Twilling Directions and Patterns

Have you seen or heard about twilling?  I hadn't until about two years ago and I only learned it about a year ago from Pauline Quigley.  It is easy, pretty fun, and a little addicting if you are a stitcher.  It makes a cool textured stitch!!  And you can adapt it to many things.

These are my twilling patterns that I have at the quilt shops. 
See list of shops on right.  I'm also working on a few new runners and a BOM quilt with twilling.  

If you want any of my patterns contact the stores from list on the right.  I know the ladies at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop ship things because I order fabric and patterns from them , not positive about the others.  Specialty Quilts does not ship.  They're not all internet stores.  And I'm sorry I don't have them in PDF form yet.  If you want them and have trouble acquiring them, ask your local quilt store to get them from me or send me an email and we'll work something out.

Below are left handed and right handed directions on how to do twilling also called palestrina stitch.  You can print from the picture or you can click on link below each picture for a link to google docs for a PDF version of either hand or BOTH hands

Lefties click HERE

 If you would like directions for BOTH hands,  click HERE.

right handers click below

Right Handers click HERE

I like to use floss and pearl cotton #5, each for different looks.  If I want it bold I use one strand of pearl cotton or all 6 strands of floss (floss is little harder to work with because you have 6 strands but you also have waaaaay more colors to choose from).  If I want to mix it in my redwork or embroidery I usually use 3 strands.  I have used 2 strands of pearl cotton for a BIG chunky look and it's pretty cool, but uses a lot of thread quickly!!

I recently was asked what I use to transfer designs. There are many other ways to transfer designs, but this is my personal preference.  I trace the designs using any of the blue water soluble pens/markers directly on to fabric.  The various brands are all about the same.  Kelly Jackson at I have a Notion has them and ships internationally.  Jessica & Jeannette have them at Sew Sweet Quilt but not on their web store but in their brick & mortar store so call them at 1-660-548-3056 they ship too, not positive about international.   Some pens have finer points than others.  For twilling, a fine point is not a big deal.  For redwork, sometimes is nice to have a fine point.  If you do not have a light table, tape design in place on glass table top or window with a light or sun shining through the glass.  Center fabric on design, and tape or weight down to prevent shifting (the low tack painters tape is pretty good).  Trace the designs with the blue pens.  Work your stitching then RINSE WELL in cool water, blot excess water out, Do not wring out, it just puts in excess wrinkles, and let air dry, applying no heat.  I smooth them out on a clean bath towel or smooth and pin to the design wall to let dry.

The DOWNSIDES of using the blue pens...... HEAT or extended lengths of time will sometimes, not all times, cause them to "set" the design in the fabric permanently.   It usually does not leave the blue color just a gray shadow when rinsed.  It reacts in some fabrics more than others....... I have heard that some pink fabrics have this issue?  So far, I have not had this happen except for a the remaining part of a set of blocks that were well over a year old, maybe two, that road around in the car most of the time and were not embroidered yet.   I have even ironed fabrics that had been traced and not stitched yet...........Ironing IS NOT recommended....I did it before I found out about the heat issue/reaction with these pens.

SO, do not leave your embroidery bag in the hot car in the summer or next to the heater in your car in winter.  If you don't know how long it will take you to embroider your project, cut all your blocks so fabric is same but only trace a block or two at a time, stitch, rinse,  and air dry as you go.

Here are individual pictures of the covers.

Have a great day, let me know if you have any questions. 

Cyndi Hoeller, owner Bee Tree Designs.

FREEBIE-FAT CAT

I hope you tried some twilling by now, here's a simple FAT CAT for you to try. 

I would try twilling the main parts of the cat with three strands of regular floss, and use regular stitches for the face details with 2 strands, but is up to you. If you don't twill, stitch him however you please.  If you would like to learn to twill , click on the words see this post   Just something quick and fun, a great stitch to know.  Its a very cool, textured stitch, see my header.

