For Take a Stitch Tuesday —TAST Week 14 — the challenge is to learn and experiment with Herringbone Stitch.
Herringbone stitch is another of those key stitches that many people first learn when they are new to hand embroidery. I hope those readers who are attempting this stitch for the first time enjoy it and discover its versatility. There is so much you can do with it.
Try working Herringbone stitch in different threads, or on different fabrics. Play with the spacing of the cross working the parts closely together, or work them further apart, or add beads! You can work the stitch back to back and change the height of the stitches to create interesting patterns but as I say, see the Herringbone stitch instruction page for more ideas.
Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST) Week 14 Beyond TAST
For Beyond TAST I propose that readers explore Herringbone Square. Actually, I am throwing two stitches together this week, because if you follow the link to the tutorial, there are also instructions for Laced Herringbone Square Stitch too. Lacing any stitch is always interesting. Try experimenting with threads as the lacing process does not involve passing the needle through the fabric. This frees you up to try all sorts of thicker threads for the second stage of the stitch. I think it makes for an interesting little motif. You can repeat it along a line or arrange it in a pattern. Have fun with them both as they are an interesting variation. Try to take a simple well-known stitch and arrange it in a square, you have a whole different look and feel.
A break week is coming up!
Throughout the year I have 4 break weeks. Next week will be the first. It allows those who are slipping behind to catch up or if you are on track you can play with stitches that interest you or simply take a break! I do this so people don’t get too discouraged and feel positive about their stitching rather than feeling overwhelmed.
If you are new to hand embroidery the challenge is to learn the stitch and share what you have learned. If you are an experienced embroiderer, enjoy Beyond TAST and give your work a modern twist. And of course, share it online so beginners can see what can be done with a little imagination.
If you are looking for past TAST stitch challenges the archives are in the Take a Stitch Tuesday category
Where to Share
So the idea is to stitch a sample, photograph it, share it in the Take a Stitch Tuesday facebook group, or use the hashtags #TASTembroidery and #PintangleTAST on Instagram.
If you need more information the challenge guidelines are on the TAST FAQ page.
Happy Stitching!
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Happy stitching!
