If you take one look at the stitches/designs below and your reaction is: "Oh yeah sure, I know how he did that...", then hit the back button on your browser and have fun elsewhere on my site, but.... if you a furrow appears between your brows, and smoke/steam/detritus from burning matter starts pouring outta ya ears.... scroll down....:-)

Mystery #1

Mystery #2

And the mystery revealed is......

Pivotal Stitches - by Correy Nel ©

The use of pivotal stitches are mostly limited to decorations and reinforcement work.

Pivotal stitches derives their name from the fact that the work is pivoted (turned) through a number of degrees (90) to form a square or rectangle, with or without sharp corners (depending on the stitch used). Turning through less than 90 is not common, but can be accomplished with the aid of compass or marks on the material.

The stitch (above) and two pivotal applications of it on the right. Note that use of left/right mirror can have marked effect on the final outcome.

The stitch (above) does NOT start in the corners!

Pivotal stitches is also a way of accomplishing complex designs without a complete design process( Redwork, assissi and cross-stitch designs), because you only have to design one quarter or an eight of the design, pivoting will give the full circle/square of the design!

The stitch (left) and its 90pivotal application on the right!

A number of the stitches on your 1630 can be readily used for pivotal stitches. You can also design your own with the stitch designer.

Yet another pivotal application for redwork. Note how this application shows that line integrity has not been maintained on the top horisontal bar and thus the design did not "close up" on the bottom right hand corner!

Hints:

• Make sure your 90 turn/pivot is not 88 or 93. Use a compass or right angle or marks on the material if uncertain. Avalon can also be used.
• Prefer designs that can "grow" outwards, rather than inwards (unless overstitching is the required/desired effect).
• Stabilize and starch! It also helps to stabilize and starch, and a hint I got from a colleague says that you should stabilize and starch a lot!
• Take it slow on the speed!
• Do a sample/test first (it saves on unpicking time!)
• Use an embroidery needle.
• On own designs - be proud of your design.... use triple stitches, it shows up better!
• Start with straight stitches first - go to satin stitches later when you are more confident of the technique.
• Remember to use the needle stop down feature as well as the pattern repeat x 1. Without BOTH of these you WILL be lost in an endless world of counting and unpicking!

Masterclass candidates...;-)))

• Don't restrict yourself to pivoting on completion of a stitch only. Use the half pattern stop to pivot halfway through a design - that's how mystery stitch #1 at the top was done! It's E1/2, with pattern extension on 2.
• Don't restrict yourself to turning 4x in the same direction (be it clock or counterclock - common - be brave - fluff those tresses of "blond" hair and turn clock, counter, etc until you obtain a design that you find pleasing or to your liking. Oh go on.... dig into that big bag with the offcut scraps and use some of that cheap thread you got bamboozled into buying by that smooth talkin no-good assistant at the new shop (I promise I won't tell). The point is to try and try again.
• Analyse the existing stitches on all the menus, some will change with a left/right mirror and others only with a top/bottom mirror, so! Go on, try these especially on the half pattern pivots - sometimes the results are beautiful, and other times.... well if anyone asks you can always explain that you were giving the 1630 its monthly basting stitch exercise! VBG! (Just don't try that line on me - ask me how I know!).
• Combine different stitches - try a sequence, then program it into memory and THEN start pivoting... now you're smokin'!!!!
• When doing rectangles... hmmm... try 2x stitch down both short sides and 4x stitch (for example down the long side)... or start being adventurous and do 2x stitch down both short sides and 2x stitch (on pattern extension 2) down the long sides ... oh go on.... it's fun....

Decorative applications:

• Buttonholes: On the button stand (you have to reinforce with facing in anyway, so it's stabilised already, begging to be embroidered. First to a "medallion" eg. D1/8 by pivoting 4 x times clock or counter clock. Now do your buttonhole in the middle of the medallion and repeat down the entire buttonstand.
• Collars: Sew a medallion on the collartips.
• Pockets (Sew on type): Stabilise, embroider, line and sew on!
• Tablecloths & napkins: Use medallions in the corners of the tablecloth (with extension x2 or x3 etc, and do without extensions on napkins.
• Scarves: In the corners or all over in different colours...oops... colors (for the yanks!)... Yip, take pale white or other pastel colour/color, and use 4 or 5 combinations of coloured embroidery thread to add some pizzazz to the scarve.
• What? You want more, and all the while you're sitting there reading this like an eager beaver and haven't even threaded your machine yet!... Go try and sew some of the above first....