The embroidery stitch bible

146 Pages·2003·49.44 MB·English

by  Betty Barnden

THE
Embroidery

1 Stitch BIBLE

j
Betty Barnden

lwause
publications

700 E. State Street. lala, WI 54990-0001

mec

A Quarto Book

First published in North Arnerlca in 2003

by Krause Pubi~cations. 700 East State Street

loia. WI 54990-0001

Copyright 0 2003 Ouarto lnc

i rights reserved No part of thls publication may be reproduced, stored in
retrieval system, or transmitted in any iorm or by any means, eiectronlc,
hanical, photocopying recording or othervise, without the prior permission

oi the copyright holder.

Libraryoicongress Catalog Card No 20021 13120

ISBN 0-81349-5 10-1

QUARESB

Conceived, designed, and produced by Ouarto Publishing pic

The Old Brewery. 6 Biundeii Sbeet London N7 9BH

Senior project editor Nadia Naqib

Art edltar Karla iennings
Deslgner Maggie Aldred

iilustrators Coral Mula, Elsa Godfrey. Michelle Stamp

Assistant art director Penny Cobb

Tent editors Sue Richardson, Deirdre Clark
Photographers Steve Lumb. Paul Forrester

Indexer Diana Le Core

Art director Molra Clinch
Publisher Piers Spence

Manufactured by Pica Digital Pte Ltd, Singapore
Printed by Midas Printlng International Limited. C h ~ n a

'ENTS

Pulled stitcnes

Stitch select01
8
Stitches for trimming!

nbroidely essentials
24

The Stitch Collection

Stitches for Fabric

: Line stitches

'chain stitches

Blanket stitches

Crossed stitches

Feather stitches

Satin stitches

Couching stitches

Laid filling stitches

Detached stitches

Raised stitches

Woven stitches

Stitches for Canvas

Diagonal stitches

zht stitches

,,,,sing
stitches

.. Composite stitches

Loop and pile stitches

Working Practice

Counted thread

techniques

Freestyle embroidery

techniques

Canvaswork techniques

F~nishing touches

Insertion st~tches
122

Smocklng stltches
126
~
Glossary

Drawn thread st~tches
l3(
Index and credits

4

Introduction

Embroidery is the art of decorating a
stitches described; browse here to

fabric with stitches to enrich or add
find the exact stitch you want, then

I
to its beauty. Through the centuries.
refer to the Stitch Collection for a

embroiderers have experimented
detailed working description.

with the materials available to
them, adapting and refining their
The Stitch Collection is the heart 7

techniques, drawing inspiration from
of the book. The photographed
1

their surroundings or from the art
samples are shown fuil-size. Each 4

and ornament of other times and
stitch is fully described and

othercultures Embroidery has
4

illustrated with numbered figures, ..,

been used for many purposes: to
and accompanied by a list of its

commemorate public or private
main uses, with helpful notes on the :

events, to express ideas both
working method. Many stitches have .

politicai and spiritual, to indicate
alternative names; these are also
j

rank, to tell stories, or to celebrate
listed, and included in the index as 6 $

the beauty of the natural worid.
useful reference aid.
, L d
-4

Although fashions in embroidery
The Embroidery Essentials chapter I

come and go, many basic stitches
will help you choose appropriate

remain the same From simple cross
materials and equipment for
.!
stitch borders to elaborate goldwork
whatever technique you intend to
2

a repertoire of versatile stitches has
use. Here you will find general
'1

accumulated over time Over two
information applicable to all types d

hundred stitches are described in
of embroidery.

this book, and many can be used in
a wide variety of ways, from bold.
The Working Practice chapter Is

~ractical canvaswork and quilting
divided into four sections: counted

through to the delicate, lace-like
Thread Techniques, Freestyle

effects of cut work or shadow work.
Embroidery Techniques, Canvaswol
Techniques, and Finishing Touches

This book is intended to enable you
Each one of the Techniques sectlon

to interpret designs in a flexible way,
includes general working guldellnal

Whether you are adapting an
followed by specific working

existing design or inventing your
methods for various types of

own, this book will heip you to
embroidery: how to choose and u81

choose stitches that are appropriate.
suitable fabrics, threads, and

both visually and practically, then
stltches for a wide varlety of effects
I

use them to produce flnlshed work
from dramatlc blackwork to lntrlcat'

that Is unlquely yours. The Stltch
,.m,,
three-dlmenslonal techniques.

