Wonderful Wednesday #41: Quarter Inch Mark

How lovely is this Forest Hill Embroidery Pattern in the Quarter Inch Mark shop on Etsy? I love the attention to detail and the lovely colors that have been used to create this pattern!

Look at the beautiful whitework embroidery on this knit bag, a pattern which is also included:

If you'd like to learn more about this pattern - visit this blog post by their creator, Chase: http://quarterinchmark.blogspot.com/2017/05/forest-hill-embroidery-pattern-knit-bag.html

For more on Chase, visit -
Instagram: @quarterinchmark (https://www.instagram.com/quarterinchmark/)
Twitter: @quarterinchmark (https://twitter.com/quarterinchmark)
http://quarterinchmark.blogspot.com/

Stitchy Snippets - Counting Threads

In keeping with it's regal name, the British Royal School of Needlework is centred at Hampton Court Palace which stands grandly alongside the river Thames. The school teaches the traditional practice of embroidery which has been passed down through the centuries. The training focuses on precise and exact techniques and can be rigorous at times for the amateur such as myself. Not dissimilar to a Kung Fu student who is put through their paces, although using far less muscle.

Attending a class at the school is truly enjoyable, especially in such an awesome setting. As I sat tucked away in the light airy galleries of the palace, overlooking the manicured gardens I wondered if there could be a more apt location to do drawn thread work. This type of embroidery is often grouped with Whitework as it is usually practiced on white linen, embellished in white and often combines several types of embroidery. A key feature of this style is to cut warp or weft threads away from the base fabric and embellish the remaining threads which creates a lace effect.

The preparation requires a lot of patience as threads should be counted accurately in order to follow the pattern (which posed a challenge first thing on a Saturday morning). Traditionally, the stripped threads are woven back into the fabric to leave a seamless edge. Once the preparation is underway the stitching is relatively straightforward although I found that the stitches that at first appeared simpler were the most difficult to execute well.

The action of deconstructing and reconstructing the fabric is very fulfilling and the delicate outcome that is produced has a unique finish and effect compared to other types of needlework.

Stitchy Snippets - Bordado Ibicenco

Waves of heat bathed me as I took my first steps onto the Spanish island of Ibiza. In the height of summer Ibiza's landscape is rich with flora and fauna; pine forests coat the hillsides, fig, olive, citrus and almond trees are heavy with fruit and whitewashed homes are beautifully edged with cacti, aloe and hibiscus. How does this relate to embroidery I hear you ask. After gradually slowing down to the easy pace of the island, where most things can wait until mañana, I discovered the popular fashion appreciated by foreigners and locals alike called Moda Adlib. The clothes are commonly constructed from natural, white fabrics adorned with whitework embroidery, lace, crochet and applique. It is exhilarating to see that the artisan elements are central to the fashion style and are sought after by many.

Moda Adlib dates back to the Seventies when many hippies flocked to Ibiza, creating a refuge for the hippie movement. Yugoslavian princess Smilja Mihailovitch created Adlib in 1971 which was influenced by the hippie style and traditional Pityusic clothing of the Balearic islands of Ibiza. Despite changing fashions Adlib continues to attract people of all ages and a fashion show is held on the island each summer. In Haute Couture the Adlib style is periodically explored.

Valentino - Spring/Summer 2015

Moda Adlib's ethos is 'Dress however you want but elegantly'. The exquisite embroidery and lace work reflects this ideology. Although the majority of work today is predominantly made with a machine, traditionally the lace and embroidery would have been produced by hand.

Fundamentally the designs incorporate many elements of whitework embroidery. On this garment, broderie anglaise is applied in the form of cutwork. To apply this technique parts of the fabric are cut away and the edges are closed with a button hole stitch to create this effect.

Lace is prominent, usually machine lace is stitched or appliquéd onto the garment. However instead of using machine lace, needle lace or drawn thread work could be incorporated to create detail. Typically floral motifs are sewn in satin stitch and chain stitch is often used to define larger designs.

These techniques can be used as an effective way to customise and embellish otherwise plain garments and accessories. They also prove a delightful decoration for children's clothing. 'Bordado Ibicenco' or Ibizan embroidery offers a great starting point for experimentation, perhaps by using bold colours, different weight fabrics and types of thread. Although mainly worn in Summer, this style could easily be adapted for an autumnal wardrobe.

Mooshie Stitch Monday: My First Mountmellick Embroidery Kit

In my last post I told you about my visit to the Mountmellick Embroidery Museum in Ireland and I purchased a small embroidery kit at the museum to try stitching.

The kit included the satin jean fabric, needle, thread, pattern with stitch suggestions and stitch instructions - along with some history about Mountmellick embroidery.

Tracing the pattern.

I used a washable blue pencil to roughly trace the pattern onto the fabric.

Stitching!

The satin jean fabric is thicker than what I am used to - at first I felt as though it was tough to pull the needle and thread through the fabric - but I did get used to it after some stitching.

Here it is all stitched.

I followed the stitch suggestions (noted on the pattern photo above) with the exception of using the snail trail stitch. I also did not use the feather stitch inside the leaves and used them stem stitch instead. Just my own personal preference - because after I tried the feather stitch inside one leaf, I didn't like how my feather stitch looked :)

Finishing - Soaking and Boiling

Next I followed the finishing instructions that came in the kit.

