Stitching know-how

ESSENTIAL GUIDE TOEMBROIDERY STITCHES

All the info you need to make our Scandi Stitches project from issue 16.

BACKSTITCHAs the name implies, your stitches will be worked backwards. To start, bring your needle from the underside of your fabric, through all the layers. Take the first stitch as you would with running stitch, running the needle back into the fabric. For additional stitches, bring your needle up an even distance away from your previous stitch. Then pass it back through the fabric at the same point as your previous stitch.

WHIPPED BACKSTITCHWork the backstitch, as described. For the whipping stitches, bring the needle up at the start of the line, then weave it through the backstitches. Always work from the bottom to the top to create the ‘whip’ around the stitches.

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These handy stitches are perfect for adding a final flourish!

SATIN STITCHBring your needle up at 1, down at 2 and back up at 3, ready for the next stitch. Keep the stitches close together, and under 2cm in length. Work until you have filled the desired area. For a more defined stitch area, outline in backstitch before filling with satin stitch.

BLANKET STITCHBring your needle up on the line. Take a stitch perpendicular to your line with the needle coming up next to where it started along the line. Take another perpendicular stitch a little way along the line, but catch the loop of thread under your needle before pulling tight. Keep working along your line, spacing your stitches evenly.

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A little handiwork makes a great on-the-go project.

BULLION KNOTSBring the needle up through the fabric and make a backstitch. Now bring the needle up again at your starting point, but don’t pull the needle all the way through. Wrap the thread around the tip of the needle as many times as required. Holding the twists firmly with your thumb, pull the needle up through both the fabric and the coil of thread. Pull back over the backstitch so that the coil lies flat on the fabric. Take the needle through to the back of the fabric.

FRENCH KNOTSBring your needle up at your starting point and wrap your thread once or twice around the needle. Hold your thread end firmly and take your needle down, ever so slightly over from where you came up. Slide the twisted thread down the needle, so it rests on the fabric’s surface, and gently feed the needle through the

fabric. Keep your thread as taut as possible to prevent the knot becoming loose. Gently pull your thread through to

tighten the knot, so that it sits neatly on the surface.

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