BAND SAMPLER Stitch Along #4

THIS IS AN EMAIL SWAP

Greetings Georgettes, We shall continue to tackle our growing BAND SAMPLER to encourage bravery in the stitching field of embroidery. It is not hard, it merely takes repetitive practice, a few lines on a scrap of cloth, and once learned never forgotten, like riding a bike.

THIS IS A PROGRESSIVE SWAP and is intended for your personal benefit, to refer back to the sampler to whenever you need a stitch to decorate a gift for a loved one or household item, a sachet for your neighbour or friend, or a decorated swap with your own special addition of personal attention, perhaps a stitched label or motif thus enriching your partners journal, what a delightful concept.

Although this is an email swap, we are taking our time stitching and this is an effort for many of our members. So it is marked as a TYPE 3 swap.

Some of you may be reaching the end of your current strip of band sampler cloth, so we encourage you to cut yourself another long length and overlap them on the short ends, to join together, stitched with one of your learned stitches (or sewing machine of course). And perhaps you might choose a different shade or type of evenweave fabric, for example, an oatmeal cotton or flax brown linen or even a pale green or blue cotton blend. Only have white cotton? Then why not dip dye it in a strong brew of 3-6 tea bags, and give your eyes a break from plain white. This may help in renewing enthusiasm for the next stitches, if you feel they are rather unexciting at present.

This month we will be changing our presentation in the way we will work the lines of stitches. After which, I thought of a fun exercise for us all to partake in.

Perhaps as a test run, try only one line of each stitch - so eight lines of stitches.
But following is how we shall make our stitches with more intention behind them...

Underneath these test sample rows we shall be drawing/stitching a box rectangle that is 5 inches across X 3 inches down, in one or more of our first learned line stitches, which ever you choose to make your outline.
Now, within this outline we shall be making a field of meadow flowers, utilizing the newly learned stitches which are mostly of Leaf Family so we get to practice using them in situ.

There will be four new stitches and variants of previously learned stitches, and how to work them instructions in blue links:-

FERN STITCH Use as stems or branches

THORN STITCH Use as gorgeous weedy stems or branch clusters

BERRY STITCH Use as leaves, petals or berries

RAISED LEAF STITCH Use as Pussy Willow buds or leaves

BUTTONHOLE WHEEL STITCH Use as Hollyhock or Nasturtium flower heads make them up to 1cm round.

ENGLISH WHEEL STITCH aim to make them about 1cm & Use as flower heads

CLOSED FLY STITCH use by drawing a leaf shape, and filling in from pointed tip to wider bottom of leaf.

DETACHED CHAIN or commonly known as LAZY DAISY STITCH Use as daisy heads or single petals or buds.

If you find you cannot manage 1cm size flower heads for the wheel stitches, make them to your own requirements.

Arrange the stems in what ever stitch you decide, in pleasing arrangements by drawing them on a notepad until you are satisfied with placement within the confines of a 5X3 inch box, or 12.5cmX7.5cm box. Add flower heads, in the new stitches perhaps some of the old ones too. The world is your oyster, and you have a free hand at designing your own field of flowers.

As a suggestion to follow if you are completely stuck.
Dandelion - stem stitch long lines, pistil stitch spokes forming the mop heads.

Weeds - Thorn Stitch with small french knots or seed stitch dotted anywhere.
Hollyhock - long stem of choice, buttonhole wheel stitch flowers up stem top, with closed fly stitch large leaves.
PussyWillow stems of choice, with berry stitch buds all over them. Daisies, or Echinacea Lazy Daisy half flower heads, or full heads on stem of your choice.
Rose Bush with thorn stitch framework, wheel type stitches for roses, and raised leaf stitch leaves for density.

Most importantly is to have some fun with this, so don't be hard on yourself, make it as detailed or sparse as you wish. Designers choice.

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For those not yet started with your band sampler please consider joining us on this fun exercise., You will need a rectangle 6 inches wide by up to 45 inches long, (15 x 114cm or width of fabric) This is a long narrow band width, we finish the raw long edges firstly, then we draw lines or shapes to stitch over as the need requires - faint lines across the short width, we will be slowly working down the long cloth, . Following these links in blue: We began here: FIRST BAND SAMPLER STITCHES and continued here SECOND BAND Sampler STITCHES THIRD BAND SAMPLER STITCHES This will provide you with a further 12 basic stitches to master or re-acquaint yourselves with, for our "LONG" lasting adventure in the world of embroidery and our own unique encyclopedia of stitches.

To reiterate: This is an EMAIL swap, and is marked a TYPE 3 as you will be doing what the Georgians described as WORK. Thus why our previous made utility bags are called WORK BAGS, to hold the work you have stitched within. You will have ONE (1) partner. We will send a photograph or several of your progress in the stitches, tell your partner what you liked or didn't and add a few lines from the thoughts of your Character on what you think she/he would say. Also if you would like to make yourself a workbag, please let one of us know, and one of us will set up an email swap to get you started.

AS soon as you sign up, you can start on your BAND SAMPLER preparation, and then begin your stitches.

We hope you will join in this creative exploration in stitchery and may it be a lasting keepsake for years to come. As always, do contact one of us, if in need of further advice.

Anna, Nickalli and Jane.