Rockpool Stitches

Do you remember the little sample I spoke about in my last post? I said that it was an example of a sample that got away with me. Well it kept getting away from me and I kept thinking about it, wanting to improve on it and just keep going as that yarn is seriously fun to use and you all know how much I love bullion knots!
I ended up starting another sample as I also wanted to include some kind of water in it this time, having hinted at water with those blue tube beads in the previous sample.

The tube yarn actually alternates between two colours along its length, with patches of a matte, cotton feel thread and patches of a shiny silky polyester type thread. Generally I prefer the cotton areas but if you're looking for a wet-look seaweed then the shiny section works just as well! I started by grouping loops of this down, couching it at the bottom to hold the loops, then stretching it out a bit more and playing with different shapes when I got to the matte section. The contrast of this is really lovely I think and you can't tell it's actually all from one length of the same yarn.

Gaps in the yarn were filled with more of my three-strand bullion knot barnacles, as well as clusters of single strand french knots. I have deliberately tried to make these bunny-eared french knots which you do by not fully forming the french knot on the surface before pulling the needle through. Usually you try and avoid bunny-eared knots but if you are wanting to re-create moss or trees leaves or something that benefits from being a tad shaggy, then these are brilliant! They work much better with thinner strands as well.

Once most of my shells and greenery was down, I started working on the waves.
I actually tried two different types of wave, the first being lots of overlapping curved lines in stem stitch which was too chunky and bold and got unpicked once I had tried the second type and fell in love with it.
These delicate watery lines have been made using a single strand of blue thread and working wavy rows of back stitch. On top of these rows I have used a single strand of white and worked blanket stitches at different lengths, going into each of the back stitch holes. Having started at the row nearest to the shells, the rows going further out towards the edge of the hoop overlapped and gave a sense that the water was coming in.
Little white horses were added with one or two twist french knots worked in any wave gaps (using two strands of thread).
I just absolutely love love love this technique!!

Any remaining gaps in the centre were then filled in with either my watery tube beads, or some fun sticky-up beads which add a lovely texture and were wedged in with iridescent orange beads that kind of look like wet pebbles. It's such a lovely piece to run your fingers over as the textures change so much throughout it and I can totally imagine this at the seaside!!

My original intention was to stick this in my sketchbook as well but once I had finished it I couldn't bear to just tuck it away. Especially as I'm really missing going to the sea and watching the waves or searching for seaglass along the sand. Instead, I decided to add it to the hoop wall that's developing in my bedroom (rather than redecorating) and pulled up the back ready to go.

It was a tricky one to pull up as it was only using a scrap of calico which would have been fine if I was taking it out to trim down. Luckily I had the smallest of strips on the two sides and could gather everything up but it's not very neat. No one will see the back when it's in situ though, sssshh!!