Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge week 21
Tuesday, May 22, 2007 at 8:10AM | Sharon B | 25 Comments | in Challenges, Hand Embroidery, Needlework, Take a Stitch Tuesday 
This is now the 21st week of the Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge. This week I have a chosen a stitch which at first glance is perhaps too rigid to do too much with. I hope that explorations of Crossed buttonhole stitch will prove that this is not the case.
As you can see in the first sample you can arrange the stitch in rows to form patterns. Or as in the second sample, you can stack them row upon row as above. These arrangements can arranged in patterns or worked on a curve in a freeform manner.
When you change the height of the stitch it form more patterns which of course can be stacked to produce secondary patterns too.
You do not often see crossed buttonhole worked in a square but you can do it quite easily.
These squares can be arranged in patterns. You could add beads or sequins to embellish the pattern further.
The squares could also be turned on a point and worked as diamonds or worked over net to layer your stitching.
This sample is worked in wool on Aida cloth but worked in a specialty thread or a metallic thread the shape could be built up into interesting little motifs.
You can change the angle of the arms, make them long or short. Although I have not done it this week you can also work the stitch on a curve.
Or you can work the stitch on the diagonal and this changes the look totally. Once again this diagonal row could be stacked, worked row upon row, used to couch threads down, add beads etc. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination and time!
If you are enjoying this challenge you may be interested in my latest online class offered on Joggles.com. Sumptuous surfaces is a 6 week online course which will start July 11th. (Details about the class are on the joggles site so follow the link for more information.)
When you have stitched a sample swing by and leave a comment on this post so people can check out your site. To avoid spam you must be registered to leave a comment and all comments are moderated. This means when I have read them and know you are human not a spam bot. I approve them and they are published.
Debra Spincic generously runs a web ring for the TAST challenge and there is also the Take a stitch Tuesday flickr group
That’s the Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge stitch this week …as usual experiment, explore and Enjoy!
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Reader Comments (25)
Hi Sharon!
I love the challenge, I'm totally hooked into embroidery now! I've posted some samples to my blog:
http://www.isetegija.net/index.php?ind=blog&op=home&idu=2796
Thanks for Your tutorials!
Freddy - I am pleased you are hooked into embroidery - that was my idea behind the challenge! you made my day I like your samples too
My Crossed Buttonhole sampler is on my Flickr site. www.flickr.com/photos/stitchintime
maybe i should have expanded the exercise a bit more but i'm so pleased to be early for the first time in ages that i couldn't resist. my week's sample is up at http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com
now with all that extra time i should make some bread...
cheers
neki desu
Hi Sharon, still plugging away on the challenge. My latest is at http://susaneta.wordpress.com/2007/05/25/tast-crossed-buttonhole-basque-stitch-and-butterfly-chain/
where I'm starting to combine even more stitches on the same piece!
I have stitched and posted a sample early too -- mine is in my blog at www.readingandstitchinginil.com
Jenny
I posted my week 20/21 to the Flickr pool site this is so much fun Rene
I did more experiments this week, but from some I forgot to make photos :)
Here is what I have:
http://corinaj.wordpress.com
I have posted my Crossed Button samples to my new blog at
http://www.CrazyQstitcher.Wordpress.com/
I hope to repair the messy page as I'm having to relearn blogging.
Thanks Sharon
Sharon my Crossed Button samples are at my new blog http://CrazyQstitcher.Wordpress.com/
I'm hoping I can tidy up my new blog page as it doesn't look good at present
Hi Sharon I thought I had posted to you that my samples for weeks 20 and 21 were up on my blog but something must have happened so here I am writing again.
Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
I've only had a chance to use the crossed buttonhole as a simple border for a project, but I've loved looking at everyone else's work. For those who haven't looked at the Flickr group (http://www.flickr.com/groups/56846286@N00/) yet, be sure to do so, it is inspiring.
Margaret
http://lifeneedleworkandeverything.blogspot.com/2007/05/tast-21-crossed-buttonhole-stitch.html
I finally decided that not taking part in TAST was counter productive to getting more stitchery done, so I'm back. My sample this week isn't pretty so far, but I'm finding it more interesting than some of the prettier things I've stitched.
http://blog.orangerugyarn.com/index.php/musings/2007/05/27/crossed_buttonhole_tast
Juli
Hi Sharon, My crossed Chain Stitch is now on my blog http://loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/?p=468 hugs annie
Hi Sharon, thanks for the comment on my blog last week. :-)
I've posted this week's sample here - http://randomapplique.blogspot.com/2007/05/take-stitch-tuesday-crossed-buttonhole.html
Hi all!
I've posted my crossed buttonhole stitch and a spider using: chain, fly & oyster. (note to Sharon ... we are learing to incorporate these stitches!)
Hi all!
I've posted my crossed buttonhole stitch and a spider using: chain, fly & oyster. (note to Sharon ... we are learing to incorporate these stitches!)
http://vivian-institches.blogspot.com/
Hi Sharon
My crossed buttonhole is up on my blog. Really like that stitch and can see lots of uses for it.
http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com
I have posted my crossed blanket stitch sample on http://flickr.com/photos/helenad/. And of course in the flicket group site
I can see that the blanket v. buttonhole stitch debate is a bit arcane and largely dependant on geography and ones own tradition. I just can't see using this stitch on a buttonhole but I can imagine using it to edge a blanket so for what its worth I am calling it crossed blanket stitch.
I have used the stitch on veiling net which, because you see both sides of the stitch, gives a scribbled effect.
this tast challenge went up this week, sometime, sunday I think, its on my blog http://backvalleyseasons.blogspot.com
I am home from holiday and after nearly 10 hours on the road yesterday and getting back to some semblence of order today.
Greetings Sharon,
I just finished my crossed buttonhole stitch. It is on my Flicker site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vallor/
Thanks a bunch. Valerie L
Hi Sharon,
I'm starting to catch up - my crossed buttonhole sample is up on the blog and the flickr group.
http://smockery.blogspot.com/2007/06/catching-up-tast-21-crossed-buttonhole.html
Hi Sharon, finally got round to crossed buttonhole here http://faffingabout.blogspot.com/2007/06/tast-satin-stitch.html
Woops sorry, Sharon, I pasted in the wrong link, here's the right one http://faffingabout.blogspot.com/2007/06/tast-crossed-buttonhole-stitch.html
another catch up one!
took me a while to get the hang of it
http://fionacupcake.blogspot.com/search/label/crossed%20buttonhole