If you haven’t heard about our monthly Stitch Along with Suzie, now you will!  We’re picking a different piece each month and posting the guide right here on the blog for FREE!

This month, I stitched this 4 inch round from Amanda Lawford, now owned by Vallerie Needlepoint Gallery.  Yep . . .that’s me!

Here we go!

Thread List

Accentuate 043

Planet Earth 6-Ply Silk: Tart 1146, Green Foliage V1305

Soie d’Alger Creme

Sparkle Braid SK26

Splendor S1000

Threadworx Overdye Floss: 11381, 1064, 1065

1 Size 14 black bead

1 seashell bead

Black beading thread

Water: Threadworx Overdye Floss 11381 (2 strands).  Reverse the direction of the threads.  This means that you turn one of the threads the opposite direction so you disperse the variegation in the thread.  Use the overdye for the gray stitch in the diagram and Sparkle Braid SK26 for the white stitch in the diagram.

Sand: Upright Cross Variation – Soie d’Alger Crème (3 strands)

Seahorse: Tent stitch the peach, light green and off white areas of the body with PE 6-Ply Silk Tart, Threadworx 1064 and 1065 and Splendor S1000.  Use three strands of the PE Silk and 4 strands of the Threadworx and Splendor.  The single vertical and horizontal lines in the greens are done in Cross Stitches with the coordinating Threadworx threads.  Add a black bead for the eye with one strand of black beading thread doubled over in the needle.

Add long angled stitches for the spikes around the outside of the body with 3 strands of Soie d’Alger Crème.

The tail fin is done in long angled layered stitches with PE Tart and Threadworx 1064.  Use four strands of the Threadworx then stitch over that with two strands of the PE Tart.

Now for the leaves!

Use four strands of Threadworx 1065 in Raised Fishbone Stitch.

DO NOT follow this diagram exactly.  This is just the basic idea behind this stitch. Start with a long straight stitch starting at the tip of a leaf (the smaller point) to about halfway down the petal. Move directly to the left of the top of that stitch on the outside border of the leaf. You might end up moving down more canvas threads than that.  Follow the painted design.  Cross over to the right (#4) of where you started the first stitch. Come back up to the right of the first stitch (#5).  Come back down on the right outer edge of the leaf, directly across from the bottom of the first stitch.

You will continue down the length of the leaf. Until you get to the bottom.  At a point, you will be going into a used hole, such as #20 in the diagram.  You may have to fudge the bottom stitches to make it fit.  I strongly suggest watching the video on needlenthread.com that demonstrates how to do this stitch.

To finish off the leaves, Stem Stitch the stems with four strands of the same thread.

You can sew on a seashell anywhere you want in the sand if you want.  If it doesn’t sit right on the canvas, you can always glue it on after you get your piece back from the finisher with E6000 glue.

You can order the canvas from any needlepoint shop.  But, The Enriched Stitch has the complete kits put together and ready to go!  You can call the shop to sign up or click here to order you kit online.

203-210-5107

I’ll be posting our September Stitch Along with Suzie soon.  Stay tuned!