Luca’s Stitching 2026 - updates pg 7 4/30

[geekishly]

Serinde, it’s fine enough. It was really cheap washi tape bought at a discount, so I didn’t feel bad about using so much on the hoop. It’s holding up fine so far, but I’ve only done one stitch session with it.

Mabel, it is quite challenging, but I’m enjoying it. I have to be very careful with carrying my stitches over, however, since you can see through it. I also have a butterflies one that will fortunately have more space for hiding threads on the backside.

Thankfully, despite the difficulty of the sheer fabric, I find it’s a lot easier to pierce through than the cotton from my previous kit attempt. I was able to work for quite some time on this whereas the other kit I had to throw in the towel after a single satin stitch leaf.

[geekishly]

New project start.



I’m stitching it on 16ct opal aida, and the pattern is Pink Wednesdays by Patchy at Best Co. it came with three versions of the pattern, one all black, one black with a few pink highlights, and this version I’m doing which has 4 colors of floss.

[Serinde]

Neat designs these modern kids do.

[geekishly]

It’s based off the Mean Girls movie from 20 or so years ago. My guess is the designer is in their late 30s/early 40s like I am.

[Serinde]

Still, about the same age as my boys. That's young to me!

[geekishly]

Very fair!

Today’s update!

[Serinde]

Do me a favour and let me see the back? I'm curious as to whether you do individual motives or stitch them Japanese-fashion like sashiko. Whichever -- looking very tidy (also love the fabric).

[geekishly]

I'll have to take a pic next time I pull it out to work on it, but it's not as neat as the haloween-y blackwork I started this thread with. Still quite neat, but this pattern is not really designed for holbein stitch. Also, rather than clipping threads when switching between 2 strand and 1 strand stitches, I've just split it and worked a thread at a time off the tail of the 2 thread stitches when I'm done with them for that square.

[fccs]

I'll have to take a pic next time I pull it out to work on it, but it's not as neat as the haloween-y blackwork I started this thread with. Still quite neat, but this pattern is not really designed for holbein stitch. Also, rather than clipping threads when switching between 2 strand and 1 strand stitches, I've just split it and worked a thread at a time off the tail of the 2 thread stitches when I'm done with them for that square.

I do the same when I need just one strand for back stitching.

[Serinde]

Why didn't I ever think of that?

[Mabel Figworthy]

Good method!

[geekishly]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought of it!

Why didn't I ever think of that?

Probably the same reason I hadn’t thought of it before now. It just didn’t occur to you?

Good method!

It is! A real time saver too.

Anyway, update coming this weekend. I’ve had no time for crafting since the last update.

[geekishly]

Came to post these last night but the site was at “bandwidth exceeded.” So I’m here now to post my latest update. I am done with the top row!



And the back for Serinde!


I got so frustrated when I went to tie off the ends of the first set of black on the stereo and found that I’d gotten the thread tangled/knotted. No clue when it happened so it’s just going to have to stay there because I was not going to attempt undoing all that work. It’s been ages since I’ve not caught it immediately.

Also realized I messed up by a row on some stitches and I’m just not gonna fix it. It looks fine as is and it’s not going to affect the next set of squares. It makes my piece unique.

[geekishly]

Double post, but I’ve pulled together all my materials for the Round in Stitches SAL.



Using pink as dark, beige as white, and green as light. I have a mix of beads that are enough in each color for one or more of the beaded designs, all of them higher in quantity than the one that needs the most. I’m a little worried about the sequin color, but it was the closest I could find.

Pictured is 28ct evenweave, which I think I just have to treat as over two for the pattern? I do have 22ct hardanger in ivory, but to get it to match the beige I would have to tea or coffee dye the fabric, which feels like a pain to get the exact right shade.

[Mabel Figworthy]

Oooh, lovely colours - the evenweave looks lovely with it. The shades will look good on ivory too, though, so I think you can get away with not dyeing.

What a nuisance about the tangle and not catching it immediately - but if it doesn't impact on the front, who's to know!

[Serinde]

I appreciate the pic of the back. You do stitch the background the way I was hoping to see (because for years -- until I'd done some sashiko-- I laboriously did it differently). Argh! don't you hate those tangles!

Lovely colours for the new design.

[geekishly]

Tangles are the worst! I’m happy to know I did stitch the way you were expecting. My goal is always to use as little extra floss as possible in stitching a pattern. It’s a habit I got into stitching with kits so I wouldn’t worry about running out of a color before I’m done with it.

Thanks! It’s a color scheme I’ve loved for a long time and I am sure this is going to look so good when done. I’m planning to use the light pink beads in the one(s) with the sequins, and then I’ll use whichever of the gold and darker pink beads with the other patterns that use them.

[geekishly]

Decided to work on some Halloween stuff before the holiday passes. This is 1 of 3 in The Steady Thread’s 2025 Halloween Freebies. I used the Path to Lothlorien palette from Norgrove Enterprises for this plus DMC 310.

[Serinde]

These freebie charts are quite high quality compared to many. Nice to see.

[geekishly]

They are. The designer also has a freebie SAL every year with a new motif every week of the year. You can still grab all the charts for the 2025 SAL for free if you join now, but after the new year it’ll be available for money as a complete pattern.

Sadly I missed their Halloween 2025 SAL while it was still ongoing, but I plan to buy it eventually.