Canvaswork Class

Yesterday several of us participated in a canvaswork class with Kim Mather from Kimat Designs.

Ahead of time we selected our preferred colours of the various threads we would use: Caron Watercolours, #5 Perle Cotton, Very Velvet, Impressions by Caron, Snow by Caron, Flair (stretchable tubular ribbon), Petite Sparkle Rays. Our design is called Whitby Whirlwind.

Our personalized kits were beautifully packaged.

Our first stitch was the Lace Wheel in the centre with Caron Snow. It is a two-part stitch. The first part is the spokes 'x's and '+'s. The second part is circular needle weaving over and under pairs of spokes.

We then used Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet to do the satin stitch around the lace wheel and fly stitch on the corners of the satin stitch.

Next was the Norwich waffle stitch with #5 Perle cotton. This stitch radiated out from the centre Lace Wheel and Satin Stitch grouping.

We then stitched four in each direction, then put in some guide stitches to determine where the corner was. Then we stitched another Lace Wheel.

Our goal was to learn every stitch in one quadrant. The next stitch was the Diagonal Fern Stitch using the Caron Watercolours - stitching from the corner back down to the corner of the centre piece.

We then used the Flair on each side of the diagonal fern stitch to do Diagonal Long-Armed Cross stitches (in darker green).

Next, we learned the Queen or Rococo stitch. Some onlookers believed it was a very difficult stitch, however Kim taught us in a very methodical way which made it easy for us to master (bright purple to right of the Diagonal Long-Armed stitches). It is an excellent filler stitch.

Kim demonstrates the Rococo (Queen) stitch

I practiced the stitch first outside of the design area. The purple knot is a waste knot.

Happy with that, I carried on.

Beside the Queen stitches were the Diagonal Greek Stitches with Rainbow Gallery Petite Sparkle Rays (shiny gold braid-like stitches).

We then decided how we would fill in the rest of the triangle. Kim suggested either Scotch stitches in one direction with the option of weaving them. I chose to do 'checkerboard' Scotch stitches to fill in the rest.

Kim also suggested back stitches along the edges of the corner lace wheel to give it more of a finished look (see corners below).

Here are other people's colour choices:

Lynn's

Poppy's

Jen's

Marilyn's

It was a very fun way to spend the day.

Other Trillium Guild Members also spent the day stitching at the next table.

Once I got home, I worked on it for the rest of the evening, again today stitching at Barb's and most of the afternoon back at home.

I finished it at 5pm.

I'm not quite sure how I will display it, possibly in a square frame.