Click here for a link to google docs for a printable copy.

Have fun!! cyndi

twilling patterns almost ready

More about them in a few days... still editing directions, covers and the " how to twill " inserts for patterns.   Yikes, all those things are time consuming!  I want to be stitching!!  but for now..................

Here are some better sneak peeks of my first few twilling toppers!! 

SUMMER SPIRIT

FALL PUMPKINS

SRPING FLING

WINTER WHIMSY

Now I cheated on this one.  It was my first sample going to a quilt shop and I was nervous about my twilling ability.   I chickened out and only did tidbits, the twigs and scarf stripes.  My second effort was the Fall Pumpkins, followed by Summer Sprirt, then Spring Fling.   I have sketches for several more of these TWILLING TOPPERS almost ready and am getting the FAT CAT pattern ready, but have to get these ready to sell  first, why is there not 120 hours or so in a weekend, if only, lol!. 

Keep warm and dry! It started snowing at 5:30 this morning and has continued ever since.  It's not accumulating too bad about 3-4" so far.  I was hoping it would snow enough they'd send us home from work.............nope :(.     Anyway, done with my lunch hour.  Keep on stitching!!  Talk to you soon,  Cyndi

A Twilling Breakthrough



It's been a really long time, well over a year, since I have picked up a needle and thread and actually completed something. I've been in a deep dark hole that threatened to swallow me and I have been struggling to climb out of it.  I tried starting several new fun things from other designers, but nothing really got me hooked again until this fall when I heard abour a lady named Pauline.  Ms Pauline was teaching Twilling, "what's twilling??" you say.   Look above and you'll see it........there's some of it in each of the above photos.  She had already stitched out a couple of my older patterns. She did one of my beginner redwork patterns below simply called the pumpkin, and she TWILLED most of it except for the tiny details.  Look below, isn't her stitching beau tiful, so clean and smooth.   I was fascinated!!  I love texture.....

She had asked the quilt shop owner if she thought I could come up with some patterns designed more for the twilling stitch. Well, I had never done twilling so we met each other in her twilling class.  "POOF" my creative fire was re-lit, crazy stitchy ideas started crashing around in my head and I started drawing again.  Then came the stitching.  I've designed several things for the twilling stitch, have done some more redwork designs, and am having trouble finding time to get it all on paper and fabric.  The designs, directions etc. all need to be in pattern form, ready to go to the quilt shop soon.  Below is what I've done in redwork.  There will be 12 cats of the month.  For you bloggers I think I'll have helpful "SEWING" FAT cats as blog freebies beginning soon, I hope........depends on time, it maybe March.  Sorry about the quality of the photos.

"FAT CATS" shown here are April, February and March, they are not quite ready to sell but will be soon.  I ran out of grey thread for the fuzzy cat on the bottom right, but decided to show it anyway. 

Now, here's how to do the twilling stitch ............ 

See if you can understand how to do it from these directions below.   There's a place to click below photo for a link to a printable copy.

If you want a printable copy click here 

UPDATE  if you would like a verson for lefties and righties go here

It will take you to google docs where you can print it out.  Please let me know if you can figure out how to do the stitch from these directions.  This is my first rough draft at the twilling directions.  I want to put it or similiar one in with my patterns.  Would love feed back about them.

I'll have more in the next few days on what I've been drawing with this twilling stitch in mind.............!?!?!?  I hope you approve.  It's a fun stitch, and gives my favorite type stitching (redwork) another form of texture. 

Below is the picture of the first thing I did away from the class, away from Pauline's guidance..........yikes! I chickened out when I started my own project in twilling, and only did bits and pieces of it in the twilling stitch (the arms, scarf stripes,) the rest is in my more comfortable redwork .....outline/stem stitch, mixed with  backstitch etc.  Once I got more comfortable with it, the other projects I designed were worked mostly as twilling.  You'll have to come back to see.....see you soon.   :) cyndi