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Stitch 22 Challenge

Updated: May 6, 2024

This series of stitch workshops was started at the beginning of 2022 - hence the title - Stitch 22 Challenge. A different type of stitch was presented at weekly intervals. 

Stitch 22 Challenge - Running Stitch Ellipses inspired by my shower head pipe. Sewn using perle no.8 and polyester thread, in a variety of sizes, randomly positioned with overlapping. Fabric panel Sheeting soaked in diluted PVA and when dry crumpled and ironed flat.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Running Stitch

Ellipses inspired by my shower head pipe. Sewn using perle no.8 and polyester thread, in a variety of sizes, randomly positioned with overlapping. Fabric panel Sheeting soaked in diluted PVA and when dry crumpled and ironed flat.








Stitch 22 Challenge - Chain Stitch Clouds inspired by a photograph of the sky from my window. Sewn using Embroidery Floss in 4 shades of pink/peach and 3 shades of blue. Different sizes and thicknesses of Chain Stitch and Detached Chain Stitch sewn using either one colour or quite often several colours of embroidery floss mixed together.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Chain Stitch

Clouds inspired by a photograph of the sky from my window. Sewn using Embroidery Floss in 4 shades of pink/peach and 3 shades of blue. Different sizes and thicknesses of Chain Stitch and Detached Chain Stitch sewn using either one colour or quite often several colours of embroidery floss mixed together.







Stitch 22 Challenge - Blanket Stitch Inspired by a photo of the Salt Lake at Akrotiri. The colour of the plants growing below the water surface attracted me most. Different sizes and thicknesses of Blanket Stitch/Buttonhole Stitch sewn in a variety of directions.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Blanket Stitch

Inspired by a photo of the Salt Lake at Akrotiri. The colour of the plants growing below the water surface attracted me most. Different sizes and thicknesses of Blanket Stitch/Buttonhole Stitch sewn in a variety of directions.








Stitch 22 Challenge - Cross Stitch Inspired by a photo of a Sunflower cropped to the centre. One of my favourite flowers which was part of a bouquet I was given for my last birthday. Different sizes and thicknesses of Cross Stitch sewn in a variety of directions. 

Stitch 22 Challenge - Cross Stitch

Inspired by a photo of a Sunflower cropped to the centre. One of my favourite flowers which was part of a bouquet I was given for my last birthday. Different sizes and thicknesses of Cross Stitch sewn in a variety of directions. 








Stitch 22 Challenge - Cretan Stitch Inspired by a photo of an autumn tree. Colour added to fabric by laying wet coloured tissue on the dampened fabric. Cretan/Open Cretan Stitch using black embroidery floss and black & sage embroidery floss mixed. Number of strands used varied to create density.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Cretan Stitch

Inspired by a photo of an autumn tree. Colour added to fabric by laying wet coloured tissue on the dampened fabric. Cretan/Open Cretan Stitch using black embroidery floss and black & sage embroidery floss mixed. Number of strands used varied to create density.







Stitch 22 Challenge - Satin Stitch Inspired by a rough sketch of a pattern cut out of a tall metal gate. The sketch formed part of my Tree of Life research for one of my C&G modules. Different sized blocks of Satin Stitch sewn in either a vertical or horizontal direction. Embroidery floss in greens and pinks.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Satin Stitch

Inspired by a rough sketch of a pattern cut out of a tall metal gate. The sketch formed part of my Tree of Life research for one of my C&G modules. Different sized blocks of Satin Stitch sewn in either a vertical or horizontal direction. Embroidery floss in greens and pinks.









Stitch 22 Challenge - Fly Stitch Colour added to fabric by laying wet crumpled coloured tissue on the dampened fabric. Fly Stitch/Plaited Fly Stitch/Double Fly Stitch/Reverse Fly Stitch inspired by a photo of a plant in a National Trust garden. I used perle cotton nos 5, 8 and 12 white to give a variety of thickness. I love the effects I managed to create with this stitch.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Fly Stitch

Colour added to fabric by laying wet crumpled coloured tissue on the dampened fabric. Fly Stitch/Plaited Fly Stitch/Double Fly Stitch/Reverse Fly Stitch inspired by a photo of a plant in a National Trust garden. I used perle cotton nos 5, 8 and 12 white to give a variety of thickness. I love the effects I managed to create with this stitch.






