Thursday, December 9, 2010

100 stitches - overcast stitch

Time for 100 stitches, but this time in 3-D! No special glasses required ;)See this rounded, puffy, 3-d looking stitch making up the center line of this blade of "sea grass"? This is the overcast stitch. 100 stitches also calls this Trailing: This stitch isn't as easy as it may look...here is how I did it. Basically, this stitch is made up of two different threads. A laid thread, which just lays on the pattern line, and a working thread which actually stitches the laid thread into place. Sort of like the couching stitch. The laid thread is going to be completely covered up by the working thread so it doesn't matter what color you use for the laid thread. I am using two different colors of the pearl cotton floss so it will be easier to follow my demonstration. I first drew a line to be the stitching line:I am going to have the white floss be the laid thread and the lavender floss be the working thread. Thread each color on its own needle: Bring the laid thread up through the fabric at the start of the stitching line. Smooth it down along the stitching line. 100 Stitches suggests holding it in place with your thumb, but it was too difficult for me to hold in place, stitch and take a picture! Now bring the working thread up right at the start of the stitching line: With the working thread, go back into the fabric on one side of the stitching line: and come back up through the fabric on the opposite side of the stitching line: Pull all the way through and go back into the fabric on the opposite side of the stitching line. The laid thread is being encased by these stitches: Come up through the fabric on the opposite side of the stitching line: Just keep stitching: and stitching: Until you are at the end of the stitching line. Bring the working thread through the fabric to the back and secure it. Now bring the laid thread back into the fabric and secure it to the underside: That will finish off the stitch. The result is a beautiful line of stitching!Here is a picture of the underside of the stitch. It looks neat and clean but sort of lumpy :( Like I said earlier, this stitch looks easy to do but I had a little bit of trouble keeping all my stitches a consistent tension. I am getting better at it with practice.This stitch was really fun to do and I love the three dimensional look it gives. 100 Stitches suggest that you use this stitch for delicate stems and outlines. I plan on using it a lot! This stitch is #18 and is in the flat stitches section of 100 Stitches.

8 comments:

Farah said...

Hi Kim... very lovely... you did the job so neatly, I know this stitch needs a very neat approach otherwise its just a mud ...and yours is so beautiful and classy...
http://craftaworld.blogspot.com/
Love
Farah

Anonymous said...

Looks beautiful and definitely very 3D !
The twist and color of the pearl cotton you used for the outlines of the "sea grass" also a 3D effect to it !
PS (forgot to mention that Valdani pearl cotton thickness is more like a size 8 or even between sizes 8 and 12 of DMC pearl cotton... thought you may like to know)

Unknown said...

I thought that this point was special but you exceeded my expectations! It´s marvellous, Kim! Congrats! I think I'll risk to embroider it too... =) xoxoxoxo

donna!ee said...

thank you much for the lovely 3d possibilities... this trailing stitch, well all of your tutorials, translate into so many projects...i'm currently using these stitches to embellish scarves sampler style for Christmas gifts... ;)

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to try that one! It's a great effect!
-Sam

Two Dollars said...

Perfect timing on this one. I'm in the middle of transforming some dollar store scarves into dragon scarves for my boys. There's already some embroidery on it and I'm making some button holes. The button holes looked mediocre and I used this stitch to reinforce and tie it together with the embroidery already there :)
-Stefanie
2ndChanceCreations.etsy.com

John'aLee said...

Thank you Kim for your sweet comment. I really count that as a compliment coming from you because I am so in awe of your work!

Kim said...

Thank you everyone for you lovely comments!
Farah - Thank you!
Monika - Thanks - and about the pearl cotton, I have only tried size five in the dmc so I better do a little trial before I place a big floss order!
Simone - Thanks - I am so glad you are going to try this stitch! You will not have any trouble :)
donna!ee - Thank you! Your scarves sound so beautiful - I hope you post pictures. I want to do a sampler too...I'm just not sure how to get started.
Sam - You will love it!
Stefanie - Hello! I am so glad for the timing! I hope you post pictures of the dragon scarves!
John'aLee - Thank you! I love your quilting, I am starting a quilt with snowmen and snowflake blocks and we will see how it goes :)