Embroidery stitches

Embroidery stitches

The rice stitch is a variant of the cross stitch, whereby the four 'arms' are covered by small, diagonal stitches. These small stitches can use a thread of the same colour, or a different thread is used to create an extra effect. The rice stitch is also known as 'crossed corners'.

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.

The Roumanian joining stitch is a variation on the Roumanian stitch, in which the stitch is used to join two pieces of cloth. The stitches can be worked close together or with a little distance. The nature of the stitch means that the join is ‘hinged’ and is flexible. It may be used, for example, to join together a bodice and a sleeve, or for sewing two pieces of fine cloth together to use as a head and body covering.

Roumanian stitch, also known as the antique stitch, Indian filling stitch, Janina stitch, or Oriental stitch, is a name used for a technique whereby a long stitch is tied down in the centre by one, short slanting stitch. The Roumanian stitch should be differentiated from Roumanian couching, which uses multiple tying down stitches to 'couch' a long, laid thread.

The running stitch is the simplest of all the embroidery stitches. The needle ‘runs’ along the ground material, making stitches of more or less equal length and picking up only one to two threads of the ground material in between two stitches. Normally there is more thread visible on the surface of the cloth than on the underside. The running stitch is often used for outlining and as a foundation for other, composite stitches.

Sagara-nui (or sagura-nui) is the Japanese term for a form of French knot. This technique is regarded as being part of the Kyo-nui ('Kyoto embroidery') tradition. WV

The satin stitch is a widely used embroidery technique worked in close, parallel rows. They are used to fill in all or part of a design. The term satin stitch derives its name from its similarity to the shiny appearance of satin cloth, especially when a floss silk or a mercerised cotton thread is used for the embroidery.

A scallop stitch is a composite stitch that is made up of a running stitch as the base and attached blanket stitches to fill in the pattern. WV

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