TAST week 17 - Running Stitch

Back in 1989 BC (before computer) I decided I wanted to learn some different embroidery stitches and purchased Jacqueline Enthoven's The Stitches of Creative Embroidery Revised and Enlarged Edition. It is one of my favorite books. Little did I know that one day that book and the beginning sampler would play a role in my stitching part of Sharon B's Take A Stitch Tuesday Challenge. This sampler is stitched on 25ct. linen using #8 perle cotton for the first two rows and three strands DMC floss for the last three rows. The middle row is whipped with the DMC gold thread that comes on a spool.

The first sample that I actually stitched for the challenge is worked on 18ct. linen and the first left hand row may be a little hard to see as it was stitched with a single strand of a needle neccesities thread in a zigzag pattern. The pattern is repeated with two strands of that thread and then I stitched a pyramid in the same thread using the two strands. This is the first time I've used needle neccesities and I like the way it stitches. The top right hand pattern is stitched with #20 black crochet cotton and the magenta pattern is also stitched with #20 crochet cotton.

My final sample of the Running Stitch is worked on 14ct. Aida with the top band stitched with brown #5 perle in a Double Running Stitch. It is woven with #5 pink perle cotton. The second row is again just the plain Running Stitch worked in #5 copper (perle) and wrapped with #5 green perle. The third band is worked with #5 red perle and I added blue iridescent seed beads. On the bottom row the left hand band is stitched with #5 light green perle and woven with three strands dark green Caron's Watercolors. The final band is stitched with #5 burgandy perle in an arrow type pattern. For lots of wonderful inspiration and stitches please check out Sharon B's http://inaminuteago.com/blog.