Stitch of the Month
Finishing Touches 2009

by Tony Minieri

After working this entire year, I’m sure you are interested in what the finished piece looks like. Well here is Tony’s piece.

And here you can see what various member of ANG finished here.

To provide the finishing touches for this project, follow these directions.

Collar and Hem

Collar

Adjust the size of the collar so that it goes from one side of the pattern couching to the other and gradually tapers to the edge. Refer to the picture of the collar above to see what is required.

With two needles and using 1 strand of the A3 ______________ in one needle and 4 strands of A1 ______________ in the other needle alternately, stitch the collar and hem in vertical Gobelin. Note that the vertical Gobelin for the collar will be worked over fewer threads than shown on the diagram.

Using 1 strand of B2______________, Basketweave the area between the collar and the start of the placket on the center of the Kimono. See this page for information on stitching the Basketweave stitch.

Return to these instructions after finishing the background, if you are stitching it.

Couching

Couching – See this page for general information on couching.

The type of couching we will be doing whether the line is straight or curved is Bokhara couching which is functional rather than decorative. In Bokhara couching the couching stitch is always perpendicular to the laid thread anywhere along the laid thread. The couching stitch can come up and down in the same hole, pass over a bar of the canvas, pass over an intersection of the canvas or pierce the canvas thread but never should it pierce the laid thread. When you reach a corner, if you want it sharp, sink the thread; if you want it rounded couch around the corner. I sunk all my corners.

Using 1 strand of C5_________________, couch 1 strand of C3_____________for the dividing lines between the areas on the kimono. See the illustration below.

****When you hit the inner outline of the sleeve, break the couching stitch into two elements where it crosses this line so you can delineate this line and backstitch it later. Do this on both sides of the Kimono.

Using 1 strand of C5 ____________, couch 1 strand of C4_______________ for the edges of the furled fabric. Remember that the area where the fabric is turning gets no outline since it is the center of the fabric not the edge.

Using 1 strand of A6______________, couch 1 strand of A5________________for the outlines of the cuffs, the hem and the outside outline of the placket and collar.

Couching Around Area 4

Hem

Sleeve Line

Using 1 strand of a dark brown or gray or black floss (depends on your colors), backstitch the inner outline of the sleeves. Use a sharp needle should you have to pierce through existing stitching.

Thank you for spending the year with me. I hope you enjoyed stitching this design as much as I enjoyed creating it for you.