Double running....

One of the counted forms of embroidery I enjoy doing -- and one which is particularly handy for idle moments -- is double running.  Sometimes, double running falls within 'blackwork' and it was in a class on blackwork that I first learned the stitch.  There are items that are, or can be, done in double running that do not fall within "blackwork," however.  (Blackwork, of course, can also be completly different than this geometric counted form ... but that's a post for another day, maybe. 

Generally made up of two passes -- one the "outward journey" and one the "return journey."  It is useful for items of which the back will be seen, such as handkerchiefs, cuffs, basket covers and such items.  The same designs can be done with other stitches when the back is not to be seen, or if reversibility is not sought.  I am drawn to the "puzzle" aspect of doing double running -- and both of the pieces pictured below brought me great joy in the working simply because of that.  

Both of these pieces were done on linen grounds -- the red on a slightly more open weave than the black.  The designs came from New Little Pattern Book by Peter Quentel, a facsimile of an 1882 printing of a book from the 1527-1529 edition, and I worked out the corners.

Both pieces are hemmed with simple hems.  I am now working a drawn thread hemstitch piece which may or may not eventually have a similar border worked. 

The first is a red work handkerchief, worked on 32 count even weave linen (sold in needlework stores) with one strand of red Splendor. 

This piece is not one line all around.  The outer squares with the acorns on top and bottom were worked all around, then the inside of each square. 

The second piece was an exercise is "not dithering."  When I start a project, I usually go through a long (weeks usually) period of looking at source material, thinking and dithering about design, colors, fabrics, threads -- ever element.  One day I had a series of medical appointments (all routine -- at the time I worked in town and I would schedule them all for the same day so as to only use one day of time off for all of them) with down time in between.  I grabbed a piece of fabric, black thread and needles, one book of designs, graph paper and pencil and set myself the goal of having thread on the fabric by the end of the day.  I managed it nicely, and started working on this piece with birds and flowers. It then became my "tucked in the bag for something to do whenever" project for some time. I first talked about this piece, and the "travel project" in this post. 

Except for those corner crosses, this piece *is* one line all the way around.

They may be birds, but these two remind me of my cats

... half the time facing each other and friendly....

.... and half the time back to back and ignoring each other. 

While also a commercial even weave, this fabric had more "slubs" which occasionally made counting a little more interesting. One of the nice things about double running is that you really only have to count on the "outbound" journey -- the return journey is just filling in.  When doing a piece that goes all the way around, it is always a great relief when the last stitch on the outbound journey matches up with the first stitch!