The Crazy Canvaswork Cushion – Part 4
Reversed Mosaic Stitch
Section five needed to be worked in something that would help to calm down the acid green of section four.
I chose two shades of blue, and Reversed Mosaic Stitch, which at this scale is a small, neat pattern. The dark blue stitches are at ninety degrees to the light blue ones, hence the term “Reversed”. It also echoes to some degree the orientations of Brighton Stitch in the very first section. Just as in good script writing for a series, odd references may be made to incidents several episodes in the past, in designing large pieces of embroidery, references of colour, style and stitch help to give some cohesion to the overall item.
Section Five
I am a little concerned, in fact, that this pattern has calmed everything down too much, that it is looking rather grey and dull – which in turn means I need to take some time and effort to pick the next section, both stitch and colours.
I have even braced myself (reluctantly!) for the possibility that when the whole thing is finished and unrolled, I may look at this section askance and rip it out!
Hungarian Grounding
Moving on to Section Six, I wanted to choose a warm colour again, to counterbalance the warm colours of the Jacquard stitch, and eventually picked out two shades of warm yellow for the Hungarian Grounding Stitch. This is one I have wanted to do – I haven’t the faintest idea why! – ever since I found it, but have never had the right project to put it in. It’s a particularly useful one because it’s stripy, but at the same time spotty, so it reflects and recollects several different stitches.
Section Six
Seen from a distance the effect is stripy rather than spotty, but since the finished cushion is probably destined for my mother’s studio, it will be examined close up as well as from a distance!
The next pattern I choose will be much larger, and involving more colours. I am now far enough towards the centre to move on to the more multi-coloured sections, for maybe four sections before moving back to two colours. Some heathering will be involved, as well. Although my stash seems extensive it’s completely unstructured, being the leftovers of several of my own projects as well as inherited bits and pieces, and heathering will allow me to extend some of the colours to fill the elements I need them to.
I hope!
I like the different textures and colours.
it’s looking really lovely, I’m enjoying watching this project. I think the blue is calming, but that’s a good thing. The eye needs a place to rest amongst the bright colours, so I think if you add in one or two more calm sections, it will enhance the overall design.
Its really taking on shape now — and I love the definite patchwork look. Sometimes patchwork is done in all the same shades/hues/color patterns and the ‘patchwork’ part doesn’t really show up. This is lovely – lucky Mum!
Don’t you dare take out my Oxford and Cambridge Section! I think it has a jewel-like quality.
May we see all the completed sections together in the next post about this project?
These two sections look very good and seem to fit nicely with the adjacent patterns, so I reckon you’re right on track.
I like the contrast it works well.
it looks great to me. love that mosaic section.
well I like it…I think it fits beautifully and enhances….
I like the Oxford/Cambridge section too! Especially with the Bright/pale yellow Hungarian grounding stitch below it.
Rachel – it is looking really good – I love the dark & pale blue, but then blues are my favourite colours – but please don’t take it out. A horrid job anyway!
Not dull – those lighter diamonds really lift it! The Hungarian Grounding Stitch is lovely – I think because there are two completely different element to make it up but it looks so right to have them together.
I like it – nice contrast. The Hungarian Grounding stitch is wonderful, ( the name alone is great, sounds like some kind of Eastern European pre-meditative process!)x
Well, I’m in awe of the whole thing, as usual … but, like you, I would have to see the finished piece (or a larger section) before I could really decide whether one section was too dark. I think, though, that it would have to be seriously wrong, before I could bring myself to take it out. That said, I have been known to chuck pots away that I didn’t think ‘worked’! xCathy
Looks like two very useful stitches. I agree that a similar ‘calming’ patch at the opposite end is worth a try, to see if it makes you any happier with it, particularly since your client obviously wants you to keep her Oxford / Cambridge patch in! But based on the image here, I think it goes well anyway.