Do you want a catch up week?

Before I announce the stitch for this week I notice in the comments many people are once again saying they are tying to catch up, keep up or are breathless! Do people want a catch up week next week?  Leave a comment on this post and vote yes for a catch up week or no. I will count the votes and I will follow  the majority.

The result does not matter to me as I already have next stitch in draft, but we do lose people when they feel they can’t catch up. The other thing that happens is if pressured by time quality drops as people dash of a quick sample so they can keep up. So far this challenge is fantastic and I would prefer to let folks catch up before focus suffers and engagement drops.

Keeping pace with a challenge like this can be difficult particularly if people who are new to hand embroidery. They can feel overwhelmed and drop the activity all together. More experienced stitchers know they can pick it up again but people who are new have not developed their own stitching processes, routines and habits. The challenge is for all levels but much of my online life is about encouraging people to try hand embroidery and keeping the practice alive.

There will be 52 stitches in the challenge so if during the year there are a few catchup weeks the challenge will just over run on so folks wont miss out on  a stitch.

This week the challenge stitch is knotted cretan Click through to the directions on how to work it as directions are in my stitch dictionary..

I know some may read about the challenge stitch this week and think  “It’s just more Cretan stitch!” In one way it is, but this is an interesting stitch as there is a second pattern of texture built up in the knots formed along the spines.

As a variety of Cretan these knots formed on the spine can create a whole different feel, because of the texture. Ordinary Cretan is flat this version is textured. Worked in a thicker thread you can really do things with it.

Like ordinary Cretan you can work it in rows or use it to fill and create shapes.

Wide rows are useful to create broad lines.

Rows can be worked easily on a curve or placed side by side to create patterns

One side of the prongs can be worked longer than the other.

As you can see in the sample above you can easily work threads in a circle

This stitch really comes into its own when used for organic forms as the twiggy looking line is ideal as grasses or in floral motifs.

Once again the challenge is:

For new hands to learn the stitch

Or

If you are an experienced stitcher take the stitch and push it a little further in a creative manner or combine this stitch with one of the stitches already covered in TAST 2012. If you have worked a sample in a previous challenge feel free to post a link in comments as it will inspire people but if you have time do try another sample and do something different and new!

How to join in

Stitch a sample,  take a photograph of it, put in online in your blog, flickr site or on stitchin fingers page, swing by here and leave a comment with your full web address so people can visit and see your sample.

Any special rules?

There are no rules but I do have a request, please link back here.

Interesting work will be featured

Each week I will feature samples that participants have stitched order to draw attention to creative and interesting work. This means some work will be re-published. I will credit and link to the owners website but I assume that when you leave your link here, I have your permission to feature your work. If you do not want your work to be featured please say in the comment, you leave and I wont include it in the feature.

Further information

If you need further information on the challenge a list of stitches covered so far or directions on how to participate please visit the TAST FAQ page.

You can read back through TAST articles by browsing Challenges -  Take a Stitch Tuesday category

Other groups and networks

You can also share your explorations with other members on the social network site of your choice. There is a Facebook TAST 2012 page,   stitchin fingers group and the flickr TAST site. All these sub groups are set up at request of members