Winter Questions and Answers, 2016

Your embroidered plain chain stitch looks a lot like crocheted chain stitch. Is there a way to use crocheted chain stitch as embroidery?

Yes, there is. It looks good on things like sweatshirts, heavy sweaters, caps and mittens, too. Because it can only lie on the surface of the fabric, however, you will need to couch it down with embroidery stitches in the same yarn or a contrasting one. If you use contrasting yarns, you can create borders that are attractive in both color and texture. Some embroidery techniques are shown on top of crocheted chain in the samples below. The first group is done in a single color. These are: back-stitched chain, couching between the “links” in the chain, alternating couching worked from the centers outward at right angles, whipped chain and plain chain on top of the crocheted chain (like “double chain” in crewel).

Click picture for larger view

 The second group are done in two colors — and some can easily be done in more. These are: crocheted chain with double running stitch (red and blue); alternating couching of the crocheted chain in two colors (yellow and green); crocheted chain couched, with back-stitch over it (purple and blue); crochet chain back-stitched in red and then threaded in green; cross-stitch between “links” of the crocheted chain, with running stitch over the crosses (blue and purple); and two parallel rows of crocheted chain, back-stitched in red and interlaced in gold. Work all of the stitches in one color before going on to the next color. I find it works well to stitch one color left-to-right and the other color right-to-left. The green threaded and gold threaded stitches may be couched down. I would do this on a garment or any article that will get a lot of wear. Use tiny stitches in one strand of the yarn or floss, or use a matching sewing thread.

I suggest you place practice fabric in your hoop and make a chain a yard or meter long in order to practice each stitch pattern across the full width of your hoop. Leave a long “tail” when you begin your chain. Later you can thread this end into a crewel needle, take it to the back of your fabric and secure it. Cut your crochet yarn far enough beyond the last link in your chain that you can thread that end into a crewel needle, take it the back of your fabric and secure it. Pin the chain to the fabric every inch (2 ½ centimeters) or so. Don't stretch the crocheted chain out of shape. Don't pull couching stitches so tight that they disappear in the chain. You can use lighter or heavier weights of yarn for the embroidery if you wish. Or you can use crochet cotton, embroidery floss, or other materials.

What is the difference between the optical illusion block you showed last month and a 4-way bargello?

Optical illusion needlepoint started from center

That's a very good question! The major difference is that the optical illusion (and the quilt block it is based on) are figured out in advance and the areas are drawn on the canvas before the stitching is begun. You may or may not put in the horizontal and vertical center lines and the diagonals — depending on the pattern. Ordinarily you would begin at the center and work your way out to the edges. The design will be basically the same whatever canvas and yarn you use. Back-stitching is often an important feature of the design. For me, the challenge is in drawing the design precisely in order to get the effect I want.

4-way bargello "Green Envy",  started from pattern line

The 4-way design is not unchanging like the optical designs; it changes and evolves as you stitch. It is best to begin all such designs by drawing in the vertical and horizontal center lines and the diagonals. A 4-way usually begins with a pattern line, rather than a shape to fill in. (There are exceptions; see “Hearts Afire”, December 22, 2014 post, which does depend on a definite shape, for example.) A four-way usually begins several (sometimes many) rows of canvas from the center. Instead of being worked outward from the center, it is worked both outward and inward from the pattern line. The design changes rapidly — often in surprising ways. Back-stitching is not regularly used. I get the most pleasure from starting with a pattern line which surprises me as it unfolds.

There are similarities between the two techniques, however. Both need to be centered on the finished canvas. Both tend to be square when finished. Both use the upright Gobelin stitch. Both may benefit from being turned ninety degrees as you work on the various parts of the design. Both depend on a careful selection of shades of color for their best visual effects. Neither leaves empty squares of canvas in the design; stitches share canvas squares. Both are fun to do and satisfying to complete.

I really like the optical illusions from quilt blocks. They look like fun. But they're square, and I hardly ever see square frames. Are you going to do any that fit rectangular frames?

