Stitched Sunday - Raised Stem Stitch Band

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As promised ( a long time ago) here is an update to our Stitched Sunday Series showing you the Raised Stem Stitch variation. This is not a commonly used stitch but does have its place. I have recently used it for the border on the ‘Love’ Stitchery.

So to use it you need a shape which has parallel lines sort of so a border works well.

Firstly we need to set up a base for the stem stitch. The actual stem stitch does not pass through the fabric but is woven through a base stitch.

Keep these stitches even along your shape.

Continue along or around the complete shape.Bring up your needle to the left of your first stitch – right at the bottom.

Then take it two stitches to the right, under the base stitch (not through the fabric tho)

and then back under the base stitch before – can you see how this is like stem stitch – you go two steps forward, one step back.

Then you go ahead two stitches

and back one. Turn your needle around so you are sliding the eye under the threads (instead of the point) so that you do not split any threads or catch the fabric with the needle point – this is weaving rather than stitching

Continue around the shape, when you reach the start point, continue with the second row.

As you continue push the stitches to the bottom of the shape and keep weaving until your base stitches are tightly woven and covered.

Some other examples can be found on my pinboard and here

Stem stitch can also be used as filler stitch and is used a lot in Crewel embroidery. I call this stacked stem stitch – but that’s just a name I made for it.. It is basically just normal rows of stem stitch placed close together. If you are going back and forth along a shape, stitch stem stitch in one direction and outline stitch going back the other way so that all rows lay tightly together.

hugs for today, and happy stitching

Helen

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