Little Stars

This year’s Advent design contains many different and variously worked little stars. In this article I present a variety of little stars and suggest some ways to work them. Of course, there is plenty of room for your own creativity.

Please note that these photos were taken during the stitching process. The true charm of the little stars is obstructed by the blue outlines. In addition, the images have been greatly enlarged thus showing every slight unevenness of the stitches.

The little rays star is worked with Coral Knot stitches (coton à broder No. 16). It is best to not always start in the center but rather to work continuous rows from one end of a ray to the end of the opposite ray (sliding the working thread through previously worked stitches in the center).

It is also possible to work these little ray stars using other stitches. For example, Slanting Wide Stem stitches (Early Schwalm Whitework) are suitable. Also Chain stitches could be considered, but then one would want to start all rows in the center.

The four-pointed star can be worked with Back stitches (coton à broder No. 16) with three stitches each sides

However, I think it better to work it with Stem stitches or Wide Stem stitches.

In this example, it is appropriate to always begin at the bottom and work up to the point. From the point, the working thread can be taken in one step to the bottom (it will be secured with the stitches being worked back from the point).

The four-pointed star with rays can be worked similarly – always alternating stitching a point and a ray.

The space in the center can remain unworked,

or it can be filled in different ways. Here Lazy Daisy stitches with extra long couching stitches are inserted.

This example has a Blanket stitch eyelet.

And this example has a simple ring made with wrapped Back stitches. Both eyelet and ring should be worked before stitching the star outline.

One more possibility is work the rays as a continuous line; here they are worked with Coral Knot stitches.

It is possible to work the six-pointed star in different ways.

It can be outlined using Satin stitches (coton à broder No. 20),

Blanket stitches (coton à broder No. 25),

or Straight stitches (coton à broder No. 16) and variously filled.

The somewhat larger star is outlined with Slanting Wide Stem stitches (coton à broder No. 16). The shape is large enough to be filled with a pattern.

To easily embroider the points, a narrow pattern was used with a grid established by cutting 1, leaving 2.

The star was filled with Single Faggot stitches (Openwork Pattern Samplers).

As seen in this small range of the little stars, the nativity design provides a lot of room for your own creativity, and that’s fun!

Leave a Reply