The Finishing Touches section
various combinations of materiais

shows you various ways of finishing
Discover the wonderful variety of

and displaying different types of
effects that can be created on fabric

embroidety for both decorative and
with just a needle and thread-the

practical purposes, so that your work
sensuous. tactile wearable art that

can be enjoyed and appreciated at
is embroidery. Happy stitching!

its best.

With the aid of this book, you can
express your own design ideas with
originality and display them in
finished work. if you read the book
with needles. threads, and fabrics at
hand. you can try out stitches or
techniques that appeal t o you, in

Stitches for Fa bric

Holhoin stitch

Stem stitch

LINE STITCHES

Line st~tchesareoften

used to represent a linear

element in a design, such

as a flower stalhor leaf

veinThey may alsoadd

emphasis by outlining or

adding details to an area

of another stitch, or be

repeated to fill an area

with fine texture.

I

Runningstitch
and variations

Bachstitch and
varratians

Rosette cham
Douhie hnat stitch

~ b f c h
I
I

Fsatheredcha!
stitch

Two-color chain -l

BLANKET
STITCHES

The stitches in this group
are derived from the basic

blanket stitch, which is

often used do oneten the

raw edge of a plece of

fabr~c and prevent it from

fray~ng. Thls stitch is

simpleand quichto work

and may be easilyvared

in sire and spacngfor

vadous decorative eflects.

Thesesttches may also be

used as outlines and to

bu~ld up bold, decorative

mot~fs, bends, and

borders.

CHAIN STITCHES 1

Chain st~tchesform bold,

fluid n e s that are easv

curved to suit sinuous

natural forms. They may

be used singlyor repeated

t o f l an area with a close

or open effect. Decorative

variations such as

crested chain st~tch are

often Incorporated in

borderdesigns.

stitch

Shpinghlanhetand
crossedslaping
bianhetStitch

Up and down
blanket stitch

Tailor's bunonhoie
stitch

Zigzag chain sfitch

FEATHER
STITCHES
These stltches are formed
~n a sim~larway to chain

s~tches but the "linhs"

are not closed as in a
true chanTherefore

they generally have a

loose, open appearance

and may be worked

repularly as spiky nes.
or irregularly to express

natural forms Such llnes
may be used to attach

appliquC shapes. covering

the rawfabrlc edges.

Worked more closely they
may be used to fill small

shapes such as leaves
with interes~ng textures.

Interlaced
hernqbane band

_-

sized areas with a
smooth, soiid suriace.
They are rarely used for
la~ge areas. The individual
,a,

with nofabdc showing

stranded coiion thread
is thereforea good choice.
-

St~tches may be stroked
I

needle to settie them

fabricand held down in
Q,

the manner of couching
ti~iit

stitches. They are used to

The laid threads are

decorative stitches may
Diagonal la-
any type el couching: the
laid" thread 1s aiiached
be added. For a regular
fi1Iing

tothe fabric sutiace by
tlny st~tches made with
the "couching" or "Ving"

thread, which may be
matching or contrasting

in color. Usually the

used n several ways:

a single stitch unit may

be worhed to represent

an element ofa design.

such as a French hnotfor

an eye, or a singletete-

de-boeuf stitch as a

flower bud. Detached

stltches may be worked

in a regular pattern,

sprinhed informally,

or artenxed with

graduated spacing for a

shaded effect.

RAISED STITCHES

Most 01 these stitches

begin by worhinga base

of straight stitches nto

thefabrc, onto which

decorat~ve stitches are

then formed wthout
Raisedch;
.
.
:
.
.
L

piercingthe fabric,

thereby producing a

raised effect. Some form

detached, boldly raised

mot~fs while othersform

decorative bands, which

may be worhed side by
iev,anstitch

sde to fill an area of

the desgn

WOVEN STITCHES
-

These stltches are worked

In layers thefrst layer of

stitches passes through

the fabric, butthe second

or subsequent layers
I

often only pass through

thefabrcat the beginning

and end of athread or Ine

01 stitches. beng woven

In and out of the first iayer i

in various formations.

The group includes both
1

solid and open filling sfor

rectangular, ifregular, and

circular shapes.
I

Knaned
herringbone
inserfion

DRAWN THREAD
STITCHES

These stitches are used

for a v p e o f openwork

embroidery in which somm

ofihe fabric threads

are withdrawn from the

weave. and the remaining

fabric threads then

grouped in various

ways with sttchas.This

technique of withdrawing

threads lends itself

naturally to thecreation

of border designs with an

open, lacy appearance.

