Wonderful Wednesday #39: Velvet Pony Design

The colors and textures in this Geometric Bear pattern by Velvet Pony Design on Etsy are amazing!

This Geometric Owl pattern is also quite adorable, with a similar woodsy palette. These are both fabulous intermediate cross stitch patterns!

Learn the Pekinese Stitch

Hello again readers! Some of you may have noticed I took last month off to handle some work issues, but now I'm back with a fun new stitch for us to learn, and I have to say, I really love this one!

Today we're going to look at the Pekinese Stitch, which I promise you is much easier than it looks.

Like almost every month I'm using two strands of cotton floss and cotton fabric stretched tight in a hoop. What can I say, I'm a creature of habit. Maybe next month I'll branch out! This stitch would actually be lovely with mixed fibers, and I'll definitely try that next.

Traditionally, the Pekinese stitch was used as a filler, but today we're going to learn it as an outline stitch.

Start with a back stitch along the line you want your Pekinese stitch. I found turning corners with this stitch to be a little difficult, but it follows curves beautifully. Once your back stitch is in place, you'll use another two strands of floss to add the flourish.

Come up with your needle at the beginning or far left of your back stitch. Skipping one stitch, loop your thread under the stitch from the bottom. Pull your thread through but leave loose. Then go under the first stitch from the top, going over the thread that you left across the bottom. Now you should have a little loop around your back stitches. Pictures help here.

Now that your first loop is in place, you will continue this pattern across your design until you reach the end.

I had some sharp turns in my design, so rather than try to turn the corner, I just stopped on one side and began again at the other. Perhaps an unorthodox method, but it made everything much neater.

And that's the Pekinese stitch! I love how it looks and while it can take a little practice to get all your little loops even, it's fairly simple to execute once you get the hang of it. To finish out my design I used seed stitch to fill in the wings, and satin stitch and french knots for the owl's face.

I hope you enjoyed learning a new stitch with me today. How would you use the Pekinese stitch in your embroidery designs? I'd love to hear and see! Comment below or share your projects in the Feeling Stitchy flickr pool!

Happy Stitching!

Patterns: Helen M Stevens

Vivienne Wells from Vivebooks, very kindly sent me a copy of the Tawny Owl pattern by Helen M Stevens, to have a go at, the above photo is my attempt. The pattern recommends using Piper Silks or other silk embroidery floss, however I used DMC. I also used two strands of DMC and not the recommended one (if you were to use normal embroidery floss). I also did change the colours a bit, you can see the pattern more expertly embroidered here.

Helen M Stevens has designed a wide range of nature and animal patterns, each pattern pack has very comprehensive instructions, with diagrams that clearly show which colours to use and which direction you should stitch in. Helen's patterns are subtitled 'one simple stitch' and that is very true, as the owl above is just created with one simple stitch, the satin stitch, which makes seemingly complex designs, quite achievable.

Lovely Owl

stitched by Handmade and Heritage

I'm loving this beautiful owl stitched by Amiee - the detail and color and texture are just astounding. So many layers of tiny stitches - beautiful!

Too wit to woo

I think my stitchy resolution for 2012 might be 'stitch something neat on a doily'. I just love this 'Too wit to woo' piece by Kate Elisabeth Rolison (aka Poesie Grenadine). Kate stitches modern poetry on vintage linens. Read more about it on her blog. 

Do you have any 'stitchy' resolutions for the new year? Are you finally going to try and master the French Knot maybe? Or participate in an embroidery contest? Embroider more (and spend less time at the computer)? Leave your resolution here in the comments, post your photos in the Embroidery Pool with #NYR2012 and maybe you will be featured on Feeling Stitchy! 

Wishing everyone a safe and happy New Year!