Sampler SAL - Page 2 - Week 1

Welcome to the fifth part of the Sampler SAL! This time we are starting the second page. This month is, as I announced last week, all about variegated threads: the many ways they can be used to achieve different effects. We are starting with three ways to use the threads — one for the header and two different ways in the elements. This week most of the stitching is cross stitch aside from the page title that's done in backstitch.

As you can see (click to enlarge), the right-hand side elements are very different from the left-hand elements. The two elements on the left-hand side are done by going to and fro. The two elements on the right-hand side are done by working in circles. The header is done a bit differently, and I'll show you how below.

I started by cutting a strand of thread — it's probably wise to make sure both ends have the same colour, but in this case I forgot as I don't normally look at that. I then pulled two strands out of the thread, one at a time (this is called stripping) and made sure they were still facing the same way before starting to stitch, starting in the centre. To make the thread behave like this I stitched in columns and did some careful turning of the corner.

Which you can see here (the first 6 is green because I forgot to change the tool before changing colour and didn't notice till I put the picture on the post). You can do it differently if you like, this is just how I did it. When you get close to the corner just keep doing the two stitches till the end (stitches 1-4) and then look closely at the rest of the numbers — stitches 12 and 13 are the start of the straight line. I stitched till I ran out of thread.

Then, making sure the same end of the thread was the tail end, I stitched the second side of the header, again starting from the centre. As you can see I ran out of thread a bit sooner than on the other side, but that's OK. At this point I cut a new thread (making sure to cut so that the threads could align if the end colour of the first thread doesn't match/continue on from the first bit of the thread you need to cut), and loaded two more needles to stitch with — both with the tails matching the colour you finished with.

Finally, work towards the centre with your new thread and finish it off. Repeat from the other side. My thread happened to perfectly work with the decorative pattern — I couldn't have planned it better without using normal DMC! I used my tail ends from stitching the header to do the backstitched part. If your tail ends aren't long enough then leave this part till later on as you may have bits leftover from the rest of the stitching.

Next I decided to do the elements on the right-hand side. These are done by circling round and this method is perfect for using up those threads you didn't use for the header. This method is done by first doing the outline of the element you wish to stitch.

Then doing a second round inside the first.

And finally filling up the tiny bit in the centre.

Then I started doing the same for the side element. I left a one stitch gap before taking the photo as the colour of the working end was the same as the starting end.

Then I kept going round, adding a new thread as I worked (I bet you can't guess where the new threads started!) I didn't bother matching thread colour when adding new thread — it adds to the randomness.

Last of all I did the two elements on the left-hand side. I started at the top of each of them and just worked to and fro doing each row as I came to it and jumping over the inner empty stitches of the side element. Where needed I jumped to the side to start the row at the end. I made sure to colour match the thread when I started a new thread.

You can see that the way you stitch really changes how things look, even with the same thread! Next week you will need the second colour of variegated thread.

You can find the pattern here.

That's “all” for this week! Have fun and don't forget to show us your stitching results in the Facebook group! I'll be back on Friday with this month's Ornament of the Month!