(Master Graph)

Stretch your canvas on a 6 inch square stretcher frame. Indicate the top of your canvas with a small mark along one edge. Then begin by threading a #22 or #24 tapestry needle with a length of Rachel about 30" long. Rachel is a strong fiber, but it does have a tendency to unravel from the cut ends. You can prevent this by using a dot of Fray CheckTM on the end. Start with a waste knot and come up in the hole indicated in Fig. 1.

Figure 1

The center is a Diamond Rhodes Stitch. Follow Fig. 2, come up in the odd numbered holes and down in the even numbered holes. The first stitch, from 1 to 2, goes over 12 canvas threads. Don't allow the Rachel to twist, lay it flat. Each stitch goes over the one before. This is a padded stitch. Park the Rachel by weaving through your stitches on the back and bringing it to the front 4 threads over from hole number 14 (see Figs. 2 & 3 and enlargement below).

Figure 2

Enlargement of center
 

Sixteen Diamond Cross Stitches surround the center Diamond Rhodes Stitch (Fig. 3). Notice how they share holes. Thread your needle with 1 ply of Watercolour and start with a waste knot. It is important that all your stitches cross in the same order (see Fig. 4 below). Come up in the odd numbered holes and down in the even numbered holes. Figure 4

Figure 3

Thread your needle with the Rachel that you parked from the center Diamond Rhodes stitch. The diamond cross stitches are surrounded by units of Satin Stitches. Look at Fig. 5. You come up in the odd numbered holes and go down in the even numbered holes. The first stitch covers 5 canvas intersections, the next covers 4 intersections, then 3 intersections, 2 intersections, 1 intersection, then 2 again, 3, 4, and finally back to 5 intersections. There are two of these units on each side of the diamond center. The broken line in Fig. 5 indicates that you should travel from 18 to 19 by weaving the Rachel through previous stitches on the back. Refer to the master graph (area C) and Fig. 5 for placement.

Figure 5

Thread your needle with a 24" length of Patina. Anchor the loose end on the back by weaving it under the Watercolours diamond cross stitches. Examine Fig. 6. The Small Rhodes Stitch fills the space left by the previous satin stitches (the dark lines in Fig. 6). The box insert in Fig. 6 shows the stitch order for this stitch. Bring the thread up in the odd numbered holes and down in the even numbered holes. Turn your work over and weave the Patina through the diamond cross stitches and bring it up in hole number 1 in Fig. 7. This will allow you to complete the eyelet stitch, before moving on to the next small Rhodes stitch as you proceed in a counter-clockwise manner around the canvas.

Figure 6

 
Enlargement showing satin stitch units, small Rhodes and eyelet
  

In an Eyelet Stitch your needle always goes down into the center hole. Enlarge the center hole slightly (4 threads down from number 1, Fig. 7) using your needle or an awl. Continue with the length of Patina from Fig. 6. Bring your needle up in the numbered holes and down into the center. Pull the Patina only as you come up, not when you go down into the center. You want to open the center hole without pulling the outer canvas threads toward the center. To prevent fraying the Patina, don't pull with the needle. Tug on the fiber itself. This keeps the eye of the needle from sawing at the fiber. Refer to the master graph (areas D and E). Then continue to the next small Rhodes and eyelet stitches around the center, counter-clockwise. You may weave the Patina under the diamond cross stitches to travel from one to the next.

Figure 7

 

Before you begin this next stitch, study the close-up below and Fig. 8. The Sprats Head produces a woven effect. Each new stitch goes over the ones before. Neon Rays is a perfect fiber for this stitch. It is highly refractive and the Sprats Head shows that effect well. Now look at Fig. 9. Your needle will come up in the odd numbered holes and go down in the even numbered holes. Follow the arrow, see how you go from 1 to 2, from the top to the bottom (vertical). Now look at 3 to 4, here you go you go from right to left (horizontal). The stitch just alternates vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal, etc. This stitch has been adapted to fit the odd shape created by the earlier stitches.

