My Head Explodes

This stitch always perplexes me, yet I love it.  Kinda like my grumpy cat, Max.

I take pride in identifying and remembering the pattern, sequence, and matching points on stitches.  This one?  Not so much.  Ok, never is more accurate.

Yet, it is perfect for most large spaces such as a background, walls, Santa bags or coats, sand, or sky, especially if you want those areas to recede a little bit.  So, whenever I want to do this stitch, I whip out a book or an already stitched piece to refresh my memory.

If it has a name, I can't remember it.  I identify it as the Ribbon Background.

Ribbon Background.jpg

It's a great way to mix thread finishes.  You can use a matte thread for the gray lines and a metallic for the yellow lines or vice versa depending on the look you are going for.  I've provided four alternatives for the intersections (stitched in yellow on the main diagram) that can help you glam up or dress down as much as you would like.


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If you like what you see on this blog, want to learn some very creative decorative stitches, and how to put them all together, sells stitch guides for seasonal Melissa Shirley designs.  Seventeen guides are available and more are in the pipeline.


PS Now if I could just remember to visit my own Pinterest page when I want to refresh myself on this stitch.