Continuing education, Part 2

With the top and bottom bands finished, it's time for a word about the quodlibet border. As a stitch for surface embellishment, I think it's quite pretty--a great way to perk up the hem on a piece of clothing, for instance, that otherwise is a solid color. A series of this border in pastel colors would also be a great way to decorate an Easter egg. Because it's worked over eight threads, it definitely isn't something to use on a piece where the stitches might get snagged.

In the center section, I've stitched the grid for another stitch that's new to me: the double cross. With one strand of DMC #5 perle cotton #335, the same color trimming the top and bottom bands, I worked cross stitches over four canvas threads square. For a complete repeat of this stitch, a canvas thread count evenly divisible by four is required, so I filled in the extra row at top and bottom with tent stitches. No sense in sweating the small stuff when I'm just practicing! I'll go back later and fill in the tiny crosses within the larger crosses when I've figured out what colors to use.

On to the vertical stripes flanking the center section, where I filled in with basketweave using four plies of DMC floss #946. Remember the surface embellishment on the border of the little fish? I wanted to try the same diamond ray stitch I used there, this time in a vertical orientation. With three plies of DMC floss #917, a color best described as magenta/purple, I worked diamond rays on top of the background. I found it interesting that the magenta/purple actually toned down the vibrancy of the tangerine floss. The diamond ray stitch looks okay here, but I think in the long run, the horizontal orientation of this stitch is more effective.

I'll finish off the stripe on the left and move to one of the outside sections to try out another stitch!