Going Around in Circles

Last week, Kara share a tutorial for appliquéing tiny circles. It seems that we appliqué artists never run out of circles to stitch in our designs, so I (Teri) thought we might look at a few other methods, and focus on one of my favorites.

Circles, like the soul, are neverending and turn round and round without a stop. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

As Kara noted last week, when we taught this first class a few years ago, this block (an Elly Sienkiewicz design) needed some small berries. In my version of the block, I made the berries in three different ways, so that I could vary the texture—and of course, demonstrate three techniques for making small circles. 

A circle is a round straight line with a hole in the middle. ~Mark Twain 

There was panic on a couple of faces when seeing how small those berries are. Why do we fear the circle? We need not—there are so many ways to approach a circle, and with all the choices, you are sure to find one that you love. And some ways are just so easy! So let's add to our circular toolbox. 

Three ways to make these tiny berries.

By far, the easiest method is to use ultra suede. You don't need to turn under the edge, and it is easy to cut to any size. I've even used it for a tiny bird's beak. A thin, sharp needle sews through it with no problem. Easy as pie; nothing to fear. 

The very bottom berry in the photo above is made of a group of Colonial knots, or you could use French knots. It gives a raspberry effect. Also simple, and it gives an interested added texture to your piece. Variegated thread, like the Valdani I used here, also adds a spark.

A circle is the longest distance to same point. ~Tom Stoppard 

Let me tell you about my favorite circle. 

The Spiral Trellis 

A Tutorial 

1. Draw your circles onto your background. Backstitch around the circle, directly on the drawn line, in a counterclockwise direction. Here, I've used #12 Valdani pearl cotton, but you can try it with many different kinds of threads for various effects. 

2. When the circle is closed, put your needle under the next stitch to the left, about halfway. At this point, you may want to switch to a tapestry needle or use the eye, so you do not have a sharp tip piercing the thread. All of your work will now be on top of the ground fabric. 

3. Wrap the thread around the needle from the front around to the back in a clockwise direction. Pull the wrap taut. 

4. Holding the thread in place, pull the needle through, forming a knot. Repeat in each stitch, moving counterclockwise around the circle. 

5. When you have gone around the circle in all the backstitches, you will continue by putting your needle in between the stitches, wrapping and knotting as before. This is the only tricky part; at first you almost have to “feel it,” but with each round it gets easier to see where your needle should go. Don’t give up! It’s worth it! 

6. When your berry is close to being filled, skip to every other stitch.

7. For your last stitch, pull the needle into the stitch, through to the back and knot off.

Aren't those spirals pretty? 

Over the years, I have grown to love this special stitch. It just adds such fun texture and even a bit of dimension to my work. Here are a few ways I have used this gem of a stitch. 

On my redwork fairy tale quilt—a near-future post—my crown needed jewels, and the spiral trellis was perfect for a butterfly head. Here, I used two strands of The Gentle Art floss. 

Family Tree House pattern from Baltimore Elegance, by Elly Sienkiewicz. 

  

Here, I used Wonderfil #5 pearl cotton thread, from Sue Spargo's Eleganza collection. It was great fun to see how each pattern was different due to the variegation of colors. 

One our new designs has swags of asters, and the spiral trellis was perfect for the flower centers. These are also made with #5 pearl cotton, by Weeks Dye Works. 

  

After finishing the asters, I began working on the border of my fraktur quilt, which had berries. I was working with wool, so it would have be SOOOO easy to cut them out of wool and stitch them down. But I thought the dimension of the spiral trellis was just what it needed. So I made 36 of these little berries. And I loved them. But I might be ready for a short break from my favorite stitch. 

Have you tried the spiral trellis stitch? I hope you might give it a go, and see what you think. It is a fun way to add some pizzazz to your circles! 

Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel

Never ending or beginning on an ever spinning reel

As the images unwind, like the circles that you find

In the windmills of your mind! 

~Alan and Marilyn Bergman

Block of the Month 16—Pinecone

Thank you for your interest in our Flora and Fauna blocks! They are no longer free but will be part of a future quilt pattern.

My, how time has flown! I (Kara) can't believe that it has been over a year since we started our Flora and Fauna of Germany stitch-along. It seems like just yesterday that I was walking the trails in our little German village for the first time, full of wonder at the natural beauty that I was seeing. Our first block was the Butterfly, back in August of 2017. 

Our first block!

We have stitched 15 blocks since then, and we have come to the end of the series. It's a little sad, as we have enjoyed putting these blocks together for you. But all good things come to an end, and we have our last block ready, with the decidedly winter symbol—the pinecone. 

Cotton Block

I began by appliquéing the pinecone shape onto my background using a piece of fabric that contained different shades of brown. It is a simple shape with just a few, gentle, curves—the details are added with the stitching. Using my white marking pencil, I traced the half-circle shapes onto the appliqué, using the pattern as a guide.

