The actual line pattern is about 5.25  inches wide by 4.75  inches tall. Feel free to use a photocopier to enlarge or shrink it to a preferred size!

Note: Elmows are distributed as a pdf file. If you don’t have it on your computer, you can get the free Adobe PDF Reader here. This creates a nice clean chart or pattern that you can print on your printer (and size up or down using a copy machine, or even work from the monitor, if you want.

What ARE these things? What can I do with them and is it safe to buy them from you?

If something goes wonky, PLEASE email or call me
(919-265-7059, 9-5 ET). I want you to be happy!

Three petals finished

Wow. Friday already. I didn’t realize that it was so late in the week! Where does the time go?

Note: You might be interested in the first post in this series.

Step 2 – Filling the Large Petals

Last week I stitched the larger petals with geometric stitch patterns from Weldon’s.  I used two different patterns, alternating them between the petals.

They are as follows:

Pattern 1: Star and Lattice Filling

Star and Lattice Filling - every chart line = One fabric thread

This is created by stitching the lattice pattern first. It’s stitched over THREE threads of the linen, using backstitch to make the squares.

Then the little star shapes are stitched over one thread at each intersection.  Use the same color floss for all stitches. I used different colors in the chart for ease of reading.

Pattern 2: Cross and Lattice Filling

Cross & Lattice Filling - every chart line = one fabric thread

This is created by again stitching the lattice pattern first. Again, over three threads (three over, three up) I stitched it with backstitch a well, although Weldon’s suggests stitching little “V” shapes and going row by row, horizontally left to right, then returning right to left. I haven’t tried it that way.

Then the crosses are added in the middle of the lattice work, crossing over two threads (two over, two up).

On both of these patterns, you will need to compensate the pattern slightly at the edge of the design. It’s not difficult, and there are closeups in the Gallery below.

As usual, click on any of the images for a larger view.

Enjoy! This is becoming a fun excercise for me. I’m going to move on this weekend, so I should have new filling stitches for you next Friday.

Stitched Examples

Star and Lattice Petal

Cross and Lattice Petals

Ivory embroidery in rose?

I still wanted to be stitching, even though I don’ thave the gold yet, and really can’t afford to order it until after the first of the year.  Ah, budgets.

But then I thought. You know, I’ve got this stash. And there’s this thing called “Ivory Embroidery” that I’ve talked about before in my Weldon’s.  Since I still haven’t’ been able to find an extant piece to look at, I figured I’d just try following some of the instructions and see what happened.

Still using the Jacobean Flower pattern. I’m stitching it on a pale rose 32 count linen, using DMC  #12 perle cotton in #233 (a bit darker rose). I’m thinking I should probably have used embroidery floss in the same color, as it’s coming out a bit heavy on the embroidery, but it’s still pretty.

So.

Supplies

Linen or Evenweave (I’m using 32 count. You could use 28 count, enlarge the pattern slightly)

#12 perle cotton in the same color or close to it as your linen (If you’re using 32 count linen, you might want to use embroidery floss or floche instead. )

6″ embroidery hoop

Step One

Transfer your design to your linen.

I will start diagramming stitches for you next week.

This was not quite as intended...

OK. I was going to post the wonderful work I’d done on the goldwork flower this week. Unfortunately, I was stymied. I put Japan Gold #5 in the supply list, because I knew I had it, and I thought it would work.

It doesn’t. I have it on hand because I was working on a cuff in Imperial Chinese embroidery long ago, and I forgot just how tiny it is. It’s not a passing thread, by any means, but it’s definitely thinner than I really want for this piece. Click on the photo to see just how small. That’s one strand of Zwicky silk floss holding it down – and a size 8 needle! And I don’ t have any #7 gold. Yet.  So. Step 2 for me is to log on to Hedgehog Handworks (I love Joady and company-not affiliated!) or Threadneedle Street (my old LNS) and order more thread (In this case, I’ll probably call Threadneedle street, because I also need some threads that Hedgehog doesn’t carry.  This project is now on hold for a little while. Sorry about the bad supply list, and sorry about the postponement! I feel like I’ve led y’all down a primrose path, and a bit guilty!Back to knitting while I wait for it to come in, I guess. (I’ve also got about an hour’s work left on the cafe curtain, then it needs to be sewn together… so I guess there’s enough for me to keep busy with!)

So. Use any method you prefer, and transfer your design onto your chosen ground fabric.  I’ll add my photo here when I get it off my camera card.

Supplies list can be found here.

Pattern - click for full-sized printable version

I have decided that I need something small to work on – something I can actually complete relatively quickly while I wait for gold thread for the curtain. So I am digging out the little Jacobean pattern again and doing it in goldwork.

Want to join me?

The image to the right will enlarge to a full-sized gif at 300dpi. Sometimes this prints huge. If you need the actual 4″ design, you can click the following to download the PDF version. (You’ll need Adobe’s free Reader or something compatible to open the file.)

Jacobean Flower Pattern as PDF file

Note: When I stitch this, I plan on using the Chinese preference of a red thread rather than yellow for the couching threads. This accomplishes two things: first, it is still a traditional method of working couching threads, and second, it will provide a greater contrast for the photography so you could better see what I was doing. Feel free to use whatever color couching you want – even something contrasting such as green for the stems or blue for the petals can be effective!

Supplies

(I usually get my goldwork supplies from Hedgehog Handworks. Not affiliated, but a very happy customer!)

