Overdye: Puddle Stitching

Anne Stradal’s (http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/) wrote me last Friday and asked if I cut the overdyed thread to puddle stitch (see comments: https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2013/09/26/henny-penny/). So I decided that if Anne didn’t understand what I was trying to write I’m sure there are others too, so let’s talk about overdyes and puddle stitching.

I do not cut the overdye thread in this instance. Here is a graphic of a length of an overdye thread; I have numbered each segment with an arbitrary number of stitiches (10-8-12-6-etc…). Notice that there are three circled 10’s; these are the beginning of the repeat. The numbering has no significance in puddle stitching other than to show the repeat and the number of stitches I arbitrarily assigned to each area.
The next graphic shows this overdye thread stitched in Continental Horizontal rows (top left), Basketweave (bottom left) and then puddle stitching on the right. I attached the sequence numbering to all these so you could compare to the first graphic and follow he sequence of stitching. The puddle stitching is a bit hard to follow but you can and there is no method to this it is just a random thing.
Puddle stitching is nothing but a group of stitches randomly placed together to form a puddle of color. You could call this method a glob, blob, whatever you choose to call it…but then it would have to be glob stitching, blob stitching and I like puddle stitching best. Remember this is not my technique I learned it from John Waddell (http://johnwaddellneedlepoint.com/index.html)  in his Fun with Overdye class.
If this has confused you more I am sorry but just drop me note and I’ll see if I can do better or take a class from John, he’s really good.
Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have time to stitch today!
ttfn…sue

Henny Penny

Henny Penny is one of my take-a-long projects; a some small project I can grab if going in the car, to meeting, to doctor appointment. I got her after a friend in the guild passed away and her family had an estate sale. I know I am kind of slow sometimes but when I first got her I was not sure what I was going to do with her, I didn’t see her as an eyeglass case…was thinking picture / pillow insert. But then while stitching her I lost my sunglass eye case and voila here was my new one…

I stitched the background using four shades of ThreadworX blues and “puddled” the stitches. I believe the term “puddle, puddling” was originated by John Waddell (http://johnwaddellneedlepoint.com/index.html) referring to using an overdye and placing a random block of color in one area by placing all the stitching of one color in the same area rather than just stitching in rows (horizontal, vertical or diagonally). I am showing you the back so you can see where I carried the threads from one area to the next (some marked with black ovals) My puddling was not bad but then I also tried Anne Stradal’s (http://thecapestitcher.blogspot.com/) method of blending one color into the next with a few random stitches places in the next areas. This was not as successful especially at the top around the head. Sometimes one technique is enough…the KISS principle Kept It Simple Sue.

 
But it is an eyeglass case and unless the Smithsonian contacts me soon that they would like this piece of stitching memorabilia it probably will not be in use in 5 years. Yes, some stitching does have a shelve life and some that should not have a shelf life do too…I have a thing about seeing finished needlework at Estate Sales, flea markets, and thrift stores (my blog: https://sudukc.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/rescued/). I try to avoid these encounters as much as possible. I know our families probably will not want all out addictions but they could offer them to our friends, their friends, and just give them away at the next garage sale before sending them to the thrift store. The thrift store seems so homeless and that tugs at my heart…I don’t visit animal shelters either. But I digress (yet again) this is a whole other blog.

 
Anyway I did the background first and then stitched Henny Penny. Notice how I made sure Henny covered the background. Henny was a fun quick stitching piece; but then I got a bee in my bonnet as how to finish. My bank gives away these lovely eyeglass cleaner towelss and they are pretty big (5×8 inches). So I headed to the bank office and of course they were out…so I just kept asking until in sheer frustration they ordered them and I got a few…let’s just say I can do a couple more eyeglass cases should I so desire…And I intend to stockpile a few more, never know when they might decide this is too good a deal to continue.  I finished the eyeglass case by lining it with the eyeglass cleaners from the bank and so every time I put my glasses away they at least get the fronts wiped off. And I can pull out the lining and clean glasses, computer screens, tablets…you get the idea. Someone asked me about washing I guess you could hand wash and then when it is dry spray with cleaner stuff and let re-dry.

Anyway that’s one of the many irons in my fire that can be removed…a finally finished project. I wish I had more FFPs than Works in Progress (WiP)…because some days I feel really overwhelmed. But today I am off to work on the Value of Gray, sit outside on this beautiful fall day and read some of my favorite blogs.
Thank you for stopping by, I hope you have time to enjoy this beautiful fall day and stitch today!
ttfn…sue