Mrs Parkman’s Needlework Academy – A B C Sampler

 It’s been another fun week of stitching and I have another finish to share.

This time it’s the piece I was working on for Sampler September and that was the 'ABC Sampler' from Nicola Parkman of Hands Across the Sea Samplers

It was a lot of fun following the free on-line tutorial.

Some stitches, like French Knots, Smyrna Cross and Satin Stitch I have worked many times and there were others like Feather & Double Feather Stitch, Berlin Lace Work and Turkey Knot Stitch I had never encountered before, so it was interesting learning some new stitches.

I already have an idea for fully finishing, which I hope to get done in the coming week, along with a couple of other bits that need doing, so I’ll be pulling out the sewing machine.

Chart -  ABC Sampler – Hands Across the Sea

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Dunes at Dust – Legacy Fiber Artz

Threads – Gloriana Silk.

 

I also worked on my birthday start, and have made good

progress on the top square of the Newcastle Bouquet Biscornu from Teresa Kogut.

Teresa’s choice of threads on this are simply beautiful.

Chart -  Newcastle Bouquet Biscornu

Fabric – 36ct Linen – Baby Sheep – X JuDesigns

Threads – Called For – Classic Colorworks, Weeks Dye Works & DMC

 Finally, I received 4 new to me Blackbird charts that I’ve re-homed from the talented Lainey Main  on Instagram.

The one that first caught my eye was ‘Flowers For You’ because it reminds me of sweet peas and they were my mums favourite flowers. Needless to say, I’ll be stitching this one in her honour.

Then there was the ‘Home for the Holidays’ Book and two more Christmas charts, so lots for get working on!

So that’s it for my update this week. 

I’m still working on my September ornament, which will be finished this evening and then it’s back to my Biscornu, so until next time………

Happy Stitching!

Sue

xx

 

Sampler September - ABC Sampler – Nicola Parkman

We are five days into September and although I don’t consider myself a sample stitcher, it’s ‘Sampler September’ and I suppose it would be rude not to work on one this month.

I’m not starting anything new for this though, instead I decided to work on the ABC Sampler from Nicolas Parkman’s Academy of Needlework on-line tutorials.

I had previously completed the first two lessons, which were all about Cross Stitch and Running Stitch.

Over the last few days I picked it up again and completed the next four lessons.

Lesson 3 was about the Herringbone Stitch and all it’s variations, including Closed Herringbone, Double Back Stitched Herringbone, Double herringbone, alternating Double Back Stitch, Chevron Stitch, Greek Stitch and Long Arm Cross Stitch.

In lesson 4 we looked at the very simple ‘Sewing Stitch, as well as Goblin Stitch and Tent Stitch. (also known as Petite Point or Continental Stitch)

Lesson 5 was a I stitch I remember working as a child, Blanket Stitch, and how this is also used for Buttonhole Stitch, Open Buttonhole Stitch, Crossed Buttonhole Stitch, Tailor’s Buttonhole Stitch and Detached Buttonhole Stitch.

And lastly I caught up with lesson 6 and that was Chain Stitch, another stitch from my childhood.

There are three rows worked on the sampler.

The first row was worked the way I had been taught to do it, by bringing the needle up through the previous loop and going back down in the same place.  Well, I don’t know if it was because the silk thread I was stitching with was too thick, but my stitches, worked over two threads didn’t look very neat at all.

For the second row I tried Nicola’s preferred way of working them, and that is by bring the needle up two threads away from the previous loop and then threading it under the loop and back down in the hole the needle came out of.  I think that looked much better. 

For the third row I worked the stitch in the same way but over three threads, which I think I was perfect.

 

So that’s it for now. 

My plan for the rest of this month is to finish this sampler and then work on catching up with my 12 in 24 Christmas ornaments because I still have to finish the August one and find another for this month.

The other thing I am in the process of doing is kitting up Humming Bird Lace Mandala…………….Yes, I going to stitch another Chatelaine!

I hope you have a great month ahead and wish you

Happy Stitching!

Sue x

Academy of Needlework – ABC Sampler

 

It’s so right when they say you’re never too old to learn, so when Nicola Parkman from Hands Across the Sea Samplers,  said she was going to start an on-line Academy of Needlework,  I knew I had to  join in, despite having stitched for more than 60 years.

You start by downloading the ABC Sampler from her web site and then you tune in to her weekly FlossTube video and away you go.

She starts with the basics, like preparation of the fabric, including how to calculate the size of the piece of fabric you need, to how important it is to insure the edges of the fabric are straight, something I’ve been guilty of never doing in the past. 

  

The tutorials are intended to work through stitches, as well as show ways to enhance those stitches in various ways.

The first week covers cross stitch and reversible cross stitch, as well as ways of starting and finishing threads.

I've never been precious about how the back of work looks, although having said that, I do keep it as tidy as possible and try not to carry threads too far.

Learning how to work a pin stitch start has made a big difference my back of my work though, as you can see here.

The reversible cross stitch makes a big difference too, but I'm not sure it's something I would do often, unless I was stitching on a tablecloth, napkin or something else where the back won't be  covered up in some way.  The reason,  because it uses more thread due to the fact you have to stitch again over threads that have already been laid.

The next stitch Nicola covered was 'Running Stitch' and 'Double Running Stitch'.  She also showed another way to start and finish threads, because pin stitch is not really compatible and would show.

Apparently this was one of the first stitches that was taught because it was used on their samplers to stop the edges from fraying while they worked on them. 

Happy Stitching!

Sue x

Chart -  A B C Sampler - Hands Across The Sea Samplers

Fabric - 36ct - Dunes at Dust Linen - Legacy Fiber Artz

Threads - Gloriana Silks