SpiralTrellisStitchCopyright Tricia Wilson Nguyen for Thistle Threads, 2007

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Spiral TrellisThe spiral trellis is a detached stitch composed of knots formed

on previously worked stitches usually worked in a round shape. Asthe knots build up around and around, the raised ridges formed makea spiral pattern, hence the name.I recommend trying this stitch on your doodle cloth first.

Practice it a few times if necessary to get the right tension to yourstitches.The spiral trellis stitch will use one strand of the Soie Perlee. If at

all possible, you want to avoid changing threads while working thespiral trellis (unless it is part of a planned color change). Use at least24” of thread to be sure of having enough. To secure your workingthread, use an away waste knot about 1 1/2” from your starting point.This can be clipped off later and secured under the stitching on theback.Use the sharp #8 embroidery needle to backstitch around a circle

as shown in Figure 1 of the diagram. The width of the back stitchesshould be almost three fabric threads. After the circle is stitched,come up at Point A and change your needle to a blunt tapestry needle,such as a #26. When stitching the detached part of the stitch, alwaysuse a blunt needle so you don't split threads or pierce the fabric.The working of the detached part of the spiral trellis stitch is

shown in detail in Figure 2 of the diagram. You can either proceed

clockwise or counter-clockwise around the circle, which ever feelsmore comfortable. The diagram shows counter-clockwise and thepictures will show clockwise.After coming up at Point A, pass the needle under the next back-

stitch and form a loop under the needle's point. Pull the needlethrough. This will form a knot on the backstitch. Keep a mediumtension on your thread at all times to make the stitches even.Continue working around the circle in this manner until all the back-stitches of the circle have one knot on them (Figures 3 and 4). At thispoint start placing a knot on the bar between each of the previouslyworked stitches (Figures 4 and 5). You may have to ‘feel’ for the barbetween the knots with your needle as it will be hard to see. Continueto work around and around. As the circle becomes crowded, skip astitch periodically to decrease the number of knots in a round asshown in Figure 6 of the diagram. When the circle is filled, sink yourneedle in the middle of the circle, catching a bar from the oppositeside. End the thread on the back.ChangingThreadsIf you run out of thread or need to change your color, pull the

thread and needle through the fabric where a bar would need to bemade by the next stitch. Thread a new strand and use a waste knot tosecure away from the embroidery. Come up near that last knot youmade and continue working.

Stitching by TriciaWilsonNguyen, Thistle ThreadsGraphic Arts byHeatherM. Blackburn and

Tricia WilsonNguyen

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Spiral Trellis

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