Stitch 22 Challenge - Stem Stitch Inspired by a mark making exercise in my sketchbook. The marks were made using a calligraphy pen and then the ink was wetted causing it to bleed beautiful colours which inspired the colour scheme. Stem Stitch/Portuguese Stem Stitch/Whipped Stem Stitch created using embroidery floss in a variety of colours. Number of strands varied and colours mixed. 

Stitch 22 Challenge - Stem Stitch

Inspired by a mark making exercise in my sketchbook. The marks were made using a calligraphy pen and then the ink was wetted causing it to bleed beautiful colours which inspired the colour scheme. Stem Stitch/Portuguese Stem Stitch/Whipped Stem Stitch created using embroidery floss in a variety of colours. Number of strands varied and colours mixed. 

Stitch 22 Challenge - Couch Stitch Cotton Fabric salvaged from an unwanted cushion. Marks made using watered down acrylic paint and when dry ironed to set. Panels cut to approximately 10cm x 8cm. Wire, Cord, Perle Cotton and Metallic Thread left over from C&G goldwork module. Cord Couched using perle cotton and metallic thread. Hand wound wire tubes couched through the middle using perle cotton. Inspired by a photograph of a catkin tree.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Couch Stitch

Cotton Fabric salvaged from an unwanted cushion. Marks made using watered down acrylic paint and when dry ironed to set. Panels cut to approximately 10cm x 8cm. Wire, Cord, Perle Cotton and Metallic Thread left over from C&G goldwork module. Cord Couched using perle cotton and metallic thread. Hand wound wire tubes couched through the middle using perle cotton. Inspired by a photograph of a catkin tree.

Stitch 22 Challenge - French Knot & Bullion Stitch Cotton Fabric salvaged from an unwanted cushion. Marks made using watered down acrylic paint and when dry ironed to set. Perle Cotton, embroidery floss and polyester thread 40 used to create a variety of Knot Stitch, French Knot and Bullion Stitch. Inspiration taken from the marks made on the fabric and the colour scheme used.

Stitch 22 Challenge - French Knot & Bullion Stitch

Cotton Fabric salvaged from an unwanted cushion. Marks made using watered down acrylic paint and when dry ironed to set. Perle Cotton, embroidery floss and polyester thread 40 used to create a variety of Knot Stitch, French Knot and Bullion Stitch. Inspiration taken from the marks made on the fabric and the colour scheme used.





Stitch 22 Challenge - Eyelet Stitch Eyelet shapes stitched using perle cottons, cut out and laid on the backing fabric.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Eyelet Stitch

Eyelet shapes stitched using perle cottons, cut out and laid on the backing fabric.












Stitch 22 Challenge - Buttonhole Rings I used a wire winding tool which gave me a range of potential sizes to work with. I chose three colours and made a number of buttonhole rings. I lay the rings on the backing tag fabric following the lines of the mark making design.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Buttonhole Rings

I used a wire winding tool which gave me a range of potential sizes to work with. I chose three colours and made a number of buttonhole rings. I lay the rings on the backing tag fabric following the lines of the mark making design.







Stitch 22 Challenge - Herringbone Stitch Herringbone Stitch/Fancy Herringbone Stitch worked using a metallic yarn in blue and silver. Inspiration taken from a photograph taken on a visit to a National Trust property.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Herringbone Stitch

Herringbone Stitch/Fancy Herringbone Stitch worked using a metallic yarn in blue and silver. Inspiration taken from a photograph taken on a visit to a National Trust property.


