For TAST Week 18, we have two stitches that you can work on a grid. People often use Algerian Eye Stitch in even-weave embroidery techniques. These include canvas work, pulled work embroidery, and forms of counted thread work. However, it has a simple structure which means you can adapt it easily to many forms of surface embroidery. You can be very creative with it. If you use it to make a shape in free-form embroidery, it can be very effective. You can add beads, scatter them across an area, or build up patterns and designs. You will find a tutorial for Algerian Eye Stitch in my stitch dictionary and it is not difficult, so enjoy experimenting with it.
Week 18 Beyond TAST
The stitch for Beyond TAST week 18 is Eastern stitch which is another even-weave stitch normally worked on a grid. But you can use this stitch to follow a softly curved line too.
Since Eastern stitch forms a squarish shape, stitchers often work it in regular patterns. For example, you can easily adapt and use cross-stitch designs. The beaded version is the same. Because it fits into a square it sits well on a grid. This makes developing your own patterns fun and easy. Eastern stitch is made up of units that you can orient in different directions to create other types of patterns. I worked the above sample on Aida using hand-dyed cotton perle thread. I turned each stitch and elongated the stitch a little, and worked blocks of 4 stitches to create little motifs to form a pattern. It was very easy and very quick.
The Design Challenge for May
For the month of May, I am asking you to think about Scale. Normally when people teach you about design, you think in terms of the size of one thing against another thing in the composition. Scale and proportion go hand in hand. One aspect of design for embroidery, rather than design in general, is to think of scale and apply a sense of scale to threads and stitches.
To make a texture contrast, you can use a big fat thick lumpy thread set against a fine thin thread. Or you can make it not be so extreme by simply varying the thickness of your threads to create a visually interesting embroidered surface. You can change threads within a row, particularly if you work your stitch in two journeys — such as this sample below. It comprises double herringbone worked in a variety of threads.
The other way you can use scale in your embroidery is to make your stitches larger or smaller. There is no law saying everything has the be stitched at the same height. Here, I have worked Herringbone in various heights.
This sample provides another example of changing the scale of your stitches by using closed buttonhole worked back to back from large to small.
My last sample changes the height of stitches in this case tied herringbone and changes the thickness of the thread. I worked the bottom line of stitches with cotton perle #5 and a fine metallic thread. I simply threaded them both in the same needle and stitched the line of tied herringbone.
What is the challenge this month?
The challenge is to create your own design abstract or representational piece, change the scale of your thread, and change the scale of your stitches.
Where to share
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 you can see what can be done with a little imagination.
If you are doing the design challenge you have a month to work on your design and stitch it up.
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.
Previous TAST design challenges are found here
- The Design Challenge for January is on week 1
Happy stitching!
Have you seen my Stitchers Templates?
Create your own designs with Sharon’s easy-to-use stitchers templates. Combine shapes to create hundreds of patterns and designs to embroider. It is the ultimate mix-and-match fun for stitchers of all skill levels. I created them to be as versatile as possible. I include four multi-patterned templates in each set. You will find them easy to use, totally clear to help you position them on your work, and they are nice and compact to fit in your sewing box. Each set comes with an e-book filled with patterns and designs that you can create and use as a jumping-off spot for your own designs. They are available now in our shop here!
Happy stitching!
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