Variations on a Rhodes Theme - Stitch on 24 ct or 18 ct canvas
Variations on a Rhodes Theme is one of Freda's very early and most popular designs! I can see why. It has a lovely palette of colours and lots of fun stitches. It is a great design for intermediate stitchers and also for those who want to take their skills with counted canvas to the next level (there's a lot of precise counting required for this design - LOL).
Originally stitched on 24 count congress cloth, we have been asked if there was a conversion to 18 count. A conversion to 18 count canvas was included in the pattern, but it was a different colourway.
The pattern is now updated. We have converted the pattern to 18 count using the ORIGINAL colourway ! For those who have already purchased the pattern, we have included the thread chart and some additional instructions for 18 count mono canvas in this blog post.
This is the sample stitched on 24 count congress cloth
This is our new sample stitched on 18 count mono canvas.
To keep things interesting, we replaced the contrast thread with a gorgeous metallic thread - Au Ver A Soie Metallise – 042. You can stitch the design either way - it's up to you! Learn more about Au Ver A Soie Metallise below!
A note about hand dyed threads and colour choices
Check the colours of your skeins Caron Watercolours 150 – Flagstone. You may want to consider changing the DMC threads for the contrasting colour. I found that DMC 316 (and also the Au ver a Soie Metallise 042) fit better with the dye lot of the Caron Watercolours Flagstone that I purchased.
The colours in hand dyed threads are not always consistent. Dye lots change, sometimes dramatically. Always choose your hand dyed thread first, then lay out the other threads with it to make sure that everything works together.
This design would also be lovely stitched on grey canvas (with the same contrast colour OR maybe a lovely gun metal metallic). The possibilities are endless!
Make the piece yours!
Thread list for 24 count congress cloth
Thread list for 18 count mono canvas
Stitch differences from 24 count to 18 count
Some of the stitches are more "open" on the mono canvas. For example, the triangle stitches above are both stitched with the same colour perle #5 thread. Also notice the difference in the Watercolours 150 Flagstone thread. The thread in the original sample has a lot less pink!
If you prefer a more solid look on the mono canvas, you could either use 2 strands of floss (make sure you use a laying tool so that the threads lay flat), you could stitch into every hole (don't skip) OR you could use a perle #3 thread (note - I have not confirmed if the DMC threads used in this design are available in perle#3). Any of these 3 options would change the look of this stitch. I really liked the open look!
Additional instructions for stitching on 18 count mono canvas
Au Ver a Soie Metallise
Au Ver a Soie Metallise is a soft metallic thread. The company Au Ver a Soie is located in France and offers a range of many different types and weights of silk threads. Their metallic threads are lovely to stitch with and offer great colour options that are different than Kreinik/Rainbow Gallery. Adding this line adds a whole new range of colours that you can choose from!
There are many shops in Canada and the USA that sell their threads. Check with your local LNS to learn more about their products.