Color through Gold Needlepoint Sampler Free Design

Sometimes I come across an idea which is just so good, it sparks off all kinds of new ideas in my head. The wonderful book, published in 1999, Creative Embroidery Techniques Using Color through Gold by Daphne J. Ashby and Jackie Woolsey did just that. Daphne developed this technique while doing some color studies for her City and Guilds course in the UK. Basically the technique uses brightly colored threads to form the basis of a design or as some of the layers in as layered stitch. Gold thread is then used to accent and/or frame the stitches, creating an effect of colors shimmering through a golden haze.

The idea, like most great ideas, is simple, but allows for a tremendous amount of variation. In the book, Congress Cloth and machine embroidery threads are used. I thought the technique could easily be applied to any size of needlepoint canvas using all different types of threads and many kinds of stitches.

Our new sampler looks at stitches made using this technique. Nine stitches done in this technique will be covered.

Colour through Gold Stitches

Almost any stitch can be converted to the Colour through Gold technique. If it’s a layered stitch make the bottom layer the colored thread. It will then peek through the gold upper layers. If it’s a striped stitch, use colored for the accent stitches and gold for the main stitch. For other stitches alternate the colored and gold areas. You see all of these approaches in the sampler, above.

This week we’ll cover the materials needing and creating the sampler design and stitching the outline. In two weeks we’ll stitch the first patch.

Threads Needed

For the sampler you will need:

• multi-color stranded thread in color of your choice (model uses Wine Country Dark floss from Gloriana — no longer made)
• spools of metallic braid (#12) and 1/16″ ribbon in shade of gold to match (model uses Kreinik 002V)
• stranded non-metallic floss near to color of metallic
• stranded non-metallic thread in one color in multi-color (I used burgundy)
• 12″ square 18-mesh mono needlepoint canvas
• ruler
• permanent marker made for writing on fabric such as SCA-UF or Pigma Micron

Depending on the metallic you pick, your sampler can be bright or subdued. By picking a more matte gold (Vintage Gold) my sampler has an old-fashioned feel.

You will want to pick you multi-color thread to be brighter than you might normally pick because the gold subdues your colored thread somewhat.

Creating your Design

The first step to creating this sampler is to find a five-pointed star outline you like. It can be an even star, or it can be an irregular one. If your chosen star has internal lines, you will only trace the outline.

Enlarge the star to be about 8-8.5″ across and print it out.

Take your star outline, the ruler and the pen and divide the star into nine irregular patches. The easiest way to do this is to start with three adjacent legs (bottom and right on model). Divide these legs only into two patches each. Make only the dividing line on the leg, do not make any lines near the center yet.

Take the remaining two legs and draw a slanted line dividing these legs off from the center. Make a short line separating the legs.

With this drawn you can now make the line dividing the center from the two patches of one adjacent leg (upper right leg on model).

There are two legs left that have not been divided from the center. At the base of one of these legs draw a slanted line that meets the line dividing the pair of one-patch legs from the center (bottom left leg on model).

At the base of the final leg, make a line straight across meeting the line you just drew.

This process should make nine small patches that have an irregular crazy quilt look about them.

Stitching the Outline

It’s hard to see in the picture, but the outside of the star is outlines in Tent Stitch using your metallic braid. When the shape is irregular, as this is, stitching an outline is helpful for making the finished design look neat.

If you plan on finishing the piece as a pillow, you will want to stitch three additional rows around the outside using a single strand non-metallic thread to match the metallic. This gives a margin for finishing.

No free design next week because of civerafge of the TNNA Market and new products.