.

Added small pearl beads inside the flowers.

This project was completed just before the tailor left for vacation. The worked satin fabric was sewn on the towel by him.

The old patterns which have detached chain options can be used for this stitch. Another option  is using this stitch with ribbon embroidery. A pretty and easy stitch for textural embroidery.

Best wishes for the holiday season! Happy New Year!
Weather is still cool in Muscat. And we are thoroughly enjoying it.
SSS challenge
I have been lagging behind on this challenge. This week was fully dedicated to SSS challenge. Few stitches are to be worked later. Still on thinking mode on these stitches.
The rest of them I have been working one after another. The details will be posted on separate posts.
Organizing
Organizing the embroidery pictures on computer was started yesterday. I have been saving pictures of embroidery works over the few years. These need to be organized into categories. What is the use of these pictures if I just keep adding more and more?
While organizing these pictures relevant books will also be looked into. When I lived in India, I couldn’t get good embroidery books at all. Books relating to copied embroidery, local designs, special patterns were the only choice. There are no bookshops in Muscat. Whenever I travelled, book buying played an important part. Dubai trips also involved books. The craving with which these books were bought, I must confess they are not being used. The combination of – lack of time management, too many interests, changing of priorities, net browsing, to name a few- all add up to the neglect of these books. So these books also need attention. Which comes within the  new organizing plan.
Project
Started adding some fly stitches in light blue around the circle on blue grey ikat tunic. Not much time was spent on this project. I like adding stitches and colours around a shape.

This leaf stitch was on the ‘to try’ list for a number of years. The working of the stitch is on Queenie’s blog. To work the leaf stitch a few times on this sampler, a few leaf patterns were drawn on paper. The leaf stitch will be worked with other stitches also.

The sampler starts with the basic leaf stitch, the second sample has leaf stitch outlined with stem stitch, the stem stitch is again used on the third sample too. The working is done here with polyester thread. Not a very comfortable thread to work with.

Now it is four strands of cotton skein. The first sample has Chinese knots along with leaf stitch in the first sample. The second sample of leaf is worked with two threads, a thread for each side. The third sample had straight stitches worked between leaf lines in two colours.

The other stitches used in this part of the sampler are- buttonhole stitch, pistil stitch and fly stitch.

The picture is not very clear, the first sample has leaf stitch worked over stem stitch, the second sample had detached chain stitch and in the last sample the leaf stitches are worked on leaves with feather stitch stem.

The leaf stitch sampler is complete. I looking forward to use this stitch on my projects.

Muscat is quite pleasant and cool these days. We had some rain too.
SSS challenge
Since this is the only stitch challenge I am working, may be it is time to put in more work on these stitches. The leaf stitch sampler was completed, and Mille fleur stitch, being an easy one, is to be started on a satin fabric to be later used for towel edging. All the time on browsing seems to have paid off!
Projects
Blue ikat tunic
The working on these motifs is simple and repetitive, the work on these borders will continue till they are ready. Working with metallic silver thread on the chain stitch outline. That way one UFO can be out of the way.

Red and black tunic
This red tunic fabric is called Gaada in my language. It is cotton fabric which has various uses- baby clothing, cloth nappies, bags, furnishings…
The price is not much, and wears well for quite some time. But this red fabric is quite soft, keeps stretching in all directions, needs lining for stabilizing it, is block printed[ which is not seen here, [for some unknown reason!]. The lady from the shop said it may not be suitable. And it was there for blouses. But the fabric interested me enough. This was given for sewing along with a black fabric for shoulders and sleeve borders.

This tunic is crying out for mirrors. If the work on this commences soon, it is possible to wear the tunic this cool season.

This stitch sampler was worked a few days ago. The working of the stitch on Queenie’s blog. The laid thread was beige, thickness similar to wool, which was bought on our trip to London. The couching thread was variegated orange from China similar to perle #8.
It was an easy stitch, which I enjoyed working. The basic thorn stitch was worked on the first sample. the legs were extended in the second sample. The third sample was worked alternating the first and second row.

The first sample in this part of the sampler was made by working couching stitches very close to each other. The same idea is followed to form a stitch repeat in the second sample.

The first sample has legs extending on both sides alternatively. The stitches are facing each other in the last sample.

The whole sampler. These threads were easy to work with. Possibilities of working more variations of this stitch and when combined with other stitches – makes thorn stitch a great decorative stitch.

I am planning to work on leaf stitch sampler on SSS challenge. The stitch looks simple and it is eagerly awaited stitch.
Projects
My tailor informed that he was going to Pakistan for 3 months yesterday. This means for some time the embroidery on tunics can be set aside. This might  be the change I was looking for. Now stitch challenges, UFO’s, new stitches, other ethnic embroideries, may be even some crochet can be looked into.
Blue ikat tunic
Another stitch and thread was started on this motif border for blue ikat tunic.

Mustard mangalagiri tunic
The embellishing with embroidery and beads was completed on mustard with copper zari tunic.

The details will be on another post. Now is the time to think of ways to work leaf stitch.

This braid stitch is definitely a tough stitch to learn. The working of the stitch is on Queenie’s blog.
This stitch was on to learn list for a long time. When Queenie posted on SSS challenge, I decided after a long time, to practice on a pattern. The project was a string bag. The pattern was isolated from a circle pattern on the internet.
After the tracing the pattern on to the cloth, I started with the flower. Not being satisfied with the work, outlined it with back stitch.

Moving on to the next part with light green thread,

Till now the area was small for embroidery, now the stem was so long, that the project was kept on hold for some time. While taking it up again, suddenly realized, the working rhythm was forgotten. After looking at the tutorial, continued with the stitching. This stitch may not be my friend thought was reinforced at this point.

Chinese knot
This is the 33rd stitch on SSS challenge. The working can be found on Queenie’s blog. I loved working this stitch.

The completed design.

I can’t say this was a productive week embroidery wise. We had a very long weekend because of National day holidays. The climate is quite cool here. Eating out, watching old movies and just driving around. The days were well spent. It was hard to come near the computer. The SSS challenge is just the way it was last week.
Projects
Blue ikat tunic
The closed herringbone stitch in pink thread was completed on this border, while watching movies. I started with green thread, working the same closed herringbone as filling. The work is quite meditative I suppose.

Since I have bought too many tunic fabrics, there is personal commitment to work on them. But these days, I feel a tiredness creeping in once in a while. Though there is happiness in designing and working the embroidery, most of my other work are set aside for another time. There is always one new tunic waiting to be designed. The UFOs are not even looked at. May be all these thoughts are because of moving towards the end of the year. Some important thinking, changing, organizing is required.