What is a darning pattern? According to Wikipedia “a darning pattern uses parallel rows of straight stitches of different lengths to create a pattern.” This pattern that I selected creates a Christmas tree.

I might go onto to add that you can work a darning pattern as an individual stitch, which then it would no longer be considered a darning pattern. For this canvas I Love a Man in Uniform that wouldn’t work as this design was too small. I knew that I wanted to do a Christmas tree or something Christmassy and it was time just to sit down and pour through the stitch books.

I found this one that makes a little Christmas tree, which is what I had in mind. It was just finding the one I liked best! The great thing about a darning pattern is that they don’t use awhole lotta thread…but they make up for it with awhole lotta counting. It is the spaces between pattern to pattern that can sometimes throw you off.

It should look almost the same on the back…The negative space looks creates the tree. The thread should always be brought down to the end of the canvas and turn the corner in the margin of the canvas. Since you do see the thread behind the canvas, you want to make sure that you always see the thread. If you have some missing voids, it will look different.

You can see that I bring my thread down in the margin to turn the corner. I also stop and start my threads there by making a secure little box with my thread, leaving the waste knot on the back. I am not a fan of all those threads and stitches there…but ooh the sacrifices that you must make for your stitching!

Again not my best picture…Sylvester and I were playing fetch the other day. He absolutely loves this along with these little catnip mice! It must be the male cat thing in my house as Felix loved to play fetch too! As for AlleyCat, well you must be kidding…

and until next time…keep on stitching