Couching and laidwork

Couching and laidwork

Roumanian couching is an embroidery technique whereby the laid thread is fastened down by two or more stitches set at an angle. The laid thread is carried across the space from left to right and is then fastened down by the same thread on its return journey with stitches at regular intervals. The Roumanian stitch is very similar, but much shorter and has only one stitch set at an angle to fasten down the laid thread.

Straight cross couching is a variation on the basic couching technique, whereby two laid threads are used side by side, and then the couching thread, usually in a contrasting colour, catches down the laid threads using a horizontal cross stitch (as opposed to the ‘normal’ cross stitch that is worked with diagonal lines). GVE

Underside couching is a technique whereby a thread (laid thread) is placed on the surface of the ground material, which is usually held taut in a frame. A second, usually finer thread (tying thread; couching thread) is brought up from the backside of the cloth and then used to encircle the laid thread. The tying thread is returned through the same hole and pulled gently until a loop of the laid thread appears on the back of the material.

Watashi-nui is a Japanese style of couching, characterised by the use of a thread that goes across the ground material without appearing on the reverse side of the cloth.

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