Works In Progress Wednesdays-173

The parsi embroidery on blue crepe tunic was completed after working the french knots. The fabric is with the tailor now.
I have been working on laid work embroidery for BTAST. After filling a few more motifs, this sampler is completed for the time being. The details will be on a different post.
I have been lagging behind on black work mandala SAL. For the months of March and April, the Aida will have lesser holes per inch. Yesterday the markings were done on this piece. Thinking of using the polyester thread to work these mandalas.

Then it will be time for the stitches on SSS challenge, which is next week’s work.

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Works In Progress Wednesdays-163

This week was a stitch busy week. Without making a proper plan to work on embroidery samplers, somehow the project seems to have started.
Stitch challenges
SSS challenge
Last week’s stitch was colonial knot, which was  never worked before. This knot was tried with the help of instructions on Queenie’s blog. Yet to have an idea of how to use this knot. This week’s stitch is Bayeux stitch. I have read a little about Bayeux tapestry, but have not thought about the embroidery stitches on it. An idea to use this stitch on Indian folk design is in mind.
Beyond TAST
I am still working on Sashiko project and Kogin sampler on this challenge. Swedish weaving sampler is yet to be started. These embroidery samplers have been a dream for me. Instead of consciously starting this mega project, these attempts to learn and work new embroidery styles may help in seeing the realism of this idea.
RPW 2018
Randjes are being posted on the blog. A few of them are inspiration for kutch embroidery too. This is the progress on this challenge this week.
SALs
MMM SAL
The black work motif of this month was completed. it will be posted soon on the blog.
Projects
Maroon and blue ikat combo tunic
This tunic project started with two shades of grey cotton skeins used for stitching- Cretan, buttonhole and leaf stitches on this motif, this week.

Red gaada
Closed cretan stitches are used to work the half circles on neck of this red /black tunic.

I do seem have fingers on too many embroidery work, but this is quite interesting. Whenever it gets boring, I can either shift to the next one, or write about the various ideas on my journal or set them aside and do something else.

 

 

Works In Progress Wednesdays-162

This was a good week. We had harvest festival of our state- Pongal.
Stitch challenge
SALs
The MMM SAL is nearing the end. The photo taken few days ago.

RPW 2018
Last week was more progressive on this SAL. Nothing to report this week.
Stitch Challenges
Beyond TAST
The work of Sashiko patterns on yellow table cloth has moved to fourth panel.

A few kogin patterns were drawn on graph paper, and the Kogin sampler was started on a towel cloth.
SSS
Last week’s stitch was completed on time. And waiting for some idea to sprout on this week’s stitch. Some ideas for floral samplers are popping now and then.
Projects
The mirrors are blue ikat tunic is also nearing completion. Just a few more mirrors to work.
Maroon and blue ikat combo tunic
I had two fabrics- a blue ikat and a maroon handloom cotton. Before the tailor went on his vacation, a tunic was sewn with these two fabrics.
A small design from ‘Paisleys designs from India’ was taken, scaled and drawn. This will be traced on to the plain maroon fabric in the front of the tunic. The threads and the tunic.

These days I have started writing down ideas, inspirations. This is quite helpful. It is like an idea journal. It also keeps me on track.

 

 

Works In Progress Wednesdays-161

It seems I have few works in progress this week.
SALS
MMM SAL
Every day I work for half an hour on this month’s mandala. After working back stitch on the outline, design was started with the help of chart posted on the site. I didn’t realise the blurred quality of the picture.

RPW 2018
Though this a weekly SAL, I haven’t started the cross stitch. But, using the border pattern, a small book mark with Hindu lord’s name in my language is in designing stage.

Then, I will move on to designing these borders inspired kutchwork pattern. Whether they will be worked, is another story.
Challenges
Beyond TAST
Using the idea of working Sashiko patterns, the embroidery on yellow table cloth was started. The work in progress on the third panel.

I am looking through Kogin and Swedish weaving techniques for this challenge.
SSS
The band sampler on this week’s stitch on SSS challenge was started yesterday.
I have added a few more mirrors on Blue grey ikat tunic. It gives a necessary change of work.
Some time is allotted for each work every day. Not much time on stitching, but widening the knowledge through other’s work is very interesting. Time passes very swiftly.

