Edge Stitch

The Edge Stitch weaves in and out of the net and the darning and linen stitch threads. You must use both to get the over and under weave correct. The example shown has the edge stitch highlighted in pink.

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Written by: Ryan

Linen Stitch

The linen stitch, or point de toile, basically fills in the grid of a netted square with threads woven from top to bottom and side to side. The resulting appearance is like a loosely woven linen fabric. Sometimes the stitcher will add a thicker thread to create a border, scroll, stems, and other linear objects. This combination is called filet Richelieu. With the addition of other filling and raised stitches, the technique is called filet guipure.

The traditional linen stitch has two horizontal and two vertical threads per mesh square. It will be necessary to adjust the size of your thread or the number of stitched threads depending on the size of your netting. Usually a large dot or “X” is used on a chart to indicate the linen stitch.

It is important when doing the linen stitch that you go to the very bottom of the row/column and then through the adjacent hole to go up the next row/column. You want the thread to loop around the net thread between the rows/columns. This is often accomplished by plotting your path before you begin to stitch. Similar to the journey a stitcher takes to create reversible Blackwork, ideally you want to begin and end in the same mesh square. This takes some practice and planning.

Linen Stitch

Start where indicated weaving over and under following the route shown in blue. The return trip is done with regular weaving (in red) and edge stitching (in green). Remember that when you turn corners or go to the next mesh square you must go around a mesh post and not cut diagonally across the back.

Begin you return trip and when you get to point A you will work an edge stitch (shown below) along the side until you get to point B. Weave two columns and turn the corner. Do the edge stitch from point C to point D. Weave two rows and turn the corner. Do the edge stitch from point E to point F turn the corner and continue the edge stitch to Point G.

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Written by: Ryan

Darning

While most references suggest you start stitching in the bottom left-hand corner, you can begin almost anywhere as long as you then follow the pattern and not jump over open mesh. Usually four passes will adequately fill the mesh square. If you are not going to shrink the piece and want a fuller look, then add another pass or two, but don’t overfill the mesh or you will distort the overall picture. Usually a “|” or “—“ is used on a chart to indicate the darning stitch and the direction you should stitch. Sometimes the mesh square will be a colored block and you will need to decide which direction to stitch.

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Written by: Ryan

Darning Filling Stitch

Cut and wrap the bars (Fig. A). Bring needle up in center space and “darn” each corner intersection separately. Pass the needle over the first bar going right, under the second bar, over the third and under the fourth. Now go in reverse direction by passing the needle over the fourth, under the third, over the second and under the first. Reverse and go over the first, under the second, etc. Repeat until size desired is reached. Wind thread around wrapped bar to next junction and work the second corner (Fig. B). When all corners are completed, place a center web (Fig. C). Work needle to outside block row and finish.

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Written by: Ryan

Tailored Buttonhole

1. Working left to right come up at #1 leaving a 1.5″ tail eight threads out from the finished kloster block.
2. Slide the needle beside #1 and under four threads toward the kloster block. (DO NOT PULL THROUGH!)
3. Carry the thread under the needle (eye end) and around under the tip of the needle.
4. Pull the needle through the fabric toward the center, lifting and drawing back to lay the stitch smoothly.
5. Finally, anchor the thread firmly with your left thumbnail, just below the stitch. Carefully pull the excess length back through the twist on the edge.

Repeat instructions two through five in the next hole. Remember, your needle always points toward the center. The firm twist always forms as the thread is guided under the needle (eye end – then the tip) before drawing through. This eliminate any need to machine stitch the edges as some book recommend. If you use #5 pearl cotton for the edge, more care must be taken to tighten the twist so it won’t overlap the next hole.

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Written by: Ryan

The basis of this very attractive filling stitch is the woven pinwheel. Cut and remove all but the two center threads on all sides. Insert spokes diagonally across space (Fig. A), going two threads deep into the corner fabric. Wrap each spoke twice. While you are creating the fourth spoke, when the needle is in the center, begin working the woven pinwheel (Fig. B). When the space is about half full, begin weaving from a spoke to the outside row of the woven pinwheel (Fig. C). Weave up the spoke and circular area to the end and then proceed to the next bar and repeat (Fig. D). Continue around, creating the spider flower web. Wrap around the last spoke to get to the satin stitch block to hide the end thread (Fig. E).

Spider Flower Web (Edelweiss)

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Written by: Ryan