a step-by-step stitch dictionary

YVETTE STANTON

the left-handedembroiderer’s

companion

a step-by-step stitch dictionary

the left-handedembroiderer’s

companion

copyrighted material

contentsHand embroidery needles .............6Starting a thread ...........................7Finishing a thread .........................7Antwerp edging stitch...................8Armenian edging stitch.................9Back stitch ..................................10Basque stitch...............................15Braid edging stitch......................16Breton stitch ...............................17Bonnet stitch ..............................18Bullion knot ...............................18Buttonhole stitch ........................21Cable stitch.................................34Cable chain stitch .......................35Cable plait stitch.........................38Cast on stitch..............................39Ceylon stitch...............................41Chain stitch ................................43Chevron stitch ............................59Chinese knot ..............................62Colonial knot..............................63Coral knot stitch.........................64Couching....................................66Cretan stitch ...............................70Cross stitch .................................72Diamond stitch...........................79Diamond upright stitch ..............80Drizzle stitch...............................81Eyelets.........................................82Feather stitch ..............................85Florentine stitch..........................90Fly stitch.....................................91Four-sided stitch .........................93French knot ................................94Glove stitch.................................95Gobelin stitch .............................96Hedebo stitch .............................97Hem stitch..................................98Herringbone stitch....................100

Hollie stitch ..............................105Jessica stitch ..............................106Long and short stitch................107Loop stitch................................109Montenegrin stitch ...................110Mountmellick stitch..................112Mountmellick thorn stitch........113Needlewoven bars .....................114Norwich stitch ..........................115Nun stitch ................................116Palestrina stitch.........................117Parma stitch ..............................119Pearl stitch ................................120Pin stitch ..................................121Plaited braid stitch....................122Queen stitch .............................124Raised fishbone stitch ...............125Rhodes stitch ............................126Rope stitch................................128Rosette stitch ............................128Running stitch ..........................129Satin stitch................................132Scottish stitch ...........................137Scroll stitch...............................138Seed stitch.................................139Sheaf filling stitch .....................140Shisha stitch..............................141Smockers’ knot .........................142Split stitch.................................143Spider web stitch ......................144Stem stitch................................146Tent stitch.................................150Thorn stitch..............................151Trellis stitch ..............................152Turkey work..............................155Vandyke stitch ..........................156Wheat ear stitch........................157Woven picot .............................158Index ........................................159

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1 Use one guide line. Bring thethread out on the line. From the left,insert the needle at the same pointand bring it out again further alongthe line. Loop the thread under-neath the needle point.

2 Pull the needle through. From theleft, insert the needle into the firstchain, on the line where the threademerges. Bring the needle point backout again further along the line andtake the thread under it.

3 Repeat to build up a line of chainstitches. To finish, anchor the finalchain by taking a short stitch over itsend.

For right-handers, the method isflipped, and worked right to left.

chain stitch

starting a new thread

1 To finish a thread, take a shortstitch over the last chain. Fasten thethread at the back of the stitching.

2 Fasten the new thread. Bring theneedle out in the last chain. Con-tinue stitching.

turning a sharp corner

1 To turn a sharp corner without abreak in the stitching, work up tothe corner and take a short stitchover the end to finish off. Bring theneedle out in the last chain.

2 Insert the needle in the chain, andbring the needle out again, a stitchlength along. Loop the thread underthe needle point.

3 Pull the needle through, and con-tinue stitching.

Chain stitch is usually a linear stitch, but can also be used as a

filling or for padding under other stitches. There are many

variations of chain stitch. Also known as tambour stitch and

point de chainette.

right-handed

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1 Use one guide. Bring the threadout on the line. Insert the needle justbelow where the thread emerges.Bring it out on the line a little fur-ther along to the right. Take thethread down across the needle andthen up behind the needle point.

2 Pull the needle through to gentlytighten the twisted chain.

3 Using the same needle angle andstitch length as before, insert theneedle outside the previous chain,just below where the thread emerges.Bring the needle out on the line.Take the thread down across the nee-dle and up behind the needle point.

A simple chain variation, which can be used in a line or singly.

