I was dreading the appearance of this stitch in TAST. I have never managed to get it anything near right in the past. I just had too many fingers and thumbs getting in the way of my wraps, and no amount of adjusting would get the knot to stay in place without unraveling itself.
So, good old Percy (perseverance) stepped in to help me overcome my fear of this stitch.
The light brown thread of the bullion knots in this 1st pic was a very stupid choice for me to trial the stitch.
Not only is it one of the thinnest threads I've got, making it very difficult to hold and wrap etc., it is also the wrong colour to show up on that seam, and it has ended up being rather insignificant.
After all the struggle and effort of learning the bullion I wanted it to have a bit more 'oomph' than that. It is so tiny even the camera had trouble finding it.
After that mis-adventure I picked up cotton floss and used all 6 strands to make a repeating pattern. It could be clamshells, bow-tie or duck feet (haha) take your pick.
I'm still not happy with the evenness of the knots, but hey, at least it's not unwrapping now.
And just when I thought I was done with the bullion knot stitch, up pops a thought that I could add big textured flowers to the bright cushion I'm making for my mum.
Now this is more like it. It's a lot easier with wool.
Two and a half big pink bullion knot flowers.
So it looks like I might have finally managed a half-decent bullion knot at last.
CQJP May WIP
This is the naked block I have made for my May block, and I have started stitching with the bullion knot (above) on it this week.
Happy Stitching
17 comments:
It's so hard for me to judge scale with threads or seam treatments. I have the same problem you had with your 1st treatment. I will plan a seam treatment, work it and then think, "Really, that's what I got?" when in my mind I was hoping for something much more dramatic. I am quickly embracing 6 strands of DMC too.
Your mum's flowers are quite dramatic. Thanks for the tip about using wool. I can see I need to think outside the box a whole lot more!
It's good to see the successes and the almost successes. It helps us all understand the stitches.
Love that big purple bullion puff!
Lovely bullions, they have to be bow-ties in keeping with the white damask tablecloth underneath! Big and blousey bullions for your Mum, she's going to love their texture. When will we have another showing of the cushion please?
I really like those clamshell bow-tied duck feet as a seam treatment. Frustrating when you go to a lot of work for a stitch as on your top photo and it ends up almost invisible. Those bright pink bullion flowers on your mom's piece are really quite a show stopper!
Your 'clamshells' look rather a lot like one of the stitches we did on our Chikan Embroidery (although it was a wrapped stitch effect and not a bullion) What a shame your brown bullions didn't show up more, but at least they gave you some nice practice because the pink pom-poms look fabulous!
Well, the brown bullions may be insignificant, but they sure must have been great practice because the rest are amazing! I especially like the multicolored wool ones, and like Carol would love to see the whole pin cushion. Great bowties or clam shells; they're nice, too.
Yes, bullion stitch is much easier with wool! Wool (and silk) has elasticity in the fiber, letting it stretch over the eye of the needle a little easier.
(Unless the wool is fuzzy. That can make it more difficult.)
I love your bullion flowers, your duck-feet, and your original delicate little stealth bullions! I think they're all wonderfully successful.
I really like the duck feet and your flowers! You HAVE mastered the bullion knot!
I am back to look at your flower again. I am so impressed with it--it intrigues me like the shisha did.
Did you draw a circle and then work around the circle with the bullions? How much longer than the space did you make the bullions (to get that curve)? About how thick is your wool?
Cy, I love the little torquise blue stitches in the Bullion Knot and then the total contrast that you tried with the big Bullion Knot flowers! I took pictures of both for my idea book. NancyD
Boy isn't that the truth. Sometimes the "Voila" we were expecting just doesn't resemble what the actual combination of stitches ends up looking like!!! That happens to me in the garden a lot. A certain combination of plants should be great together but yet, when they grow, one isn't as bright or something and the end result just isn't as expected! So of course, as in stitching, many times they get ripped out and moved somewhere else.
I actually like your first seam picture. Yes, the knots are smaller, I suppose, but so elegant looking, especially with the framing around them. You seem to have mastered this knot by using it in different threads and different configurations!
I promise to show you the cushion before I post it off to her.
No drawing circles for me... freeform all the way. Life is too short for precision.
The wool is 3ply acrylic/wool mix. The puff flower bullions started with about 15-20 wraps for the bottom layer, and progressed to around 35 or more wraps as they went over the previous ones. The curve occurred because of the height of the underneath layers.
Thank you all for your encouraging comments on my bullions.
This group is just the 'push' I need to overcome some fears of stitching. I just have to keep reminding myself that the only way to achieve something is by actually DOING it.
Thanks again.
I gave it a little trial last night & can see how that would work. I used some wool I had on hand and the difference between it and the perle cotton was unmistakable. Thanks for the inspiration.
There's some quote that goes something like, "The hardest step on the journey is the first step." I try to remember that more lately and just try ideas. What can it hurt?
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