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BAS - Week 73 - Raised Fishbone Leaves (and Tutorial)

It took me a little while to get this one ready - lots of photos in the tutorial.  This Build a Seam (BAS) Challenge is for Raised Fishbone Stitch leaves.  With a little practice you will get much better results than I did - this was my first attempt on these as well.  For some reason I have basically avoided fishbone stitch but no time like the present to learn!  I hope you enjoy this BAS Challenge!
Begin by marking your leaves on your fabric.  You will find it handy to have an outline to follow while stitching.  I used a mechanical pencil to lightly mark mine - hopefully not so lightly you can`t see them!
To begin, bring your needle up at the point of the leaf and take it down again about halfway down on the center vein.

Now come up again directly to the left of that, on the outside edge of the leaf.
Take your needle down again just barely to the right and down from the top leaf point.
And bring it up again just barely to the left and down of the point of the leaf.
Now you take your needle down on the outside edge of the leaf, right across from where you came up a couple steps ago.  Don`t worry - a pattern with soon emerge and you`ll be able to get into a rhythm.
Come up again now on the left hand side of the leaf, under the last stitch there.
Now it starts to repeat!  Up to the top, under and below the last place on the right hand top of the leaf you take your needle down...
... and come up to just below the last stitch on the left hand top of the leaf.
Continue on going down on the right hand side of the leaf below that center mark.
And come up again right across from it on the left hand side of the leaf, from where you will continue on following in the same pattern of stitches.
As you continue on, you can start to see the pattern of the leaf emerging.
Continue on to the bottom of the leaf until it is all filled in.  For better results than this you will want to make sure, as you are going along, that you keep that center vein lines up really well.
I added the rest of the leaves and some stem stitch seams and Voila! My motif is now complete, effectively covering a seam and two small patches with a bit of greenery.

Comments

Barb said…
Oh wow....thanks for the tutorial!
August 28, 2011 at 9:39 AM
Rose Anne B said…
Very very good tutorial Kerry! I'll have to give this a try one of these days! Thank you my dear!
August 28, 2011 at 10:19 AM
Bear said…
Terrific Tute Kerry - and you do it beautifully!!------

and

one day I will do this but not now ggggg yup just not now!
loves n hugs Bear xoxoxoxoxo
August 29, 2011 at 3:49 AM
Rose Anne B said…
Well I did give it a try after Kerry suggested a sewing motif to me and I thought this is the perfect stitch for that threader!!!
August 31, 2011 at 11:21 AM
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