Last week we finished with this motif.
We now have to add the satin stitch zig zag blocks which surround the flower motif. It is stitched in blocks covering three squares of the chart (diagram below charted in black - each square represents twothreads).
I am going to pad my satin stitches and will use thepadding stitch as a guide line for the layout so will stitch this out first (diagram above shows the stitch path in red - each square represents twothreads).
I have chosen to work the padding stitch from left to right for this example.
I will now work back from right to left with satin stitches covering the padding stitches. (Note the satin stitches have been started in the bottom right hand corner).
Let us stop for a moment with our thread at the last satin stitchon the top central block.
Are you happy with the coverage of the satin stitch from a single pass?
If you are then your next step is to pass the thread through the back of the top block of satinstitches so that your needle is back at the bottom of the top block and you proceed with your single pass of satin stitches over the remaining padding stitches. (the photo shows the back of the motif)
I prefer the fuller coverage from two passes of satin stitch so I will stitch back down the top block with a second pass of satinstitch.
The top block in the photo above has now been satin stitched twice.
I will now proceed to stitch over the remaining padding stitches with a single pass of satin stitch. My needle is now back to where we started with the first paddingstitch (bottom left hand corner).
Let us pause and look at the photo above. We have covered all the padding stitches withonepass of satin stitch with the exception of the top block which we have satin stitched twice.
Now we work back from left to right with our second pass of satin stitch to the base of the top block.
NOTE: If we had NOTsatin stitched the top block twice on our first pass we would have needed to have passed our thread through the back of the first pass of satin stitches to get our needle and thread back to the base of the block to carry on down the left side.
Then on the return journey when we had satin stitched the top block for the second time we would have had to pass the needle and thread through the back of the satin stitches again making this area very bulky.
This way we have not had to pass the needle and thread through the back at all.
Proceed with the second pass of satin stitch down the right hand side to the end.
TIP: If you run out of thread stop at the end of one completed block. Working from the back of your fabric - thread your needle back through the last block stitched.
Snip the thread close to where it emerges from the satin stitch block.
To start a thread use a waste knot. Working from the back of your fabric - pass the thread through the back of the block you will stitch nextEXITING where you will make your first stitch of the new thread.
From the front of your work satin stitch the next block.
After you have stitched the block turn your work to the back and snip the waste knot close to the stitched area.
Our back is looking as good as our front. A neat back does reflect on the way the front of your work appears. Loose/stray threads and knotty bumps are noticeable to the eagle eyed and judges.
The final stitch required in this band is eyelet.
We have looked at the eyelet stitch before when I showed the eight stages of the stitch worked from left to right OVER TWO THREADS. Tensioncan be applied on the central hole to create a lacy effect.
In the diagramabove each square represents TWO threads and is exactly as shown on the chart in Section 1 Band 6. It denotes an eyeletstitch. (I have verified this with Marsha).
NOTE: Therefore each leg of the stitch in this band should be over ONE thread not TWO as demonstrated above.
TIP: When moving from eyelet to eyelet or starting/ending your thread take care not to run the thread under the back of the central hole - see left hand eyelet. The lacy effect on the left eyelet has been spoilt by the thread being carried across the hole. Note this is shown with each leg aboveover TWO threads. Each leg over ONE thread is required for this band.
We now have a completed half flower motif. The eyelet to the right has been pulled open by applying tension to create a lacy effect.
Next week we shall explore Bands 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of Section 1.