I've just adapted the “King's Cross” design for a rectangular frame. The sketch will work with any three-color combination as long as the white sections are in the lightest color, the pencil-shaded sections are a darker shade of the same or a similar color, and the inked-in triangles are in a very dark color. You will notice that the pairs of triangles are not quite the same. Also, the shapes that were parallelograms in the original pattern are now polygons. These are large areas, so use a heavier yarn than usual or double your regular yarn to cover the canvas completely. Once again, I recommend doing the triangles in basket-weave, starting at the center points and working outward this time. Any irregularities where two colors of yarn join, or at the edges, may be covered by back-stitching if you choose.

Click on diagram for larger view

I did this pattern for a 5-inch X 7-inch frame (13 X 18 centimeters), but I can show you how to adapt it for any rectangular frame. Turn the frame upside-down on your canvas and draw around the opening with a pencil. Remove the frame. (If necessary, use a ruler or straight-edge to square the corners and make the sides straight.) Leave extra canvas around the rectangle so that you can tape the edges. Find the center of the rectangle and mark it with a dot (O on the diagram), continuing to use a pencil. Find the centers of the top and bottom — the short sides — and mark them with dots (A). Find the centers of the long sides and mark them (B). Mark the four corners (C). Mark the centers of the lines between the A's and the center O (D). Mark the centers between the B's and the O (E). Mark the centers between the C's and the A's (F) and the centers between the C's and the B's (G). Now connect the dots as follows:

• A-O-A
• B-O-B
• Both C-O-C's
• Both E's on the top and bottom with the nearest D
• Both G's on the sides with the nearest E
• You may then erase the A-D and the B-E lines if you wish to do so.

Now you are ready to begin stitching.

If you like squares and rectangles, just wait until we get to hexagons!

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Interlaced Hearts: Chain-Stitching Around Curves

Embroidered Vest Pocket

You have now practiced several different kinds of chain-stitch, along with a number of ways of modifying those stitches. There will be more varieties of chain-stitch in the future, which I recommend you continue to practice along straight lines of pulled thread until you have mastered them. It is time now, however, to use what you have already learned and to practice it in an actual design.

Embroidered Vest Back

One of the most popular characteristics of chain-stitch is its flexibility. This makes it ideal for embroidering curved shapes and loops like the ones embroidered in silk on this decorative vest. Look, for example, at the detail in these pictures. Now it is time for you to take a pencil or a permanent marker and draw a variety of curves and loops on your practice fabric. Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop or a frame and embroider the curves and loops with the stitches you have already learned. This will tell you which ones follow curves best, as well as showing you which ones you most enjoy using.

Bird in Beauvais Embroidery

Plain chain is also very useful for filling blank spaces and the insides of closed shapes. This kind of solid chain stitch is sometimes called Beauvais embroidery. The bird on this purse is an example of that. Draw a closed curved figure — circle, oval, heart, etc. — on your practice fabric. It should be at least a couple of inches (4 to 5 centimeters) across. Embroider around the outline in plain chain, turning your work as you go. But don't join the last stitch to the first. Instead, keep stitching just inside the finished chain stitches, getting as close to them as you can. Continue in this way until the entire shape is filled solid with stitches. Carry your yarn to the back of your work and secure it under finished stitches. It is possible to start in the center of a shape and work outward, but I find this more difficult to do. Remember to keep turning your hoop or frame as you work.

Iron-on Transfer

In the May 12, 2015 post, I promised to make a design based on one of the free-hand painted patterns on my Costa Rican cart. I have done a simplified outline design which you can download and copy. You will find it at the end of this post. I then made a hot-iron transfer of the design and ironed it onto light gold Aida cloth. (There are other ways to transfer a design, but this is one I use regularly.) For more information on making your own hot-iron transfer, see the post for October 6, 2013. The transfer is pictured here.


  

Interlaced Hearts, Step 1

I made a completed crewel picture, emphasizing the heart shapes in the design. You will see stages of the work, in progress. For the first stage, I outlined the heart shapes in various chain-stitches, using a variety of reds ranging from a dark maroon to a bright pink. I also filled in small empty sections with Beauvais embroidery, using the same reds.

Interlaced Hearts, Step 2

In the second stage, I worked various sections in other colors, using more chain-stitches. I employed a number of techniques, such as back-stitching, lacing, double-stitching, etc. Once this was done, I washed the piece carefully in lukewarm water and a gentle liquid detergent to remove all traces of the transfer pencil. I hung the fabric to dry and later pressed it on the back with a warm iron and replaced it in the embroidery hoop. (Pull yours taut in the hoop to keep the fabric from wrinkling. This will make it easier to block when it is finished.)