Figure 8

 
Enlargement of Sprat's Head stitch
  

Using Fig. 9, carefully watch where the odd numbers are. Number 1 does not share a hole with any of the eyelet stitches, it is one thread in (going from 1 to 2 covers 14 canvas threads). Cut a length of Neon Rays 30" long. This length is enough for one Sprats Head. Anchor the Neon Rays on the back in the diamond cross stitches, then weave carefully through the Rachel (make sure it doesn't show from the front) and come up in hole number 1. Complete the stitch following the numbers. Don't allow the Neon Rays to twist, you may have to watch the back of your work and avoid twists there also to keep the ribbon flat. End off as you began, by weaving on the back to the diamond cross stitches. There are four Sprats Head stitches, one in each corner, refer to the master graph (area F). By turning your canvas you can follow Fig. 9 for each one.

Figure 9

 

With Rachel, you will now stitch a Border of Scotch Stitches. Refer to the master graph (area G) for placement. Look at Fig. 10, each small square represents one Scotch stitch. Figs. 11 and 12 show stitch diagrams for the Scotch stitch. The Scotch stitches need to be stitched in the order shown by the arrows in Fig. 10. By stitching them in that order, and following the numbering of Figs. I I and 12, you will always bring your needle up in an empty hole and down into a shared hole.

Figure 10

 

Use a waste knot to begin and start the 9 Scotch stitches covered by arrow 1 in Fig. 10. Look at Fig. 11 for the starting point (number 1) and work from left to right using the numbering in Fig. 11. Your needle will come up in the odd numbered holes and go down in the even numbered holes. Notice that when you go down in hole 14 you come up in 15 to start the next Scotch stitch. After the 9th Scotch stitch end your thread by weaving on the back.

Figure 11

 

Turn your work so that the top is now on your left as it is in Fig. 12. Work the 11 Scotch stitches covered by arrow 2 (Fig. 10). These stitches are worked from right to left using the numbering in Fig. 12. End off the Rachel when you finish the 11th Scotch stitch.

Figure 12

 

Again rotate your work. Now you should have the top facing down. Work the 9 Scotch stitches covered by arrow 3 (Fig. 10) from left to right using the numbering in Fig. 11. End off the thread after the 9th Scotch stitch and turn you work one last time to do the stitches covered by arrow 4 (Fig. 10). The top should face your right and the last 11 Scotch stitches are worked from right to left using the numbering in Fig 12.

 

The Scotch stitches are surrounded by Diamond Cross stitches using Watercolour. Refer to Fig. 15 for diagrams of the Diamond Cross stitch. Use the master graph and Fig. 13 for the placement. Be sure to notice the compensating stitches. Work the inner circle of compensating stitches and the inner circle of full Diamond Cross stitches all the way around. Then park your thread.

Figure 13

Thread your needle with a 20 inch length of Patina. Anchor it on the back by weaving it in the previous Diamond Cross stitches and come up in hole number 1 in Fig. 14. Come up in the odd numbered holes and down in the even holes. Finish by anchoring the Patina on the back by weaving it in the Diamond Cross stitches. The dashed lines of Fig. 14 indicate that all the canvas is not shown. Refer to the master graph (area H).

Figure 14

 

Enlargement of couching stitches

Figure 15

The Patina is now couched with Balger Braid #8. Thread your needle with the Balger and anchor it on the back in the Diamond Cross stitches. Start at the top with the first full Couching Stitch on the right, refer to the master graph (area H). Come up in hole number 1 and follow the numbering in Fig. 16. Work around the square counterclockwise. Refer to Fig. 17 for the numbering on the sides and bottom. When you come to the corner, work a regular cross stitch over it (Fig. 18). It is important that the last stitch has the same slant on every completed stitch just as it is on the Diamond Cross stitches. Figure 18

Figure 16 Figure 17

 

All that now remains are the outer Diamond Cross Stitches. Refer back to Fig. 13 and the Master Graph for their placement. Follow the stitching order in Fig. 1 S and stitch clockwise around the piece. This completes Whimsy! I hope you enjoyed stitching it as much as I have. It is intended to be fun. If you would like to stitch it again, I have supplied a chart of other color combinations I have used. You aren't limited to these fibers either. I have used Soie d'Alger instead of Rachel and overdyed Rachel creates a pleasing effect.

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