I was nervous about this step because I have never boiled my embroidery before. Honestly, I have never soaked to remove the pattern lines either!!! Usually I use a disappearing ink. But I didn't want to use the disappearing ink because I wasn't sure how long the stitching would take me.

I soaked it in cold water with a drop of laundry detergent for a few hours. The instructions said overnight, but I could see the blue tracings were gone within a few hours. Next, I boiled it for about 20 minutes and let dry overnight.

I looked at the instructions again and realized I didn't boil it with detergent! So I boiled again - this time with a drop of detergent for about 20 minutes and let dry overnight again.

Here it is after boiling, ironed, and in a little hoop. I am pleased with the end result. I think it turned out pretty good for my first Mountmellick stitching! :)

Mooshie Stitch Mondays: Cable Plait Stitch

Another stitch common to Mountmellick embroidery is the Cable Plait Stitch (aka Braid Stitch).

As always, Needle n' Thread has a great video tutorial for this stitch.

I drew two lines to help guide my stitching and practiced with two types of floss.

DMC floss on the left and #5 pearl cotton on the right.

I really like this stitch. It isn't too difficult to learn and I think it has great texture.

In my whitework project this week, I used part of this pattern I found on Pinterest.

Stitches included: Cable Plait, Chain and Satin Stitch.

The leaves are pearl cotton and everything else is stitched with DMC floss.

Want to read more about the cable plait stitch??

Vetty Creations explains the difference between the cable plait stitch and plaited braid stitch.

Click here to see another video tutorial.

Mooshie Stitch Mondays: Mountmellick Thorn Stitch

Let’s continue with another stitch common to Mountmellick embroidery - the Mountmellick Thorn Stitch.

First thing I realized was the lack of tutorials and photos of this stitch online. I found this video tutorial that is good, but also a bit blurry and this photo on Flickr. Both were helpful and gave me a good starting point on how to stitch it.

I read on a few websites about Mountmellick embroidery that the thorn stitch is basically a feather stitch with a French knot on every other stitch.

 

Honestly, I had a hard time with this stitch and these photos are my best example after many, many tries. I have no problem with feather stitch - but adding the French knot I found difficult for some reason! I do think it was easier to stitch with the pearl cotton than when I used regular floss.

I know this isn’t exactly how to stitch the Mountmellick thorn stitch - it definitely looks different from the few examples I found online - but that's ok. It’s my version of it. :)

This time for my whitework project, I decided to stitch a little sampler. I switched fabric because I really like how the white floss looks on the linen.

 

Stitches included: Mountmellick thorn stitch, chain stitch, cable chain stitch and french knots.

 

Next time: The cable plait stitch!

Interested in reading more about Mountmellick Embroidery? One great website I found is Vetty Creations. Yvette Stanton's embroidery is amazing. I started following her awesome board on Pinterest and I think I will be purchasing her book on Mountmellick embroidery also.

If you have ever tried the Mountmellick thorn stitch, please let me know! Or if you decide to stitch it - post your photos on Flickr - in the Embroidery Group.

Adventures in Whitework: Mountmellick Stitch

Hi all - floresita here to introduce our first new blogger on Feeling Stitchy - Michelle! On her blog, Mooshie Stitch, Michelle does some amazing, detailed stitch work with Take a Stitch Tuesday stitches and other talented projects. We are very thrilled to have her here at Feeling Stitchy with her first Mooshie Stitch Monday post - tune in every other Monday to hear from her! Welcome, Michelle!

First of all, I just want to say that I am so excited for my first post on Feeling Stitchy! :)

Welcome to the beginning of my adventures with whitework embroidery! I am a total newbie. Whitework has always intrigued and intimidated me. Especially cut work and drawn thread work.

When I was reading about different techniques, I came across Mountmellick whitework. The Mountmellick style - named after the town Mountmellick in Ireland - focuses on creating texture using many traditional stitches (including stem, buttonhole, satin, and french knots). It is typically stitched on cotton fabric with sheen and matte cotton threads.

Since I was already familiar with some of the stitches used, I decided to focus on learning Mountmellick.

There are three stitches unique to Mountmellick: the Mountmellick Stitch, Mountmellick Thorn Stitch, and Cable Plait Stitch.

Let's start with the Mountmellick Stitch. I found this great video tutorial on the Needle n' Thread website.

It was easier for me to keep the stitch even by drawing lines as a guide.

To practice some whitework stitching, I decided to start with a very small floral pattern.

It is a portion of this free pattern I found on Needle n' Thread. (She has so many free patterns!!)

Here is the finished project.

Stitched with: french knots, stem, satin and Mountmellick stitch.

I did not follow the "rules" of stitching on sheen fabric with matte cotton. I used regular DMC floss (Blanc) and a tea towel. Although, I wish I used different fabric. I was stitching very tight - which I tend to do and need to work on - so there are holes in the fabric from my pulling the stitches too tight. Oh well! It's a learning process!

I am happy with my first little whitework project! :)

Next time: I will tackle Mountmellick Thorn Stitch.

Do you have any advice for someone new to whitework?? I would love to hear from you - leave a comment! Are you currently stitching some whitework also? 

Post your project photos in the Feeling Stitchy Embroidery Group on Flickr! 

Home Sweet Home

stitched by Amanda

I am loving this Home Sweet Home embroidery by Amanda! The color combination of gray and white, and such delicate stitching - it's just wonderful. For more on Amanda's project, visit her blog.

Christmas Countdown #23: Love, Peace, Joy

Stitched by SmileySunday

Gorgeous.