 

 

Works In Progress Wednesdays-160

Happy New Year!
First post of 2018. It was a busy week, and it just flew away. As they say, ‘Time flies when you are happy’
All I remember is thinking, doing, relaxing, eating, exercising, browsing- sometimes doing two things together. Now, ready for another year.
There are two SALs that were interesting for me.
SALS

MMM blackwork
Every month there will be a black work design posted on the blog. For January I am planning to work on 16 count Aida[ I think]. More details as this project progresses.
RPW2018
This year this blog will post cross stitch borders on Saturdays. I may not work all the charts. This is yet to start, and my RPW 2017 alphabet SAL is yet to be taken to task!
Stitch Challenges
SSS
I have worked on chosen stitches. The details of those samples have to be posted. Waiting for Sunday for the next stitch.
Beyond TAST
This challenge is for stitchers who have worked the earlier TAST challenges. Sharon has given some guidelines. I have this small table cloth with 7 Aida panels.

1st idea- work some Sashiko patterns on them?
Projects
Blue ikat tunic
After working the outlines in white, I have started with the mirrors on this tunic project.

Along with the yellow table cloth, a small long stitch kit was lying around to be noticed. The UFO’s have also been waiting their turn. Let us see.

 

SSS.12. lace stitch or three sided stitch [pulled thread].

This week’s stitch on SSS challenge is lace stitch or three sided stitch. This stitch comes under pulled thread embroidery. The working is on Queenie’s blog. Earlier in this challenge we had four sided stitch. The samples of four sided stitch were worked as any counted thread stitch and not as pulled thread work. Needing to expand my skill, I have decided to work this stitch as pulled thread work.
Started to learn this stitch on mati cloth. The fabric is far more accommodative than I expected.

Then tried the stitch on a linen bought from IKEA. This is not the effect I want.

Mati cloth it is.
An idea to work the samples along with some borders seems like a good one at this point. Maybe it is better to work within a specified area. Then what about looking for some frames which can be used for this?
The frame

Measured the area to be worked and started with the first sample.

The pattern for this. It is the basic three sided stitch. The black dots are were the fabric is pulled and create holes.

Two rows of three sided stitch worked together looks like this-

The pattern

The idea for this sample occurred while learning the stitch on matti cloth.

The pattern. Each hexagon need not be connected. That’ll make another variation.

Three sided stitch worked on both sides of this black work pattern.

The pattern

These squares are not connected.

The pattern

The stitches are worked diagonally.

The pattern

The sampler is completed. A picture of the sampler was also taken. It was not easy to insert the sampler inside the frame. The problem was not foreseen. After uploading the images, noticed that the sampler image was blurred. I did not want to take it out and insert it again. The framed sampler-

It was very exciting to work on this sampler. I had tried pulled thread work when working on sumptuous surfaces class. But three sided stitch was tried for the first time on this challenge.
The matti cloth cooperated well.
The stitch itself is versatile.
I could work on another Stitch A Long in this project which was not happening for quite some time.
It was interesting learning process to fit the sampler within  the frame.
I could complete the work.

It was a good pastime to see designed stitch samplers on the net. Even though this is small piece I am happy to do this.

 

SSS 2016.2.Back stitch

This is a stitch which I have been wanting to explore on a sampler. The working of the stitch, the tips to work are provided by Queenie, who is doing this Sunday stitch school, on her blog.
This is a versatile stitch. This stitch is used in so many ways over the years on my various embroidery projects. This was first stitch to be taught on our needle class in school to sew two pieces of cloth.
Now the details of the sampler-
The samples are worked in even weave cloth. It is easier to work this stitch on this cloth. The first is the basic back stitch, the second sample is back stitches worked with space between them. Looks like running stitch, but because of the way thread moves below the surface, it is more secure. The third sample are long and short back stitches worked alternatively.

SSS2016.2.backst-1

This sample is zigzag back stitch. This version was used many times on my embroidery projects.

SSS2016.2.backst-2a

The zigzag back stitch looks like this on the back, this makes another linear stitch, may not be as secure as two rows of back stitch, but will save some thread!

SSS2016.2.backst-2b

The first sample is variation of zigzag back stitch. The second is the sample to show how the back stitch works on curves. This is the reason this stitch is used in  red work, black work, kantha work, cross stitch embroideries. There are countless possibilities to work this stitch.

SSS2016.2.backst-3a

The back side looked interesting for these two samples too.

SSS2016.2.backst-3b

Now starting with two rows of back stitch worked together.
After working two rows of back stitch in the first sample, the starting point of the second row in the second sample is the midpoint of the back stitch worked in the previous row. The second sample is called cable stitch, when there is no space between the rows and both rows are worked together as single linear stitch. In the third sample the back stitch rows are whipped together from left to right. The two rows of back stitch is laced in the fourth sample. Detached cretan stitch  is worked over the back stitch in the fifth sample. The sixth sample is the beaded back stitch.

SSS2016.2.backst-4

The sampler is completed with these experiments, I have been itching to work back stitch samples from the time of TAST challenge.

SSS2016.2.Back stitch sampler