Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge week 25

Gosh! We are nearly half way through the year with this challenge and there are plenty of people still stitching! It’s great fun checking out who has done what and I really enjoy following the comment left each week.

Without further I will announce that this weeks Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge is Long and Short stitch.

Since I do not have it in my stitch dictionary I have included instructions here. This is a wonderful timeless stitch which can be interpreted in a contemporary manner as above, or in a traditional way as below. It is often used in ‘thread painting’ as it is wonderful to shade from one tone to another.

There are two “types” of long and short stitch that of the regular straight stitches and Long and short stitch worked on a curve.

It is best to master the first type before moving on the second. These samples are worked on even weave fabric in the thread that is fractionally too thin so that you can see how the stitch is worked. Normally a thicker thread would be used to ‘fill out’ the stitch

To start you work a row of alternating long and short stitches

The second row and all rows after that are stitches of the same length.

The last row is worked in half stitches to fill the area evenly.

Working long and Short stitch on a curve or radiating outwards.

To work long and short on a curve or in a radiating manner first work 3 or 4 radiating long stitches.

Between these long stitches tuck smaller shorter stitches as illustrated.

To do this place the point of the needle between the stitches, not back in the same hole as the previous row of stitches. This ‘tucking’ between stitches will mean you can you work long and short on a curve or radiating outwards.

I have illustrated where to place the needle in the image below.

Continue radiating the stitches outwards tucking the stitches in on each row.

As you can see this tucking in method produces a smooth surface.

As I have just said this stitch can be used to fill areas very effectively and shaded to produce some painterly effects. This unicorn was stitched in single strand DMC cotton.

This is a contemporary sample which was shaded using long and short stitch at the top right hand area and chain stitch is mid way. It is interesting to compare the two as both can be used to shade areas and it is wonderful to work with hand space dyed threads.

If you are enjoying this challenge you may be interested in my latest online class offered on Joggles.com. Sumptuous surfaces is a 6 week online course which will start July 11th. (Follow the link for more information.)

There is a Take a stitch Tuesday flickr group which you can browse

Enjoy this weeks challenge!