Sunday, January 29, 2012

Take a Stitch Tuesday - Cretan Stitch - Week 4

This week for Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST), the featured stitch is the Cretan Stitch. I had never heard of this stitch until it was part of TAST.

Booklet that I am keeping which includes the
embroidery stitch of the week
plus a  personal and gratitude journal entry.

According to Victorian Embroidery and Crafts, "The Cretan stitch, and its variations, originated in Crete and the surrounding regions. For centuries women in this area have used this stitch to decorate clothing and household linens.

"This very versatile stitch can be used to create beautiful borders with an open plait finish or it can be worked more closely to fill small leaves and flower petals. When worked closely, it gives the appearance of close plaiting. Beads and sequins can easily be added to it. It is also a popular stitch with makers of crazy quilts."

To do this stitch, according to Victorian Embroidery and Crafts,

- Draw two parallel lines.

- Bring the needle from the under to the upper surface of the material, on the left-hand corner of the lowest line but one. The needle in working is always at right angles to these lines.

- Insert the needle in the top line slightly further to the right of where it came out on the bottom line, and take a small stitch downwards.

- Then insert it in the bottom line and similarly take a small stitch upwards. In taking the stitch the thread must be kept to the left of the needle as in the illustration, or the plaiting will not take place.


There are different variations of this stitch depending:


I practiced this stitch and incorporated it onto my journal pages for the week.

Creten stitch around sun, moon, star, and pinecone images.
I tried the stitch with different angles and widths between stitches.

As I have during past weeks, there's a journal entry about what happened and how I'm doing; and there's a gratitude part that includes five people, things, or experiences for which I'm grateful.

Personal and gratitude journal
with an image of Greek architecture.

There are two images from National Geographic magazine of Greek architecture. I like the white-washed buildings, and clean, simple lines - especially of the stairs. Someday I would love to travel to Greece...until then, I can enjoy the images from the magazine.

8 comments:

jenclair said...

Some interesting information as well as the lovely journal pages!

What Remains Now said...

I love how you're combining all of this into a journal. I think this will be an extraordinary treasure for your daughters. I like the Take a Stitch Tuesday.

Jill said...

Some more gorgeous journal pages you've created there! I just wanted to let you know that I featured your pages from last week on my round tuit post this week!
Round Tuit 86
Thanks again for linking up! Hope you have a great week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success

Kathleen said...

Lovely work. KAthy

Carolyn Dube said...

Love your journal! That blue building from Santorini just rocks! Fun stitch I must try!

Create With Joy said...

What a gorgeous journal! I am so delighted to meet you and to discover your fabulous blog! Thank you for sharing this at Inspire Me Monday at Create With Joy - I hope you will be a regular participant!

Ramona
http://create-with-joy.com

Lucy said...

Gorgeous journal ... what a fabulous idea, combining the journal with the stitching.

Tracey FK said...

incorporating stitches into your journal is freaking me out... how amazing do they look... soooo impressed with the level of creativity you are showing... awesome... as to the paint, thanks for the attempt to let us off the hook re the age of the walls, but just used the wrong tin!!!! looks okay with things all over it though xx