4 Continue in the same manner. Tofinish, take a short stitch over the lastchain.

Right-handers work this stitch fromright to left.

Twisted chains can also be workedsingly, and scattered in a pattern orrandomly, to create a powdered filling.

1 Bring the thread out on the line.Insert the needle just below wherethe thread emerges. Bring it out onthe line a little further along to theright. Take the thread down acrossthe needle and then up behind theneedle point.

2 Pull the needle through to gentlytighten the twisted chain.

3 Using the same stitch length asbefore, insert the needle outside theprevious chain, above where thethread emerges. Bring the needle outon the line. Take the thread upacross the needle then down behindthe needle point.

4 Pull the needle through. Insertthe needle just below where thethread emerges. Bring it out on theline. Take the thread down across theneedle and up behind the needlepoint.

5 Continue in the same manner,alternating from side to side for eachsubsequent stitch. To finish, take ashort stitch over the last chain.

Right-handers work this stitch fromright to left.

alternating twisted chain stitch

right-handed

right-handed

twisted chain stitch

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78

1 Bring the thread out. Insert theneedle four threads right and below,bringing it out four threads above.

2 Pull the needle through. Insert itfour threads left and down. Bring itin the middle of the bottom side.

3 Pull the needle through. Insert itin the middle of the left, bringing itout in the middle of the right side.

rice stitch Also known as crossed corners stitch, crossed corners cross

stitch and William and Mary stitch. Use a tapestry needle.

4 Pull the needle through. Insert itin the bottom middle. Bring it outin the middle of the top side.

5 Pull the needle through. Take theneedle to the back in the middle ofthe right side.

6 Pull the needle through. Bring itout in the middle left. Take thethread to the back in the middle top.

7 The completed rice stitch. Right-handers work this stitch inmirror image.

When worked turned 45 degrees, itis called diagonal rice stitch.

1 Bring the thread out. Insert theneedle four threads right and below,bringing it out four threads above.

2 Moving right, continue workinghalf crosses to fill the required space.

3 Work back to complete thecrosses. Bring the needle out in thebottom middle.

4 In the same way as above, cross thefirst cross’s corners. Bring the needleout centre bottom of the next cross.

5 Continue in the same way tocross the corners of the entire row.

The two layers can be worked indifferent colours and thicknesses ofthread.

right-handed

as a filling stitchcopyrighted material

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1 Bring the needle out. Insert it onethread down and left. Bring it outagain two threads right and one up.

2 Pull the needle through. Insert ittwo threads down and left. Bring itout three threads right and two up.

scottish stitchScottish stitch has squares of diagonal stitches, consisting of five

stitches over three by three fabric threads. Use a tapestry needle.

3 Pull the needle through. Insert itthree threads down and left. Bring itout three threads right and two up.

4 Pull the needle through. Insert ittwo threads down and left. Bring itout two threads right and one up.

5 Pull the needle through. Insert itone thread down and left. Bring itout two threads right and three up.

6 Pull the needle through. Insert itone thread down and left. Bring itout again two threads right and oneup.

7 Continue in the same way tobuild up a line of stitching. To startthe next row, insert the needle to fin-ish the last stitch of the row andbring it out three threads down.

8 Turn the work 180 degrees. Pullthe needle through. Insert it onethread down and left. Bring it outagain two thread right and one up.

9 Continue in the same way tobuild up a line of stitching. To startthe next row, insert the needle to fin-ish the last stitch of the row andbring it out three threads down.

10 Turn the work 180 degrees. Pullthe needle through. Insert it onethread down and left. Bring it outagain two thread right and one up.

11 Continue in the same way tocomplete the row of stitches.

Right-handers work this stitchrotated 180 degrees.

right-handed

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Algerian eyelet stitch 84alternating chain stitch 53alternating twisted chain

stitch 44antique hem stitch 99antique stitch 69Antwerp edging stitch 8appliqué 121Armenian edging stitch 9arrowhead stitch 76Assisi embroidery 131back stitch 7, 10–14,

