Whitework Embroidery

I’ve been trying my hand at different types of embroidery. The San Francisco School of Needlework and Design has been offering classes and stitch ins during SIP and I have been really enjoying myself. Hopefully, they will continue some classes online once everything opens up again. My most current finished piece is in whitework.

Whitework (class from San Francisco School of Needlework & Design)

I love the simplicity of white thread on white fabric. My very favorite part of this piece is the center. It’s a pulled stitch called Diagonal Cross Filling. The stitch is very easy to do and the effect is lovely.

I’m not in love with my eyelets. I had a really tough time with these. I drew a circle where the eyelet was to be, cut an “x” in the middle, and then whip stitched the edge with one strand of floss. We were told to come up only once in each hole around the outside and then down in the middle of the eyelet. I found that if I did that, I did not get full coverage so I came up more than once in many holes which then left it’s own little gap.

I did really enjoy the couching on the trailing stitch (the stems). That took forever. The longest stem (to the flower) I did as instructed with only one strand of floss. The second stem (the one to the leaf) I stitched with two threads – more to see how it would look than anything else. I like it, but I was surprised to see that there is definitely an obvious difference between couching with one thread and two. Not bad, but different. It was also much quicker to stitch and I was able to use only one hole per pass.

Another thing that is bugging me. Both the floss and the perle are white; however, on my project they look quite different in color. My hands were squeaky clean, but maybe I had some oils left on them anyway? Also I’m wondering if using a pencil may not have been the right way to mark my fabric – the graphite could have colored the thread as well.

Back of work where the threads that were couched have been pulled through.

This is the back where the threads that I used (4) were couched and then the ends – both top and bottom of stem – were pulled through to the back. Our instructor told us to cut them off even with the fabric. I am scared to do this!!! What will keep them from popping through to the top of the work? I’m going to email my teacher with both pictures to see if I can get come clarification.

Today I’m linking up with Kathy over at Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitch Sunday.