Thefabric used must

therefore be woven with

easily visible threads;

evenweave is ideal.The

embroidery thread should

be of a s~m!iarweight to

one strand of the fabric

thread, and a blunt

needle is advisable.

Knottedd<
stitch

,e """llli
sr stitch

Dove's eye corner TI

,",>,v, ""<"vr
and variations

>&,.-;

, :p&
.., '

Botf~nh~ie
corner

andloop stitch
:-.:.

Wheelcorner ki

STRAIGHT
STITCHES

Straghi stitches usually

require a rather heavy

thread or yarn to

~atisfactorly cover the

canvas, because the

stitches e parallel to the

canvas threads, which

tend to peep through.

However these stitches

are simple to workand

will quickly fill large areas

and backgrounds with

textured patterns. Such

patterns may be

geometric in character

(such as Hungaran

diamond d~tch) or more

soitly blurred to allow

color blending (such as

Gobelin fillingstitch),

Encroaching
uprirht Gobelin
stitch

OldFlorentme
stitch

Brich stitch

CROSSING
STITCHES

The stitch patterns n

this section are formed by

working groups of stitches

that cross over each

other. Each ndvduai

stitch may be straight

with the canvas mesh,

sloping, or diagonal.

When repeatinggroups

of st~tches in lines, take

care to always work the

stitches of each group

in the orderglven, to

maintain a regular

appearance. Ingeneral,

these stitches glve good

canvas coverage.

Due to iheir crossing

construction, they are

stable and rarely distort

the canvasio any

significant degree, so

only gentle blocking $aee
2401 is required.

llternathgcross
stitch C
Star s6tch

PlaitedGobelin 1
112

stitch -

Shells

stitch v
-

LOOP AND PILE
STITCHES
These sttchesform loops
an the surface of the
canvas. Same have loops
that are held down flat.
asin the caseof eastern

stitch. LOOPS may also be
fwmed in vanous ways to
stand up irom the suliace
such as rya stltch, velvet
stitch, surrey stitch. and
single knotted stitch. The
construction of some is
very robust and therefore
suitable for rug-making;
others less so, but these
may be used as a bold
texiure. Such iree-

standing loops may be

leftasformed or cutto
make a series of tufts. Cut
or uncut. such a sullace
is called a "pile."

~~~
Surray stitch

fastem stitch

Em broidery Essentials
HOOPS
Most types
and
of frames
embroidery may be worked in a hoop or f r a m e . he work is held

taut, avoiding puckering and d i s t o r t i o n . However. s t i t c h i n g in a hoop or frame is
often slower
because o f the need to make e a c h UP or down

(see stab method of stitching Page 341.

D i f f e r e n t t y p e s o f needles are used f o r d i f f e r e n t types of
~h~ eye
rlypLEEMBROIDERYHOOPS

ise cons,stofwo
or wooden rlngs, the outer ring adiusbble in size to

)W for different ~ ~ i ~ h t s o f
fabric. The outer ring is adiusted to fit over the inner

r
ring using
a screw. The inner ring is then laid on aflat suriace.thefabrlc placed

6

fiatover ,t, andthe outer rlng placed flat in position. The screw is loosened veQ

untilthe ring can be pressed into place.The screw should not be

CREWEL NEEDLES
i tightened wlth the fabric In place.

(sizes I to 10) are sharppointed, medium-length

needles with birly large eyes, making them easy to

thread. They are sultable for mosttypesof embroidery
SLATE FRLME (OR SQUARE FRAME)

on fabrlc usingflne to medium threads.
~ h e s e are available In severai Sizes.

and may be held in the lap or flxed

to a standThefabrlc 1s stretched

beween the top and bottom rollers

by stitching it to the webblng

CHENILLE NEEDLES
anached to the rollers. whlch

arethen adjusted to take up extra

(Sizes 13 to 266) are aiso sharp~pointed, but iongerand

thicker wlth larger eyes. They are used for embroidery an
length. The slde edges may then

fabr~c with heaver threads.
be laced to the side bars.

LRTISTS STRETCHER FRAME

stretched aver the frame and held

with thumbtacks or staPles.

Jmer equipment
I

mbroidely scissors '
' '
'"
ne-polnted, and

harp.You will pmb;
smaken'sheais

ircuningfabric, an
tuning paper.

finely ddaiied work.
waterwasable or vanishlog (the

marks vanish after about48 hours).

These may be mebi or
MLSKINGTUQE

plastic. and are normally
markingfabnc accurately.
May be used to