Marked and ready to stitch.

Using a variegated brown pearl cotton, I stem stitched the marked lines, working from the top to the bottom. I love the texture a variegated thread lends to my stitching, so I tend to gravitate towards those types of threads. I used a Valdani #12 in this instance.

Looking more pinecone-like

It started to look more like a pinecone, but I felt that it needed a little something more to make the petals or scales stand out. Using one strand of a dark brown floss, I added a stem stitch directly underneath the previous stitching.

Here I have done just the top row. Can you tell a difference?

All the scales have a little shading. It's just a little detail, but it adds a lot.

Next was the branch, and that was just a simple chain stitch for the branches, and some straight stitches for the needles. Hooping the block. when stitching the branches and needles for both blocks, helped to eliminate puckering.

Hooping helps!

A #5 pearl gives some dimension to the branch.

Close-up

The finished cotton block

Stitches and Threads Used (Cotton Block)

Pinecone—Valdani #12 pearl,P12, stem stitch 

                   Gentle Arts floss, 1 strand, Espresso Bean, stem stitch (for shading)

Branch—Painters Threads, #5 pearl, Friederich, chain stitch

Needles—Gentle Art, Simply wool, Blue Spruce

Wool Block

For the wool block, I wanted to use the wool in layers to mimic the look of the scales. After I glued the pattern to freezer paper, I cut it into 6 pieces and ironed those pieces to my wool. For all the pieces but the top one, I cut straight across the scales in order to have something to stitch down. (See the picture below to show how I did that.)

There is a piece missing in this picture, but you can get the idea.

Starting at the bottom, I stitched just the top of each set of scales and then layered the next one on top of the previously stitched scale.

The first 4 layers

The finished pinecone

I used the same #5 pearl cotton for the branches, and a slightly thicker wool/silk blend for the needles. 

I tried to vary the needle angle and size as I went along.

The finished wool block

Stitches and Threads Used (Wool Block)

Branch—Painters Threads, #5 pearl, Friederich, chain stitch

Needles—Thread Gatherer, Sheeps Silk (wool/silk blend), Dark Forest

There you have it! The final block in our series and I think this was the fastest block yet. You can download all the blocks by clicking below in case you may have missed any. Have you made any of the blocks? Please email us pictures of your blocks  or post them on our Facebook page.

Stay tuned for our reveal of all the blocks put together and a special chance for those who have participated!!

New Pattern—A Cottage Christmas Stocking

Christmas will be here before we know it! The stores everywhere (on this continent and across the pond) are laden with all sorts of holiday items.  We thought we'd join them with a new pattern that you can make to grace your Christmas fireplace mantel.  

Introducing our Cottage Christmas Stocking!

This stocking pattern came about as I (Kara) found out that my guild, the Black Forest Quilt Guild, has a yearly stocking exchange. The Christmas style here in Germany tends to be a little bit more subdued, so I decided to make a stocking out of wool and in a limited palette. The inspiration for the cottages came from the lace curtains hanging in our sunroom. 

This wasn't your run of the mill exchange; they do it in a white elephant/yankee swap style. I was warned that I needed to wear good running shoes because it could get a little crazy. They weren't kidding! Ladies were running everywhere and the stockings were changing hands faster than you could blink.  When it was all said and done, my good friend Lisa came away with my stocking, and I couldn't have been happier!

Lisa with her hard-fought-for stocking!

You can purchase the pattern on our website as either a paper copy or a digital one. As with all our patterns, each one comes with a detailed set of instructions, including the threads we used. When I put together the first stocking, I didn't take pictures of how I assembled it once the appliqué and embroidery were finished. There are written assembly instructions in the pattern, but we thought it would be good to show you how in pictures. 

Once your appliqué is finished, pin your wool pieces, right sides together.
(This is a demo stocking for assembly purposes)

Sew together starting at one side going down and then back up the other side.
Do not sew across the top and do not turn.

Sew the two lining pieces (right sides together) in the same way,
but leave a 3" opening between the heel and toe.

Wool and lining pieces sewn.

Once both are sewn, clip the curve above the toe.

Turn the lining fabric so the right side is out.

Fold the velvet ribbon in half, wrong sides together, and pin
inside the wool stocking at right seam with the two ends at the top.

Put the lining inside the wool stocking, right sides together,
match the edges and pin. 

Sew completely around the top.

Once sewn, pull out the lining.

Find the opening and turn the whole stocking right sides out.

Slip stitch the lining closed, tuck back inside the wool stocking,
and poke out the edges.

Ready to hang!

Hopefully our assembly instructions will be helpful to you as you put together your stocking. The pattern is now available on our website, www.needleseyestories.com.

We may not be ready for Christmas music yet, but it is fun to stitch Christmasy things at this time of year. Even though the holidays are fast approaching, it's not too late to stitch a little bit of Christmas!