Here's today's work. I'm using my own book now, The Complete Stitch Encyclopedia. The top stitch is called the Italian Hemstitch. I had a little trouble figuring that one out. First of all, when I went to draw the threads out, I forgot I needed to leave a segment in the middle. So I left that segment under what I'd originally drawn out and then tried to leave the same space for the drawn out threads under. I think I might have been off 1 or 2 threads. It's really hard to count them! Then it took me ages to figure out the middle part. If it had shown me how to begin, I think it might have been easier. The look kind of reminded me of smocking when I was done.

So that is all the open work involving drawn threads. I'm sure there are more elaborate pieces in other references I have but I decided to go with the embroidery part for awhile. It looks so easy but it does take some concentration and a bit of skill. I thought I followed the same thread line with the couched cord but once I finished the one under it, I could see I moved down a thread (going from right to left) and I can clearly see it's slanted now, even though it's not a huge mistake. Most of the couching I've done in the past has been to lay cord for Romanian Point Lace or for Needlelace. It didn't have to be precise since the function is just to hold the cord in place until all the filling stitches are done. Trying to be more exact is a challenge, especially when you are watching old Magnum P.I. DVDs. Tom Selleck sure is a honey!

Okay - the last stitch I tried tonight is the Herringbone Stitch. I was almost 2/3rds through when I realized I'd moved up a thread in the line so I had to pull all that out to the beginning of the mistake and do it again. I still see a few discrepancies along the bottom but the top is nice and straight!

At lace guild today, a friend told me I could finish those raw edges on each side of the stitching like I have, in buttonhole stitch, or an overcast/satin stitch, OR the neatest finish is the pull every other thread, the cut the remaining threads in the middle of the piece and pull those from the middle to the edge, then using a needle, weave them in the empty space. That's assuming I pulled the first threads further than the original edge. Did that make sense? I guess even just stitching them away, whether threads are pulled or not, would look neater. I may try that later ......much later!