Stitch 22 Challenge - Decorative Darning Stitch and Needle Weaving Darning Stitch and Needle Weaving worked using embroidery floss, perle cotton no. 5, tapestry cotton and tapestry wool. Inspiration taken from mark making exercise in sketchbook.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Decorative Darning Stitch and Needle Weaving

Darning Stitch and Needle Weaving worked using embroidery floss, perle cotton no. 5, tapestry cotton and tapestry wool. Inspiration taken from mark making exercise in sketchbook.









Stitch 22 Challenge - Woven Wheel Stitch Inspired by a close up photograph of a tulip I decided to add a bit of colour to my fabric panel. Using a paintbrush, acrylic ink yellow & red I painted petal shapes. Woven Wheels stitched using perle cotton no. 8 in various colours. I also experimented with weaving over the bars rather than under which produced a lovely basket weave effect.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Woven Wheel Stitch

Inspired by a close up photograph of a tulip I decided to add a bit of colour to my fabric panel. Using a paintbrush, acrylic ink yellow & red I painted petal shapes. Woven Wheels stitched using perle cotton no. 8 in various colours. I also experimented with weaving over the bars rather than under which produced a lovely basket weave effect.




Stitch 22 Challenge - Raised Work I worked with a few found metal items and used metallic silver perle no.8 and some blue perle cotton no.8 and embroidery floss. The stitches used were buttonhole stitch, detached buttonhole stitch, cretan stitch, chequered chain band and herringbone stitch.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Raised Work

I worked with a few found metal items and used metallic silver perle no.8 and some blue perle cotton no.8 and embroidery floss. The stitches used were buttonhole stitch, detached buttonhole stitch, cretan stitch, chequered chain band and herringbone stitch.







Stitch 22 Challenge - Looped Stitch and Turkey Rug Knot Loops created using perle cotton and embroidery floss. I varied the size and direction of the loops and cut through some to create tufts.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Looped Stitch and Turkey Rug Knot

Loops created using perle cotton and embroidery floss. I varied the size and direction of the loops and cut through some to create tufts.












Stitch 22 Challenge - Decorative Edge Stitch

I created three panels, each one using a pair of complementary colours. Panel 1 is stitched using thread loops blanket stitch, thread loops chain stitch and detached chain stitch. Panel 2 is stitched using buttonhole stitch, detached chain stitch and detached buttonhole stitch. Panel 3 is stitched using cord stitch, loop picot, bullion picot and buttonhole Stitch. I added a little bead to create a closure and hidden within is a flower shape stitched using bullion knot and french knot. 


Stitch 22 Challenge - Decorative Applique

Panel 1 uses a variety of stitches -  chain stitch, cross stitch, fly stitch, bullion knot and back stitch. Panel 2 is using the scarecrow stitch. Panel 3 uses kantha stitch. Panel 4 uses couching. Panel 5 uses buttonhole stitch and cross stitch.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Seeding Stitch

Panel 1 - Scrap of cotton fabric with stylised flowers. Design extended using white, red, yellow and blue perle cotton. Panel 2 - Section cut from part of a magazine article. Design extended using black perle cotton. Panel 3 - Found items laid out with a light source coming from the right hand side (left hand side of photo). Design stitched using beige, brown and black perle cotton (right hand side of photo).

Stitch 22 Challenge - Insertion Stitch

Panel 1 Scraps of Fabric. Edges joined using buttonhole insertion stitch and twisted Insertion knot stitch. To decorate some of the buttonhole insertion stitches I used detached buttonhole stitch and buttonhole stitch. I extended the twisted Insertion knot stitch into the fabric using herringbone stitch. Panel 2 Fabric Selvage joined using italian buttonhole insertion stitch. Panel 3 Fabric Selvage and Scraps joined using knotted insertion stitch and sheaf filling stitch.

Stitch 22 Challenge - Back and Forward Stitch

Using cotton perle No.5, No.8 and embroidery floss I covered a piece of dyed calico cotton with Herringbone Stitch. I chose black, dark red, red and yellow as my colour scheme as I felt these worked well with the green of the fabric. Image 1 shows the front and image 2 shows the back. It's a shame that this exercise has come to an end, it was really enjoyable. Thank you Sian for the challenge.


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