Friday, January 13, 2012

Seduced by colour!

Do you ever buy thread because the colours call you?  I am a sucker for jewel colours hence the ball of Anchor  perle #8.  Not a good idea!  I like to use variegated thread occasionally but this is the most variegated of variegated.

Anyway that is an introduction to my TAST exercise on buttonhole. First I want to show my Fly Stitch efforts for week 1.




More variegated thread - sometimes one just has to use it - actually I really like it for the spiral.
Then I tried fly stitch as a pulled thread and was  unhappy with what I got  - so we won't count that.

Moving onto Week 2 and Buttonhole Stitch - I have used this stitch in many applications.


I tried Up and Down Buttonhole - it always seems an odd name for a stitch that looks as though it is in one direction only. I have been roaming through my collection of Edith Johns' books and she suggested using buttonhole as an edging - firstly Up and Down




Here it is sitting on a bag using Italian buttonhole insertion in 2010.

Then I tried Edith's 3 sided stitch edge with buttonhole in the loops - definitely needs more practice


Now for the fun bit - Edith's Experimental Embroidery has some wonderful buttonhole haloes.  Some time ago I tried my multicoloured thread

And here is the start of my current effort


I have done a little more to it but no photos.  Also I enjoyed trying  Mary Thomas' Drawn Buttonhole
however they are for another post.

6 comments:

Jane said...

Oh, it is so nice to "see" you again and to see your lovely samples. The variagated thread is so pretty in that spiral. I do like the halo, such an unusual way to use the stitch

Isabelle said...

Like you, I'm crazy about nice threads. And your stitcheries are beautiful

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

Fascinating and lovely work with the buttonhole stitch. Very inspiring.

FlowerLady

neki desu said...

the buttonholes are very inspiring!

Raphaela said...

Interesting stitching. I love your last sample very much. Can't wait to see your progress.

Ladka said...

Thank you for sharing! It's so inspiring to see other people's achievements.