• Japan gold or silver – size 5
• Pearl purl in gold or silver
• Check purl in gold or silver
• Silk or cotton sewing thread in yellow or white (or red, or green for couching)
• embroidery hoop – 6 to 7 inch diameter
• 2 10 inch square pieces of a firm fabric – one for a lining and one that will show.
• Scissors that can get dull without causing trouble
• Embroidery Scissors

Always use an old pair or scissors or a craft knife to cut metal threads. Metal threads are either real metal or they are man-made materials. In either case, they are not kind to scissors. They will not only blunt them, but can also put nicks and grooves into the blades. Once you use a pair of scissors for metal thread work, they will never be the same for cutting threads or fabric. I have an old, cheap pair of stork scissors that are designated my “goldwork” scissors. They have a fob on them that lets me know they’re the ones I use.

The finished embroidery

Welcome back! Hopefully the videos helped those of you trying this who were a bit confused about the needlelace leaves. Now that the leaves and petals are finished, we can put it all together!

Step 7 – Completing the Embroidery

1. First things first. We need to get those detached lace leaves off our muslin and Free!!! Turn the work over so the back is up, and carefully clip the couching threads, gently pulling them out to remove them.
2. Now go back to the front and clip the threads close to the away waste knots. The leaf should now come off of the muslin pretty easily.
3. Clip the dangling green threads close to the stitching. You should have secured them when you covered the wire with buttonhole stitch. You did do that, right?
4. Now clip the fabric around the blue petals. I like to do this in two passes. One to separate the petals, and another with very very fine, sharp embroidery scissors (I use the same ones I use for hardanger) to snip the fabric off very close to the stitching.
   Note: At this point I should have taken my navy blue Sharpie and colored in the white muslin fringe and a bit of the tips of the wire. I didn’t. I KNOW this is going to haunt me. I may even end up going back and re-stitching the petals because of it…
5. Put the actual embroidery back into a hoop. Make sure it’s taut.
6. Using an awl, or the points of your sharp scissors, poke a small hole where two of the red petals come together, right down by the base of the french knot center. The hole should be large enough for the wires to go through, but not easily. We don’t want them swishing around wherever they want to go when we’re done!
7. Poke the wires from one of the blue petals through the hole.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the other three petals.
9. On the back of the work, interlace the petal wires together and secure them by stitching over them. I made a cross and then secured each pair of ends with a few whip stitches. Using your wire cutters or the pair of scissors you don’t care about, clip the wires about a sixteenth of an inch away from the stitching.
10. Referring to the pattern or photos below for location, poke holes next to the stem and poke the leaves’ wires into them. These holes need to be even smaller than the ones for the petals, simply because they aren’t going through stitching as well as the fabric.
11. On the back of the work, secure the wires with small whip stitches and trim them as you did the petals.
12. Congratulations! Your stumpwork is finished! You can bend the wires on the raised portions so that they lay the way you want them to, and then you can now frame it, or finish it as you like. (I’ve got a finishing suggestion in mind for these little pieces coming up soon!)

If you have been having problems with the needlelace leaves, I hope that these will help a bit.

This weekend I’ll post the finishing touches for this little piece.

Making the needlelace leaf:

Covering the wire with buttonhole stitch:

Hang tight. I’ll get it sorted as soon as possible. And tomorrow I will try to post the next step for the stumpwork!

Thanks for your patience! Darn technology!

Again, the images are in a gallery at the bottom, with descriptions. Click on them to enlarge.

Step 6 – Wired needlelace leaves

The finished leaf, from an odd angle.

1. Start in the same way you started the small petals: couch the wire down along the muslin pattern. Note: This is where I would have done something different: You will be pulling these couching threads out in step 7. I’d suggest using contrasting thread to couch with, rather than something that will blend in, like the blue I used.
   
2. Using 2 very long strands of green floss and the tapestry needle, secure the thread at the FRONT of the work, a bit away from the leaf, and bring your needle up about halfway down one side. Wrap the thread around just the wire up to the point. This will secure the thread when we are finished with the leaf.
   Note: This is another thing I would have done differently: I would have used one strand of fine perle cotton, maybe a size 12 for the leaves. (and maybe for the stem, too…) Needlelace is much easier to work with a thread with some body.
3. Starting with one buttonhole stitch at the tip of the leaf, work detached buttonhole downward, filling the leaf. This is detached from the muslin, not from the wire. Make sure you wrap each row of buttonhole stitch around the wire at the sides. I can’t find a tutorial for this. Near the beginning of next week I will try to video one and get it posted, if I can figure out the technology!
   Note: I wanted a lacy look to this leaf. If you are just trying out this technique, you might want to work a Corded Brussels stitch (with a returning thread bar for stability) instead of the Brussels (just buttonhole) stitch. The corded stitch is easier to maintain tension and make even stitches with.  I’ll include both versions in the video.
4. When you reach the bottom of the leaf, wrap the thread up around the leaf edge and park it to the side of your work.
5. Start another length of thread, again 2 strands, and as long as you can work with: I find that 24-30 inches is about as much as I can handle without it becoming a mess.  Secure it using the same method, but this time, come up on the left side of the leaf, 1/2 way up and wrap it to the bottom. Buttonhole around the wire and the wrapped threads all the way around the leaf.
6. Secure that last dangling thread by switching to your thinner, sharp needle and running it up under the last few buttonhole stitches you have made, between the stitches and the wire.  Clip the dangly green threads and your leaf is finished.
7. Repeat for the second leaf.