Thursday, October 22, 2015

Right Diagonals

In Japanese embroidery, one of the basic techniques for filling a shape is called diagonal layer.

Diagonal layer uses right diagonal stitches from upper right to bottom left.

With two strands of flat, filament silk I proceeded to stitch the legs of the sake box from the upper right to bottom left just like the textbook said.


I'm a little rusty at laying flat silk since I've been laying goldwork for months and months.

When I finished, I thought it looked pretty good, not great.  My silk tension was uneven which didn't worry me too much since the area will be covered by more superimposed goldwork.  That should mask some of my problems which is one reason why I stitched the legs as a bit of a warm-up...


Making progress, I thought, until my teacher buzzed in and told me that the orientation of the stitch is not to myself, the stitcher, but to the top of the piece.  In other words, my right diagonals were actually left diagonals and I had stitched them incorrectly.

So...



Out they came and I re-stitched them properly from top right to bottom left...


When I think about it, that makes more sense anyway.  If all right diagonals were stitched relative to the position of the stitcher, then they would be in many different directions all over the piece.  The correct way means that stitches will all be orientated to the top of the embroidery piece and that would be a unifying effect that makes a ton more sense.


I told you I was rusty.

Doing my best to stitch two hours per day now so there should be many more Japanese embroidery updates in the future if I'm doing my work.

Many of you asked about Mrs. Rose...I'm happy to report that she is patiently sitting in her chair with her prayer book saying her rosary while she waits for her rose bower to grow.   I've been making her leaves but Japanese embroidery and Christmas presents have risen in the queue ahead of her I'm afraid.  She'll be back on deck after the holidays.

Back to the frame with me...

11 comments:

Rachel said...

You'll get back in the swing of things, I'm sure!

D1-D2 said...

More Japanese Embroidery! I'm so glad :)

Cath said...

We all have our "D'oh!" moments. Some times it just take time to warm up again. Looking forward to more JE posts :-)

Createology said...

I just knew Mrs. Rose is patiently waiting because she will want you to be able to focus on your more pressing stitching works. Stitching on your Japanese piece requires patience and precision. How wise of you to take out the incorrect stitches in order to stitch in the correct direction. Christmas projects in the works...So quickly it will be here. Creative Bliss...

SharoninStitches said...

You do such lovely work! I never could master flat silk. It's a gift!

margaret said...

how frustrating but if you had not unpicked you would have noticed the error every time you look at the finished piece, it really is coming along beautifully. Good to know Mrs Rose is well and hope to see her after Christmas.

L'Arbre aux Perles said...

Even if it looks so difficult, you have made me want to start Japanese embroidery. I go to a "pre-Phase" course next week in Cannes! Goog luck with the diagonal sitches!

Annette said...

Oh my girl, that sounds like something I would do. TAKE IT OUT. So good to hear about Mrs. Rose, so love following your art work and what you are doing Have a good one and keep a stitchin oxoxxoox

Mrs G said...

I've never attempted Japanese embroidery so I might be missing something really fundamental here but surely, as long as every diagonal is stitched in the same direction, it doesn't matter whether they point up to the left or the right?

Kelly aka STITCHNMOMMA said...

Beautiful piece, I can't wait to see more updates on it! :)

Judy S. said...

Looks like a very complex piece of stitching, Susan. Time has a way of speeding up at this time of year; I am convinced! Good to see your post!

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