Do a Color Study in Cross Stitch, Sudoku Style

I realize that headline doesn’t really tell you anything about what is happening in this project, but it’s really cool so I hope you’ll bear with me through some explanation.

Whether you want to design cross stitch patterns or just have the freedom to pick colors out of your stash to substitute for those used in a pattern, understanding a bit of how colors work together can be super helpful.

This project from Koekoek has you choose a picture you like and pull out different colors in the design to stitch into a project. Instead of trying to re-create the photograph you’re just using colors from the photograph to make a Sudoku like color study.

If you’ve ever play Sudoku, you know that it’s a numbers game played on a grid of squares. There are 3 sets of squares across and 3 up and down, and each of those squares also has sets of 3 squares across and up and down, for a total of 81 squares. In the game you’re trying to fill the squares with numbers, ensuring that for each number in a given square, the same number doesn’t appear in the same column or row across the board, but it also doesn’t appear elsewhere in the block of 9 squares it is in.

This project starts with 9 colors that come from your photo (or you could do it with any colors you like) and a real Sudoku game board to help you distribute your color blocks throughout the puzzle.

When you’re done you’ll have a reminder of a picture you love that doesn’t really look anything like the picture but carries the same feelings because you’re using the same colors.

It will also teach you about how colors work together as you see how the same color looks different placed next to other colors in your grid.

For the full tutorial on this one, head to the Koekoek blog. If you try this one I’d love to hear how it goes!

[Photo: Koekoek]

The cross stitcher behind the blog Sirious Stitches is quite into biscornu.

If you’re not, a quick primer: biscornu are three-dimensional cross-stitched objects with eight points, often with an indention in the middle that makes them look a bit like doughnuts without the hole. They can be just about any size and subject you can think of. They’re often used as pincushions but can also be seasonal decor or just decoration for any time of year.

I’ve got a collection of biscornu cross stitch patterns here.

Once you’ve stitched one or several (they are a little addicting) you might wonder what you can add to them to make them even more extra.

It very much depends on the design of your biscornu and the look you are going for, but Sirious Stitches has a great post all about some of the options you might consider.

I don’t want to give you the whole list because you need to go visit and see all of their great biscornu they’ve stitched, but one really easy thing that you can do with a lot of designs is take advantage of that center indent by adding a button, beads, silk flower or another embellishment.

This is great to do just with a basic button from your stash that coordinates with the design and colors of the cross stitching, but it’s extra fun if you have a button that’s on theme, such as a leaf for a fall biscornu or a flower shaped button for a floral design. Add a jingle bell to a Christmas pattern, or a charm if you don’t have a button that coordinates.

Just this one idea is sure to get you thinking about ways to embellish biscornu (not to mention other cross stitch projects) but head over to Sirious Stitches to see all of their ideas for embellishing biscornu to make these already fun projects even more fun.

Have you ever made biscornu? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Sirious Stitches]

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