134, 139, 143double 11interlaced 13isolated 139split 7, 134, 143threaded 12whipped 12zigzagging 10

back stitched spider’s web144

bargello stitch 90bargello work 90basketweave tent stitch

150Basque stitch 15basting 129Berlin stitch 72between needle 6blanket stitch 22

knotted 8Bokhara couching 68bonnet stitch 18braid edging stitch 16braid stitch 38

plaited 122–123Brazilian embroidery

39, 40, 81Breton stitch 17briar stitch 85brick stitch 107broad chain stitch 54bull’s head stitch 91bullion knot 18–20bullion loop 20bullion stitch 18–20Burden stitch 67, 130

couched 67running 130

buttonhole bars 32buttonhole eyelet 25buttonhole filling with

return 30buttonhole picot 33buttonhole stitch 21–33

closed 22crossed 23knotted 24slanted 87spaced 22–23tailor’s 27up and down 28whipped 26

buttonhole wheel 25

cable chain stitch 35–37stepped 36zigzagging 37

cable plait stitch 38overcast 38

cable stitch 34double 34

candlewick embroidery 63canvas stitch 150cast on stitch 39–40

double 40catch stitch 100caterpillar stitch 18centipede stitch 109Ceylon stitch 41–42chain stitch 35–37,

43–58, 89broad 54cable 35–37chequered 53crested 58detached 46–47double 50feathered 57heavy 54–55Hungarian braided 55interlaced 49knotted 52magic 53open 50Roman 50rosette 51square 50stepped cable 36tail 46threaded 48twisted 44twisted zigzag 89vandyke 45whipped 48zigzagging 45zigzagging cable 37

chain stitch padding 135chained cross stitch 73chained feather stitch 57chenille needle 6chequered chain stitch 53chevron stitch 59–61

closed 59half 60pagoda 60raised 61

chiara stitch 131Chinese knot 62closed buttonhole stitch

22closed chevron stitch 59closed feather stitch 88closed herringbone stitch

100coil stitch 18colonial knot 63continental stitch 150coral knot stitch 64–65

zigzagging 65

coral stitch 64, 88double 86single 85Spanish 58tied 117

cordonnet stitch 129couched Burden stitch

67couched trellis 66couching 66–69

Bokhara 68Roumanian 69

counted eyelets 83crested chain stitch 58Cretan catch stitch 70Cretan stitch 70–71, 87,

101catch 70knotted 71laced 101slanting 87

crewel needle 6crewel stitch 146cross stitch 72–78

chained 73crossed corners 78Danish 72double 73English 72half 72Italian 76–77Italian two-sided

76–77long-armed 75long-legged 75Montenegrin 110–111plaited 74Russian 100Smyrna 73woven 74

crossed buttonhole stitch23

crossed corners crossstitch 78

crossed corners stitch 78cushion stitch 90, 150cut eyelets 82–83daisy stitch 46damask stitch 132Danish cross stitch 72darner needle 6Deerfield embroidery

69, 101Deerfield herringbone

stitch 101detached chain stitch

46–47diagonal Montenegrin

stitch 111diagonal rice stitch 78diagonal tent stitch 150diamond stitch 79diamond upright stitch

80double back stitch 11

double cable stitch 34double cast on stitch 40double chain stitch 50double coral stitch 86double cross stitch 73double feather stitch 86double herringbone stitch

method one 102method two 103

double knot stitch 117double Pekinese stitch

14double running stitch

131double seed stitch 139drizzle stitch 81edging

Antwerp 8Armenian 9braid 16

embroidery needle 6embroidery stitch 107encroaching Gobelin

stitch 96encroaching slanted

Gobelin stitch 96English cross stitch 72eyelets 25, 82–84

Algerian 84buttonhole 25counted 83cut 82–83

faggot filling stitch 140fancy buttonhole filling

31feather stitch 57, 85–89

chained 57closed 88double 86long-armed 87single 87Spanish knotted 89upright 88

feather work 107feathered chain stitch

57figure of eight 38

knot 63figure stitch 69fishbone stitch 125flame stitch 90Florentine stitch 90Florentine work 90fly stitch 91–92four-sided openwork

stitch 93four-sided stitch 93French dots 94French glove stitch 95French knot 94Ghiordes knot 155glove stitch 95Gobelin stitch 96gros point 72grub knot 18

half chevron stitch 60half cross stitch 72half Rhodes stitch 127Hardanger embroidery

