Lots of Backstitching

One of my nonagenarian stitching friends, Alda, stitched a beautiful piece to give to her daughter. She got all the stitching done but when it came to doing the backstitching, she found it quite daunting. There are several different colours of backstitching - greens and blues - all those different coloured lines!!!

Alda was struggling so I offered to do the backstitching for her. There are about a dozen different coloured lines on the chart. One of the blue lines is dotted. There are also dark pink, red, and fuchia lines. Some of the lines disappear between vertical or horizontal stitches but I think the overall effect was successful. Backstitching just makes the stitches 'pop' and defines the hydrangea petals.

I did the French knots, too, as they were good landmarks for many of the backstitch lines.

I think I'm finished but will have another look before I return it to Alda.

Any stitching I did last week was on the backstitching on this piece. Today I did what I think is the last of it. 

At my stitching day on Sunday I got a lot done on my Live on Little piece - most of the grass under the house. And yesterday at my morning stitching group I got a few more shutters done. 

This piece is great for social stitching because there are great swaths of mindless filling in. 

Another change I made (other than reversing the colours on the star) is selecting a grey colour for the birds.

There just wasn't enough contrast with the colour of the fabric. I still need to do its beak.

The model on the cover also didn't have the dark markings on the birds. I like mine better. Also, see how the star doesn't show well with the light threads on the points?

Stitching models isn't easy. One has to be very precise. When you're stitching your own stuff, sometimes being out a stitch here or there isn't that big a deal. But when you're stitching for a designer, your work is usually what is photographed for the cover of the piece which sells the pattern unless there's a sample made up.

Model stitchers also give feedback on the colour selection and if there are any errors in the charting. On one of Teresa Kogut's new releases, she decided the birds' wings needed to provide more of a contrast than the original I stitched for her.

My original:

Her amended version. She picked out the white on the birds' wings and filled in with the red colour. She discusses this change here, starting at 5:00. She also backstitched the white parts on the foxes so they would pop! Well done, Teresa!

Closeup on the fox backstitching. I don't think she mentioned that in the video.

I've been looking at Instagram and Kimat Designs' websites for previews of new releases for Nashville. Kim and Meagan are taking preorders now so have a look at their Nashville releases here. There are frequent updates.