As you can see I’m almost done with the orchid. I will be home much of the day today because of my DH’s Carols & Lessons up in Calistoga tonight, so I know I will get that part done today.
Instead of finishing that last bit of violet, I decided to test out a background stitch. The design has lots of narrow fiddly bits, so large stitches won’t work. Any background stitch will need to be small.
Because it’s going on a bag front, I wanted a stitch with full coverage so something like T Stitch won’t work here. I didn’t want to stitch Tent or a variation because that would be too much like the focal point. Since the threads are all wool, I wanted some contrast.
The minimal instructions that came with the kit suggested Brick Stitch. As I’ve been working on the orchid I have been thinking about it and ruling out possibilities. Giant Brick won’t work; it’s too big. Horizontal Brick won’t work because the design is radial so there is no horizontal or vertical.
I keep thinking about doing some kind of Brick Stitch stripe and I started stitching with this still in mind. That’s why I have stitched along one side only. It turned out that I love the look, the scale is right for even the small spaces. The difference between a straight stitch and the diagonal stitches is just enough to make the design elegant.
I’ll get done what I can today, but next week we’ll look at a different project that’s a Christmas present, so I need to finish it. The bad thing about this project is that I already have three more projects lined up to go once these two are complete. And I just put away my metallics and realized my Kreinik gold stash is overflowing. So I’m adding an canvas to use those up to the pile.
Happy Stashing!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
Jane says
Oh, how clever! Hawaiian quilt in needlepoint! I love it! (Are you sick of exclamation points now? Sorry, but I needed them.)
Janet M Perry says
Me too. Several ofd the Hawaiian shops carry them. I knowMelissa Shirley has one canvas that is one and Keri Designs has several canvases that are Hawaiian quilts. In fact I have a quilt sampler of hers in the stash to do right now.
Keep stitching,
Janet