In the last stage, I added details and embellishments with a fine white yarn. I like to do white embroidery last on a project. This means that the work is not handled as much and that there are fewer chances of the white yarn or thread getting dirty or discolored. Finally, the design went to J.D. to be blocked, backed, and framed. Here is a picture of the finished project.

Interlaced Hearts Embroidery, Finished and Framed

Click to Download Embroidery Pattern

And here is the pattern to embroider in your choice of fabric, yarns or flosses, and — most of all — your favorite stitches. I added a few details to my finished embroidery that are not on your pattern. I would expect you to do this also to your project to make it a one-of-a-kind piece that is uniquely your own.

Happy hearts to you,

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

The Chain-Stitch Family, Part II

(This post continues the series on crewel embroidery that Annake began in October, 2015.)

If you are a new reader of this blog, or if you haven't done any chain-stitch lately, you may want to read the previous post about chain-stitching (October 31, 2015) before reading this one. I suggested using a firm, but loosely-woven, fabric for your practice stitches. That advice is for this series of stitches as well. The fabric does not need to be wool. In fact, some of the wool/polyester blends are preferable for our purposes. You can use other fabrics, such as decorator burlap, too, but it is important that you can pull out a single thread easily without damaging the fabric. Work with the fabric in a hoop if possible. You can also stretch fabric over an empty picture frame and use overcast stitches to hold it in place.

Pulling threads for guide rows

In our first session, we stitched a series of plain chain-stitch samples, then embellished them with back-stitching, overcasting, couching, etc. This time we are going to do a group of variations on the plain chain itself. I strongly advise you to use the pulled-thread method to learn each variety of chain-stitch and practice each one until you can make neat, evenly-spaced stitches before you begin an embroidery project. I don't expect any of you to like all of the different stitches, but I do urge you to try each one. The first is similar to plain chain, except that the number of threads skipped with each stitch is not the same. I'm not aware of a name for this stitch, so I will call it Long-and-Short Chain.

Long-and-Short Chain stitch

Start with a waste knot. Begin as you did for plain chain, but skip 5 threads instead of 4 to make the first stitch in the chain. Skip only 2 threads for the second stitch. Repeat the 5/2 pattern to the end of the row of stitches. Pull the short stitches tighter than the long ones, but not so tight that it pulls the fabric out of shape. You can vary this stitch pattern in many ways: 5/2/2, 5/5/2, 6/4/2, etc. Be sure you use the same grouping each time, and try to end the row with a complete group, rather than a partial one. The short stitches appear nearly round, while the longer ones are oval or teardrop-shaped.

Double Chain stitch

Our next chain-stitch is a Double Chain. You will need a heavy yarn, floss, or perle cotton and a light one in a contrasting color. You can even use crochet cotton and plain sewing thread, but remember it needs to be yarn to qualify as genuine crewel embroidery. With the heavier strand, make a rather loose plain chain across the fabric (Row A), secure the end, and cut the strand. With the finer strand, start just outside the beginning of Row A and make a chain stitch that ends in the center of the first loop of the first stitch in Row A. The second stitch should pass over the joining of the first and second stitches of Row A and end in the center of the second stitch. Continue in this way across the row.

Zig-zag Chain stitch

You will need two pulled-out strands that are parallel, with 4 to 6 threads separating them, for the Zigzag Chain. Begin on either open row. Instead of ending the stitch on that row, however, point your needle diagonally so that the stitch ends on the second open row. Your second stitch will begin on that row and end on the first row. Continue alternating in this way, while trying to keep your stitches the same length each time. This takes a little practice, so don't get discouraged. This stitch makes a nice border. If I am doing it on a garment or any piece that will get heavy wear, I “cheat” on this stitch. I couch each loop down with the tiniest stitch possible before bringing my needle up inside the loop to make the next stitch. This makes the row of stitches harder to snag and easier to launder and iron.

