I’ve been playing with several embroidery stitches lately, to add some tutorials and stitch ideas to the Stitch Fun series here on Needle ‘n Thread.
This latest stitch I’ve been playing with is, I think, one of those under-appreciated, not-often-used stitches, but it has great potential, especially because it’s easy!
There’s nothing complicated about it at all, and yet it yields results that rival some of the more complex braid stitches.
The sample above is worked in Soie Perlee. This particular sample is not the most attractive – the stitch works up better in cottons and wools as opposed to this type of silk. The silk is slippery and a bit on the boingy side, so it takes a little more work to get the stitch to hold its place.
This sample is worked with two strands of Fine d’Aubusson wool, and the clingy, rough nature of the wool holds the stitch much better.
I’m not trying to trick you or stump you, really! If you can name the stitch, that’s great – and if you can’t, that’s ok, too, because it’s not normally seen like this.
My point in asking if you can name this particular stitch is to illustrate how easy it is to alter the look of a stitch, simply by changing its spacing, both lengthwise and width-wise.
We can draw stitches out and make them longer and completely change the way they look. We can work them closer together than they normally would be, and again, achieve a completely different look!
We can make a stitch that would normally be wide, narrow. Or we can do the opposite – a stitch that would normally be narrow, we can make wide. And this changes the look of the stitch.
In changing the look of a stitch, we can also change its application.
If you look at the green wool example above, you can see that the stitch creates a nice braided line – similar to several more complicated braid stitches. And yet, this is a much simpler stitch, made up of familiar components.
The stitch would make a beautiful and dense stem, branch, vine and so forth in crewel work and other types of surface embroidery, don’t you think? But in its more commonly worked form – the way you’d see it in most stitch dictionaries – it doesn’t usually look like this!
So, can you name the stitch? Feel free to leave your insights below!
Is it a feather stitch, worked more like an alternating chain?
The stitch resembles a Byzantine bracelet of mine so I’ll call it the Byzantine stitch.
The stitch looks like a knotted pearl, or possibly a cast on stitch to me. If I had to pick one, I would pick the knotted pearl, but in any event I’m curious to find out what that pretty stich is, actually.
I’m guessing a plaited braid stitch.
Typically used in goldwork, the thinner gold thread lets you see the braid effect more easily. It’s difficult to see with a larger thread.
But that’s what it looks like to me.
Carol S.
Is it some kind of herringbone?
I feel almost silly for saying this, but Lazy Daisy?
Hm, to my admittedly inexperienced eye…it looks like chain stitch worked closely and at angles? It looks great–braid stitches have always intimidated me so if there’s an easier way, I’m in. ^_^
Dear Mary
mmmmm not sure it looks like some form of braid stitch but you’ve said it is a much simpler stitch so I’m not sure. Whatever combination of stitches you have used I can’t wait for you to reveal the stitch, I do love stitch fun and look forward to the answer and to more stitch ideas which I always find so interesting and useful. Thanks for sharing this with us and encouraging us to try and explore different techniques in stitching.
Regards Anita Simmance
Laced Herringbone?
Plaited Braid Stitch perhaps?
It looks like Spanish Knotted Feather Stitch to me! I am curious to know! I do hope you are feeling much better! Happy stitching!
Bob or Annie-May.. 🙂
Mary,
This is a good brain-teaser. It reminds me of turkey work, two rows facing each other, rather than with long loops to cut.
This made me realize that I don’t have a good way to look up a stitch that I’m not familiar with, even though I have several stitch dictionaries.
What do you recommend as resources?
Keep up the challenges!
–JoanneP
Laced feather stitch
When I first looked at this bold stitch I thought it looks like celtic knot?
Chére Marie,
Je donne ma langue au chat!
This stitch looks very familiar to me. But since I’m at work and have none of my stitch books with me I’m not going to take a guess.
I do love your stitch fun postings, Mary.
A braid stitch….
On first sight I thought I knew the stitch – Paulustrina knot stitch last used to edge my gold work scissor case. But not sure it is. Looks a great stitch for some crewel work. Pity I have just finished my latest offering.
To me it looks like two rows of chevron stitch, stitched very tightly with 2 strands of thread and stacked upon one another.
At first I thought it was a Herringbone l
Ladder Stitch, but I don’t see the ‘side rails’ of the ladder.
My guess is Spanish Knotted Feather Stitch, worked a little wider than usual.
I think it is herringbone stitch.
I guess it is the Spanish Knotted Feather Stitcn
Interlaced Herringbone Band?
This was my guess, as well.
Whatever it is, it’s lovely, and this is a great game!
Hi Mary. I’m new to you although I’ve been reading your website for awhile now. I think it may be Chain stitch rosette? I’m sucker for a new stitch to learn! Love your website soooo much.
hi mary is this a whipped chain stitch?
Chain stitch? Two rows, stitched crookedly (can’t remember the official name for doing this).
Palestrina stitch? Mirrored? Whatever it is, it’s beautiful.
It looks like a coral knot stitch–zig-zagged and set very close with a second path interlaced. I can follow the path of the thread and it looks like it goes over and then under, over and then under which is why I said the second path was interlaced with the first one.
I’m going to guess cable plait stitch.
It’s a interlaced chevron stitch.
hmm… I’m thinking laced, or possibly twice-laced, chain stitch.