83, 114, 136heavy chain stitch 54–55hedebo embroidery 97hedebo stitch 97hem stitch 98–99

antique 99herringbone ladder filling

stitch 101herringbone stitch

100–104, 125closed 100Deerfield 101double 102, 103interlaced 104overlapping 125threaded 100tied 101

Holbein stitch 131hollie point lace 105hollie stitch 105holy point 105holy stitch 105Hungarian braided chain

stitch 55Hungary stitch 90Indian embroidery 141Indian filling stitch 69inside-out lazy daisy 47interlaced back stitch 13interlaced band 101interlaced chain stitch

49interlaced herringbone

stitch 104interlocking Gobelin

stitch 96Irish stitch 107irregular long and short

stitch 108isolated back stitch 139Italian cross stitch 76–77Italian knot stitch 94Italian knotted border

stitch 92Italian two-sided cross

stitch 76–77Janina stitch 69Jessica stitch 106Kensington outline stitch

143kloster blocks 136knot stitch 8, 18

coral 64–65double 117Italian 94long tack 94old English 117Palestrina 117reverse Palestrina 118twisted 94

knotted blanket stitch 8

index

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knotted buttonhole stitch24

knotted chain stitch 52knotted Cretan stitch 71knotted loop stitch 108knotted pearl stitch 118knotted stitch 94laced Cretan stitch 101ladder stitch 42laid oriental stitch 69lazy daisy 47lazy daisy stitch 46–47leaf stitch 107leviathan stitch 73line stitch 131long and short stitch

107irregular 108

long tack knot stitch 94long-armed cross stitch

75long-armed feather stitch

87long-armed Palestrina

stitch 117long-legged cross stitch

75long-tailed French knot

94loop stitch 46, 91, 109

knotted 109open 91tied 46

Madeira embroidery 121magic chain stitch 53many-petalled lazy daisy

47Montenegrin cross stitch

110–111Montenegrin stitch

110–111Mossoul stitch 100Mountmellick

embroidery112–113

Mountmellick stitch 112Mountmellick thorn

stitch 113needle painting 108needles 6

back end of 6needlepoint stitch 150needleweaving bars 114needlewoven bars 114New England laid stitch

69Norwich stitch 115nun stitch 116oblique Gobelin stitch 96old English knot stitch

117open buttonhole filling

stitch 29open chain stitch 50open loop stitch 91opus plumarium 107oriental stitch 69outline stitch 147

overcast cable plait stitch38

overlapping herringbonestitch 125

overwrapped bullions 19oyster stitch 51padded satin stitch

134–135padding 134–135

chain stitch 135running stitch 134satin stitch 135split stitch 134

pagoda chevron stitch 60Pakistani embroidery

141Palestrina knot stitch

117Palestrina stitch

117–118long-armed 117reverse 118

Parma stitch 119pearl stitch 120

knotted 118Pekin knot 62Pekinese stitch 13

double 14Persian stitch 100petit point 150picot stitch 46picot

buttonhole 33Venetian 33woven 158

pin stitch 121pistil stitch 94plaited braid stitch

122–123plaited cross stitch 74plaited Slav stitch 75plaited stitch 100plumage stitch 107point de chainette 43point de marque 72point de sable 10Porto Rico rose 18Portuguese knotted stem

stitch 148Portuguese stem stitch

148Portuguese stitch 75post stitch 18powdered filling 44queen stitch 124quilting needle 6railway stitch 73raised chain band 56raised chevron stitch 61raised fishbone stitch

125raised stem stitch band

149reverse chain stitch 54reverse Palestrina knot

stitch 118Rhodes stitch 126–127

half Rhodes stitch 127

ribbed spider’s web 144ribbed wheel 144rice stitch 78Rococo stitch 124roll stitch 18Roman chain stitch 50Roman stitch 69rope stitch 128rosette chain stitch 51rosette stitch 128Roumanian couching 69running stitch 129–131

double 131threaded 129whipped 129

running stitch padding134

Russian cross stitch 100Russian stitch 100‘s’ twist 19sampler stitch 72satin stitch 132–136

padded 134–135satin stitch padding

134–135Schwalm embroidery 64Scottish stitch 137scroll stitch 138seed filling stitch 139seed stitch 139

double 139seeding stitch 139shading stitch 107shadow work 11sharp needle 6sheaf filling stitch 140shisha stitch 141silk shading 108single coral stitch 85single feather stitch 87single knotted line stitch

