Take a Stitch Tuesday: Buttonhole, Chain, Cretan

This bookmark is my version of a sampler for Sharon B's Take A Stitch Tuesday challenge. It incorporates the stitches for Weeks two, three and four: buttonhole, detached chain, and Cretan.

It took me quite a while to come up with my plan for this bookmark. And it took me longer to execute it than I imagined!

I started by looking through the blogs of other stitchers and noting which versions of the stitches really caught my attention. Then I started this sketch. As you see, I noted on the sketch which stitch to use and the blogs that relate to the stitch I wanted to try and recreate.


Next, I took my design idea to some gridded paper and marked in the stitches. As you'll note, the design of the train engine changed quite a bit at this point.




I wasn't sure I liked my version of the Cretan stitch that I wanted to use as a filling stitch, so I drew the engine again, and tried it a new way.

After looking over the two, I decided to use the first version.


Then the stitching began:

1. I outlined the engine in backstitch using 1 strand of DMC 310
2. I filled in the engine with Cretan stitch using 2 strands of DMC 317 and 318
3. I made the smoke stack in stacked buttonhole with 2 strands of DMC 317
4. The cow catcher on the front of the train is a wrapped buttonhole stitch made with 2 strands of DMC310
   
5. I stitched the smoke in a chain stitch with 2 strand of Wisper, a fuzzy thread
   
6. The front window was filled with satin stitch using 2 strand of Neon Rays
7. The rail on the back of the engine is a long buttonhole stitch (bottom is double running stitch) with 1 strand of DMC 310
8. The tracks are a slanted Cretan stitch, stacked, stitched with DMC stranded metallic 5287. I had some trouble with this stitch on the left side of the train
9. The wheels are padded detached chain in three shades of floss, 2 strands of DMC 930, 932 and 3750
10. The wheel hubs are a yellow seed bead
11. The engineer's shirt is cross-stitch using 2 strands of DMC 221
12. His face is backstitched and a French knot eye with one strand of DMC 3371
13. For his hat (ok, so it's a bit out of proportion), I took the smallest sequins I could find, and cut it down to a hexagon shape by cutting off the rounded parts of the sequins and using just the middle. It's held in place with 3 detached chain, and the brim is a single chain using 2 strands of DMC 318
14. The wheat at the side of the tracks is backstitch and detached chain using 2 strands of DMC 676.

It was quite a challenge to use so many stitches in this small space. My favorite parts are the 3-toned wheels and the fuzzy smoke. When I started this bookmark, I intended to give it to a charity. I may yet, but I'll have to think on that for a few days. This little bookmark took a lot of time and energy!