Magic Chain stitch

Our next stitch is called Checkered Chain or Magic Chain. You will need two contrasting colors of yarn, floss, thread, etc. They should be of equal length and weight and similar in texture. Use single strands of yarn and not more than 3 strands of floss to begin with. Knot both strands together for your waste knot and thread them both into the needle. Start a beginning plain chain, but loop only Color A under the needle tip. Make sure that Color B stays on top of the needle. You may want to hold it to one side with your thumb, making sure it does not pass in front of or below the needle's tip. Pull both strands through the fabric. Only one color loop should show (Color A). For the second stitch, loop color B under the needle tip and keep Color A out of the way. Continue on in this pattern. As I come close to completing the loop, I gently pull the hidden color strand through the fabric first. Be careful to keep the strands from twisting around each other as you stitch. When you see that you will run out of one color, pull both strands through the fabric, secure them, and cut both. Start with two new strands of the same length, beginning your first stitch inside the last complete loop. This stitch can be bold or very dainty.

Cow's Head stitch

The next stitch has a number of names, including Wheat Ear Chain, Chain and Fly Stitch, and Tete de Boeuf (Cow's Head). It can be worked either horizontally or vertically. Start at one end of your open row. Make two short, slanted stitches: one on each side of the open row, with the pair meeting in a V at the same space in the open row. Bring your needle up just inside the point of the V and make a chain stitch. Couch it down with a short stitch. You have made the first “link” in the chain. Make another V so that its point is directly below the couching stitch of that link and complete it with a couched chain stitch. The slanting lines in each V should be parallel to the slanting lines in the first V and should be the same length each time. The chain should not show any fabric between the links.

Tete de boeuf variant

This picture shows a variation of the same stitch. Instead of two slanting stitches, start with one long straight stitch that you do not pull tight. Make your chain stitch over the straight stitch and at right angles to it. Pull the chain-stitch loop tight enough that it pulls the center of the straight stitch into a shallow V. Couch the loop with a small straight stitch. Make the next straight stitch across the end of this small couching stitch. Repeat.

Detached Cow's Head stitches

Do you remember the Lazy Daisy Stitch from the previous lesson in this series? It was a single, couched-down chain stitch that can be used to represent flower petals or other elements of a design. The single Tete de Boeuf (V and couched chain stitch together) can be detached in the same way. It is a good small motif for fillings and diaper patterns. (Use our Search Engine feature to find out more about diaper patterns.) I must say that these detached stitches look more like little rabbits to me than cow's heads.

Now I'm going to ask you to turn your hoop or frame ninety degrees. The Cable Chain, one of my favorites, is easiest to learn top-to-bottom. I'm going to teach you a two-handed way to make this chain, so rest your hoop against a tabletop –- or your knees. (Later you may want to try twisting the thread around your needle one-handed.) With your stitching hand, bring your needle up at the end of your pulled row. With the thumb of your other hand, pull the thread straight down and hold it. Run your needle horizontally underneath the taut thread and lift it a tiny amount. With your free hand, wrap the thread around the needle from back to front and around again. With the needle held vertically, pull the thread snug against the fabric until it covers two or three threads of fabric Insert the point of your needle just below the wrapped thread and make a chain stitch. Pull the loop to the size you want and hold the thread down with your thumb to repeat the process. This is shown in the picture of the deep purple stitches. The picture of white stitches on a blue background shows the Cable Chain worked from left to right. Keep the links the same size.

Cable Chain, horizontal

Happy stitching,

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The Chain-Stitch Family, Part I: Plain Chain With Variations

(Continuing the topic of crewel embroidery, introduced in the previous post.)

 A chain-stich sample, yarn on burlap

I like to think of related stitches as “families”. We've looked at cross-stitches, running stitches and back-stitches previously in this way. The chain-stitch “family” is surely in the top three of important stitch families ― and is my personal favorite. The stitch is very old and very widespread, indicating that it may have been “invented” several times. It can be found in the oldest surviving embroideries of such diverse places as Afghanistan, Egypt, Nigeria, Greece, Russia, Scandinavia, France, Bolivia and Peru. A glance at the maps makes me suspect some of it spread from contact and trade with ancient Egypt, where some authorities believe it was derived from a sail-makers' stitch used to make the sails of small boats that traveled the Nile stiffer and more durable. But the pieces from Bolivia and Peru predate contact with Europeans by more than a thousand years.