138slanted buttonhole stitch

87slanted Gobelin stitch 96slanting Cretan stitch 87smockers’ knot 142Smyrna cross stitch 73Smyrna stitch 117Sofia stitch 74–75Sorbello stitch 118South Kensington stitch

146spaced buttonhole stitch

22–23Spanish blackwork 131Spanish coral stitch 58Spanish knotted feather

stitch 89speckling stitch 139spider web stitch

whipped 144woven 145

spiral trellis stitch 154split back stitch 7, 134,

143split stitch 143

padding 134

square chain stitch 50square stitch 93, 131stalk stitch 146starting a new thread

7, 35, 38, 43, 85stem stitch 146–149

Portuguese knotted148

Portuguese 148whipped 148

stepped cable chain stitch36

stitching 10straw needle 6stroke stitch 131tail chain stitch 46tailor’s buttonhole stitch

27tambour stitch 43tapestry needle 6tapestry shading stitch

107tent stitch 150tête de bœuf stitch 91thorn stitch 151

Mountmellick 113thread painting 108thread

‘s’ twist 19‘z’ twist 19finishing 7starting 7, 35, 38, 43,

85threaded back stitch 12threaded chain stitch 48threaded herringbone

stitch 100threaded running stitch

129tied coral stitch 117tied herringbone stitch

101tied loop stitch 46tied stitch 91trellis filling stitch 152trellis stitch 152

couched 66Turkey work 155Turkmen stitch 50turning a corner 21, 34,

43, 110, 116, 146twist stitch 75twisted chain stitch 44twisted knot stitch 94twisted zigzag chain

stitch 89two-sided Italian stitch

76–77two-sided line stitch 131two-sided Montenegrin

stitch 110two-sided stroke stitch

131up and down buttonhole

stitch 28, 31upright feather stitch

88vandyke chain stitch 45

vandyke stitch 156Venetian picot 33waffle stitch 115wheat ear stitch 157whipped back stitch 12whipped buttonhole

stitch 26whipped chain stitch 48whipped running stitch

129whipped spider web

stitch 144whipped stem stitch 148William and Mary stitch

78witch stitch 100wool darner needle 6worm stitch 18woven cross stitch 74woven picot 158woven spider web stitch

145woven spoke stitch 145woven spot 145woven wheel 145‘y’ stitch 91yarn darner needle 6‘z’ twist 19zigzagging back stitch 10zigzagging cable chain

stitch 37zigzagging chain stitch

45zigzagging coral knot

stitch 65

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embroidery stitch instructions just for left-handers!

Are you frustrated by right-handed embroidery instructions and hav-ing to mentally flip them, use a mirror, or substitute right for left andvice versa? This book is just for you. It will show you how to workover 170 different embroidery stitches, easily and comfortably as aleft-hander.

You will discover:

• how easy it is to learn and master new stitches, when the instruc-tions are written specifically for left-handers

• how to work surface stitches, needlepoint and counted threadstitches, in a step-by-step format

• how the stitches and their variations should look

• how different stitches can be used creatively in your embroiderywith colour, texture and different types of thread

For your very own left-handed embroidery teacher, take The Left-Handed Embroiderer’s Companion home with you today!

Yvette Stanton is a left-handed embroiderer and always hasbeen! She therefore understands the frustration that left-handersfeel with stitch instructions all being the wrong way around.

“When teaching embroidery, I noticed how thrilled my left-handed students were to have a left-handed teacher. I’ve pack-aged myself up in a book so that all left-handed stitchers canhave their own left-handed teacher.”

Yvette is the author of several books on embroidery: “Ukrainian Drawn Thread Embroidery: Merezhka Poltavska”,“Elegant Hardanger Embroidery” and with Prue Scott,“Mountmellick Embroidery: Inspired by Nature”.

www.vettycreations.com.au

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