My first thought, looking at your stitch today, was some kind of chain stitch and then my second thought was of a knotted feather stitch. I do not know the names of these but think the knotted feather stitch resembled this the most ?????
Our group is doing just this when we meet – take a stitch we all know and come up with variations. Fun. Thank you.
Hi , I’m Michal from israe and I’m specialist in traditional embroidery …. From my point of view its chain stich very little almost tiny and very think tread. We USA it in yamanait em broidery thanks for challenging!!!love to help with any problems or gest to warm words
Is it based on a twisted chain?
I don’t know, but I do know I could replicate it using the many varieties of chain stitch- the most beautiful and versatile of all the stitches!
Is it the Net Stitch?
Plaited braid stitch?
Since you said it’s an easy one, I’ll also guess it’s chain stitch worked in an unusual fashion. I think I see chain stitch in the center of it particularly in the silk work. Have to say the overall effect is of a very complicated stitch.
Mary i love every bit of your site. im having a lot of fun.
ITHINK that stitch is centipede, or looks like it.
Keep your good work.
Could it be buttonhole stitch??
Caterpillar! Looks like a caterpillar…
It looks like a french knot with a short tail.
This is a good one. I can’t wait to see the answer. I just did a reversed palestrina stitch on a doodle cloth and it looks similar. I thought it might be a Hungarian braided chain stitch so worked that up on my doodle cloth too. It didn’t look as similar. I love reading all the different responses. It’s like life – we all see it differently!
I’m another who thinks this is something based on a Lazy Daisy or Chain stitch.
Is it the interlaced Herringbone?
I’m guessing the Mountmellick Stitch.
Mrs. Corbet,
The letters in the monogram/cipher (the last picture in the article you wrote a few days ago), are they M U V?
Chuckle, chuckle. You don’t like being left hanging for an answer, do you? Well, I’m going to write about monograms again in the near future, so I’ll reveal it then! Hang in there!
Oh all right. 🙂 I’ll hang in there.
I dunno. I would call it a “loopy braid” stitch.
It looks like a laced or interwoven herringbone. So-o-o, how long do we have to wait to find out?!
Just until tomorrow! 🙂 several folks have named it correctly so far!
I’m going to go for herringbone chain stitch! Interlocking stems of the chain to look like a herringbone pattern and with the loops on the outside.
Turkey work. I use it in needlepoint for beards and feathers but is it used in embroidery? Enjoy your website. Juluet
Oh yes! It makes a great fuzzy, dimensional stitch for things like…oh, bunny tails, squirrel tails, thistles…..
On first inspection this stitch reminds me of gimp, yes, upholstery gimp. So, I’m stewing over “galloping gimp “or “simple gimple.” I may write again with another idea; like you, things often need to percolate a bit.
Is it a variation of the Rope Stitch? Instead of only coming up on the left, you alternate comind up on the left, then the left?
Or perhaps a variation of the Van Dyke?
Or is it a variation of the Knotted Chain?
Some sort of double chinese knot or braid plait????
The stitch is interlaced herringbone stitch. The herringbone stitch is stitched close together and then laced.
This is a good puzzle! It does look like the traditional braid stitch but there is a nuance to it that reminds me of the rosette chain stitch that is reversed every stitch.
Hi Mary great brain teaser – I think i many be Spanish Knotted Feather stitch
It looks like a laced herringbone stitch to me – which I would normally work in 2 colours.
It looks like a Pekinese Stitch to me. I love how the entire look changes
with spacing.
It must be Braid Stitch or Cable Plait Stitch
Alternating Twisted Chain? It looks like there is a lazy daisy in there somewhere that has been twisted and then a mirror image stitched opposite.
What a wonderful effect this stitch gives used like this – I think it may be a chain stitch variation.
Blessings
Maxine
I think it is a herringbone with a double stitch over the top. Some kind of knotted herringbone?
What a wonderful way to get us to look closely at how a stitch is constructed! Every possibility listed here deserves exploration. My guess is Spanish feather.
It looks like spanish knotted feather stitch..very curious to know!!
My educated (of course!) guess would be Spanish Feather stitch or whatever variation of the name is used in your part of the world. I imagine it would be tricky with boingy silk thread but it works well with cotton perle.
Dear Mary you must be feeling better to be having fun and teasing us GOOD.I have dug out the old Barbara Snook Embroidery Stitches my when in doubt book. Is it braid stitch? single or double on page 11? lots of other thoughts but none quite fit. Got us all thinking and checking out our stitches!!Lots of fun thank you so much Chris Munge
Twisted chain worked close together.
Hi Mary, This is a tuffy…………….Interlaced Band,Raised Stem Stitch, Portuguese Vandyke, Stitch Border Stitch…??……..jUDITH
It looks like a tight version/variation of knotted pearl stitch.
Pekingese stitch???
With your reply to the “turkey” work comment, I change my first guess from plaited stitch to Palestrina. I use turkey work in a lot of my embroidery just for the “fuzzing” up for effect.
How Many Times can we guess? Is It The Cable Plaited Stitch??.This Is Driving Me Nuts………………)But its fun…Judith
I will call it the “the Bow stitch”. looks like little bows close to eachuther
Looks very much like a cable plait??……
Dear Mary.
Name of the stitch is Braid stitch or plaited braid stitch.
Regards,
Bharti Tripathi
I got quite a chuckle from your description of the silk thread being a bit on the “boingie” side. Thank you for my daily chuckle.