Pulled thread tutorial 1

[Lorelei Halley]

A SIMPLE SAMPLER OF SOME BASIC PULLED THREAD STITCHES

Row 1:

The photo ptsamp3a is a basic sampler I suggest for a beginner to practice on. It is not a hang-on-the-wall type of sampler, but a record for the stitcher's own use, so you can really see what happens with the particular stitch. The sampler is 17" long inside the stitched borders and 9 1/4" wide. I propose to make this into 10 rows, with each row having 3 columns. Each row will be one of the most basic stitches from the 10 families of pulled stitches. The left column will be the stitch worked as a single row worked horizontally. The center column will be the same stitch worked as a solid mass or filling stitch. The right hand column will be for those stitches that can be worked diagonally or that have diagonal variants. I find it helpful to have a visual record of which stitches work best horizontally and which diagonally. This helps when I am choosing a stitch for a project. And those stitches which can be worked both ways often look very different in their horizontal and diagonal variants. As I add stitches, I'll post progressive photos to give you a better idea of what I am suggesting.
The dimensions don't have to be exactly what I have chosen. But each cell should be at least 1"x 2" or a little larger.

The stitches used so far on the sampler:
top horizontal is Danish knot stitch
1st horizontal row is Hungarian chain stitch
Left border vertical row is chain stitch
center left vertical is coral knot over 2 threads, space 2 threads
center right vertical is Danish knot
right border vertical is coral knot over 2 threads, spaced 3 threads

In all the diagrams for this tutorial of the yellow sampler, each blue line on the graph paper represents 1 thread of the fabric.

Danish knot stitch

When working Danish knot stitch, work from the top down. Think of 2 parallel vertical lines. The needle always comes up on the left line and always goes down on the right line. So, start in the upper left hand corner. Bring the needle up on the left line and make a small diagonal stitch going down on the right line. Then bring the needle up again on the left line, a little further down. Take the needle over the top of the diagonal stitch, then slip the needle under the diagonal stitch, without catching the fabric. Then put the needle down on the right hand line. And so forth. I've shown 2 spacing variations: it is a matter of how far apart you want the little nobby lumps to be.

On the yellow sampler ptsamp3b the upper left hand cell the lower line is wave stitch (I think the easiest to learn and count). Wave stitch is worked from right to left. The line stitch above it is reverse wave stitch. Reverse wave stitch is worked from left to right. Reversed wave, but not regular wave, gives a somewhat embossed effect. Several pulled thread stitches have a reverse version which looks quite different from the standard version.

Wave stitch

Reverse wave stitch

Center top cell is wave stitch worked as a solid filling.

Wave stitch does not work diagonally. There are many variants which all look different, but in this sampler I'm trying to stick to just the most basic and easiest stitches.

The fabric I used is 21 threads per inch. I used a 20/2 linen to do the pulled stitches and pearl cotton #5 for the cell boundary stitches. All stitching is done with a blunt point needle as counted thread stitches.

© 2009 Lorelei Terry Halley
You may copy this for personal use, not for commercial use.