TAST Week 32

Week 31 - Cast On Stitch

Week 32 at TAST 2012 gave us the Cast On Stitch.  Now I know how to make those pretty raised flowers!  I even tried different threads than my usual 2 strand floss - the grey is pearle cotton 5 and the yellow on the right is pearle 12.

"Crazy Quilting" has it in the Bullion Stitch category and I could see the similarities.  Definitely one I will use when I finally get around to starting (& hopefully finishing) a crazy quilt!

TAST Week 31

Week 31 - Algerian Eye

Sharon at TAST 2012 presented Algerian Eye Stitch for Week 31.  I have seen this stitch many times, especially in the Ukrainian costumes, just never knew the name for it.  Mary Thomas' Dictionary says it is also known as star or star eyelet stitch.

This stitch I was able to complete without any snags or body/hand/finger contortions!

TAST Week 30

Week 30 - Oyster Stitch

I had been spending too much time outside biking, golfing and just generally enjoying our beautiful summer and got behind on my stitches.  I was able to do most of them earlier, but just never got around to photographing them and posting them to the blog - but I am finally caught up and hope to stay caught up for the rest of this TAST year!

TAST had the Oyster Stitch for Week 30.  Sharon described it as being "very useful in floral motifs as like chain stitch, it works well on a curved line or worked as a disk".  I agree with the flower part and I worked it all with 2 strands of floss.  

TAST Weeks 28 & 29

Weeks 28 & 29

Hope this does not become a habit - doing two weeks at the same time.

The challenge on week 28 on TAST was the Up and Down Buttonhole.  Sharon described it as the loop that ties the two stitches that allows for all sorts of interesting things to happen. Like buttonhole it can be arranged in a number of ways, layered and is effective worked on a curve, in a circle with spines or along a curve.  I only used 2 strands of floss for the Up and Down Buttonhole stitches.


Basque Stitch was the TAST challenge for week 29 - or twisted daisy border stitch according to Mary Thomas's Dictionary.  I mostly used 2 strands of floss, but I also used 5 perle for the Basque stitches on the right.


Most enjoyable stitches - once I was able to coordinate my fingers and arms!  Hopefully one day I can take a look at these stitches and create some of the beautiful works of embroidery art that others seem to be able to do - one day!!

TAST Weeks 26 & 27

Weeks 26 & 27

I am combining two weeks worth of challenges as I had to run to the city to buy some more embroidery cloth as I was out.

Week 26 was the Palestrina Stitch, or also known as double knot or old English knot stitch.  I used floss and some perle #5 and all six strands of floss.

Week 27 was the Bonnet Stitch.  This one took some brain work on my part as you had to work from right to left.  For the most part I used three strands of floss.

I referred to Sharon at TAST and also Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches for help - both were very good resources.  I really need to work on getting the proper spacing - comes with more practice and time.

TAST Week 25

Week 25 - Cable Chain Stitch

Cable Chain Stitch, or Cable Stitch, is TAST's stitch challenge for this week.  It is a variation of the chain stitch, but with an added step of twisting the thread round the needle after each chain loop - it follows curves well and is used for working lines and borders.  You can also fill a shape by working evenly spaced.


It took a while to get used to this stitch and not sew to my clothes anymore.  I do need to work on regulating the stitch length.  I actually used something besides floss - found some beautiful hand dyed perle 12 at a quilt show and finally decided to use some of it - although I really hated to disturb the wonderful arrangement of colours in the package!!

TAST Week 24

Week 24 - Buttonhole Wheel Stitch

This week's challenge stitch on Pintangle is Buttonhole Wheel.  Also known as wheel stitch and buttonhole rings.  It is made by making buttonhole stitches in a circle, passing each vertical stitch through the same space in the centre.  I had fun working this stitch - might be a useful one for the next challenge using past stitches....

I have not yet completed last week's challenge, as noted by the absence of TAST Week 23 posting - will get to it yet.