A line of simple chain-stitch

Before we explore the many varieties of chain stitches, let's take a simple chain and see how it can be embellished. To make the chain, place your fabric in an an embroidery hoop and make it tight. Thread your yarn into a crewel needle (a thin needle with a large eye like a tapestry needle, but with a sharp point). Start with a waste knot (see the blog post for Sept. 24, 2013) on the surface of your fabric. Push your needle through the fabric and bring it back to the surface several inches from the waste knot. Holding the yarn aside with the thumb of your non-stitching hand, insert the point of your needle through the same hole where it came up. Bring the needle up a few threads ahead of where it went down. Loop the thread under the needle from left to right (or right to left if you are left-handed). As you pull gently on the yarn, it will begin to form a teardrop-shaped loop. Draw the yarn through until the loop is the size you want and the yarn lies flat on the surface of the fabric. (Don't leave the loop loose and floppy, but don't pull it too tight or the fabric will pucker.) Insert the needle in the same hole you just made and repeat the process. You have made the first two “links” of your chain. Continue until the chain is the desired length. Stitch the top of the last loop down with a tiny forward stitch, pointing the tip of the needle back under the completed stitches. Overcast (wrap) the yarn around several completed stitches to anchor it and cut it close to the stitches. Cut off the waste knot, pull the yarn to the back, thread it into your needle and overcast several stitches at that end. The back of your chain should be a straight line of back-stitches. Practice several lines of the plain chain-stitch.

Closeup of simple chain-stitch

Another section of the crewel embroidery mushrooms

Chain stitch is used both as an outline stitch and as a closely packed filling stitch. In this section of embroidery, it outlines the cap and gills of the mushroom and the edges, stem, and veins of the large leaf. It is used as a filling stitch on the mushroom stem. These stitches are done with a single strand of tapestry wool, so they can be quite small, and it is difficult to distinguish individual stitches. If you begin practicing with large, visible stitches, you can then gradually decrease the size of your yarn or thread until your stitches  are tiny like the ones done in silk on the vest at the end of this post.

Removing a thread to create a straight void

Two things about chain-stitch usually require practice: keeping the line of stitches straight and making the “links” in your chain as alike as possible. To make this easier, I suggest that you start with a piece of fabric loosely-woven enough that you can easily withdraw individual threads. I've used wool, coarse linen, hop-sacking, and even burlap for this. You need to be able to gently remove a single thread completely without breaking it. Then draw out a thread every inch (2.5 cm.) or so before you put the fabric in the embroidery hoop. Stitching in the space where the thread once was will help you stitch a nice, straight line. You will be able to see and count the threads that cross the space. If you pass your needle under the same number of threads each time and use the same amount of “pull” (tension), your stitches should be fairly uniform. The tension on the fabric is important, too. Keep it stretched tight in the hoop. Adjust the hoop with the turn-screw as needed.

Not too many years before my time, girls and women made and framed “samplers” to show off their best stitchery. Now it is your turn to make a sampler. (Before you begin, you may want to review the stitches and terms shown on the Jan. 16, 2015 blog post.) Start by making a line of plain chain along each of the pulled thread lines that you made. Then try each of the seven variations I'm going to show you in the sampler below. I used 4-ply yarn, which is not ideal for embroidery, but I wanted to make big stitches that were easy for you to see and copy. The rows are as follows:

Chain-stitch with variations listed at left

1. plain chain stitch in medium blue;
2. chain back-stitched with a smaller white yarn from link to link;
3. chain with double-running stitch, alternating white and navy yarns link to link;
4. entire chain whipped (overcast) with the white yarn;
5. each side of the chain whipped with thin navy yarn, stitched one side at a time from center out;
6. Pekinese stitch done in white through the entire chain;
7. entire chain laced (threaded) with white yarn, with the loops then stitched down at the tops with white sewing thread;
8. entire chain laced with white yarn, first from one end, then from the other (double-laced) and then couched (stitched down) with a contrasting yarn.

 Demonstrating the Lazy Daisy stitch

If you look carefully at the bottom of the first practice sampler (photo at the top of the post), you will see some stitches that look like flower petals. This is Detached Chain or Lazy Daisy stitch, one of the first stitches I learned as a child. Look at the demonstration and try it for yourself. The next time we touch on this topic, I will have a design for you that you can download and do these stitches on in your choice of colors.

Practice, practice, practice,

Embroidered vest, silk floss on wool

 This post by Annake's Garden is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.