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RUNNING STITCH FAMILY(http://www.rocksea.org/hand-embroidery/running-stitch/laced-running-stitch)

The basic.The foundation of many other embroidery and stitch works like the

Indian Kantha work or Chikankari work. 

hand embroidery sample : running stitch

Running stitch is also laid as a foundation for a variety of patterns, some of which

I will show in subsequent posts, so that you get an idea on what different ways

these stitches can be used as a foundation for. Then, the rest is upto your

imagination! 

hand embroidery sample : running stitch varieties

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RUNNING STITCH

This stitch is done by running the needle and thread up and down the cloth at a

regular distance. 

The length of the stitch on the upperside can vary than that on the underside.

Usually, there is more thread shown on the upperside than the underside in a

running stitch. Yet, to get the beauty of the stitch, I would suggest to try to keep

the length of the stitches on the upperside and underside as same as possible.

LOOPED RUNNING STITCH

This stitch is just a variety of the running stitch, which I have named.

It incorporates the technique of Chinese stitch or Pekinese stitch. This is a very

decorative stitch and can be experimented with threads fo various colors over

borders. Close layers of this stitch can create wonderful effects on a pattern.

You need to know the running stitch before doing this stitch. The knowledge of

the pekinese stitch will be very helpful.

     

Fig 1: Lay the foundation by doing arunning stitch.Take a contrastign colored thread and bring it out from near the first running stitch.

  Fig 2: Start following the pekinese stitch technique. Take the needle in through the second stitch and come out through the first, making a loop.

     

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  Fig 3:  Continue this action of ‘looping’ using the running stitch foundation, as illustrated.

     

  Fig 4: Finish up the pattern for it to look like this.

 LACED RUNNING STITCH

  This variety of running stitch gives a wavy effect to the pattern. It looks beautiful when a few close

layers of it is created.

  

Fig 1: Lay the foundation by doing arunning stitch.Bring out another thread out near the first stitch and pass the needle under it from the top.

  

Fig 2: Then pass it through the second stitch from the bottom. Continue this action of taking the needle under each stitch from the top and bottom alternately.

     

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INTERLACED RUNNING STITCH

This variety incorporates laced running stitch, taken both ways along the running stitch, to give it a final ‘chain’ 

look.

Lay the foundation by doing a running stitch.Follow the instructions of laced running stitch to get a laced running stitch pattern

 

Fig 1: Bring another thread out from near the first stitch and the needle under it from the bottom.

   Fig 2: Now take the needle under the second stitch from the top. Continue this action of taking the needle under each stitch from the top and bottom alternately.

     

Fig 3: A finished line of interlaced running stitch would look like this.

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WHIPPED RUNNING STITCH

his variety gives a twisted effect. The closer the foundation of running stitch is done, the more enhanced 

would be the twisted effect.

 

    Fig 1: Lay the foundation by doing arunning stitch.Bring out through near the first stitch. Now, pass the needle under each stitch from the top.

 

Fig 2: Continue this pattern to finish the design as shown.

 

 

 

NOTE:

Make sure that while taking the needle and thread under each running stitch, you

do not pluck the fabric underneath.

If you happen to take the thread between each running stitch from the bottom of

the stitch, then maintian it by taking from the bottom only. The trick is to give it a

twisted effect.

 

PARALLEL RUNNING STITCH

Parallel running stitch is just two parallel rows of running stitches,with  each

stitch from each row lying one below the other. Using these as the base, many

variations can be created using a different thread. I have illustrated the parallel

running stitch here and two different ways it could be used. You can try out your

own variations. 

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Parallel running stitch: Lay the foundation by doing two parallel twin lines of running stitch as illustrated. Note that the stitches W, X, Y, Z lie right below A, B, C and D.       Variety 1    This variety makes a good edging or boundary design by giving a snake like effect. You may also incorporate some beadwork to add beauty to the work.

      Fig 1:  Take another thread and bring it out from near A. Take the needle under the stitches A and W, as shown. Turn around the needle and take it from under X and B. Again, turn around the needle and take it from under C and Y. Continue this process for the entire length of the two parallel rows.Make sure not to pluck the fabric underneath, while doing this.     

  Fig 2:  A finished line of this variety would look like this. The serpentine visual makes it good for edging and boundary designs. Variety 2    Again, this variety makes a good edging or boundary design by giving a inverted ‘U’ like effect. You may also incorporate some beadwork to add beauty to the work.

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     Fig 1:  Now, take another thread and bring it out from near A. Take the needle under the stitches A and W, as shown. Turn around the needle and take it from under A again.Continue this action by taking the needle under B and X, C and Y, and so forth.Make sure not to pluck the fabric while doing this.     

 Fig 2:  This is how a finished line of this variety sample would look like.

STEPPED RUNNING STITCH

Stepped running stitch is just two parallel rows of running stitches. Each stitch

from each row will lie in between two stitches of the other row. This ’stepped’

structure will give an opportunity to create various embroidery patterns using a

different thread. You may make more than just two rows of running stitch and try

out your own variations as well.

Stepped running stitch : Lay the foundation by doing two parallel rows of running stitches   . ‘Step’ the second row, as illustrated. Note that A lies between W and X, X lies between A and B, and so forth.  

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 Variety 1  

   

Fig 1: Take another thread and needle out from near A and pass it under A and W without plucking the fabric underneath. Now, turn the needle around and pass the thread under X and A. Fig 2: Now, pass the needle under B and X, without plucking the fabric underneath.  Continue this pattern of action for the remaining stretch of the stepped running stitch.

  

Fig 3: The final effect would be as shown above. 

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Variety 2  

 

Fig 1: Take another thread from near W and pass it under W and A, wihtout plucking the fabric underneath.Now, pass the needle under the thread, and then under X, as shown in the picture. You will get your first twisted pattern. Fig 2: Again, taking the needle from beneath the thread, pass it from under B. This makes the second twisted pattern. Continue this action for the entire stretch of the stepped runnig stitch.   

Fig 3:  Continue this ‘twisted’ pattern to give it a final braided effect.

 

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DOUBLE RUNNING STITCH (HOLBEIN STITCH)

This stitch follows a pattern where a running stitch is done and the gaps between

this running stitch is filled during a return journey of the needle and thread. This

causes the stitch to bring out identical patterns on either sides of the cloth.

Looking at the history of it, holbein stitch derives its name from Hans Holbein the

younger, who was a German artist. He was a portrait painter of the 16th century,

who is more known to have painted Henry VIII and his children wearing clothing

with ‘blackwork embroidery’.

Holbein stitch is widely used in Blackwork Embroidery and Assissi Embroidery as

well. We can widely see it in cross stitch patterns too. This is because holbein

stitch is a form of counted thread stitch.

Black work is again commonly known as spanish work. Catherine of Aragon was

the wife of Henry VIII. She is believed to have brought garments in to England

from Spain and they had black work on them. Black work is done using only black

thread.

Assissi embroidery originated from Italy at around 13th and 14th century. It is a

combination of black work, or holbein stitch and cross stitch. Traditionally Assissi

embroidery employed only holbein stitch, but later, it incorporated varities of

cross stitches as well. Assissi embroidery is not confined to a single thread color

but uses different threads.

 

I have done two variations of the holbein stitch. This will help understand the

technique.

Variation 1:

Fig 1: Lay a base of running stitch. 

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      Fig 2: Now, start a return journey with the same working thread. As, shown in this illustration, the return journey of running stitch will fill the gaps made during the first onward journey.You can use a different colored thread for creative effects.          

Fig 3: A  finished line of holbein stitch would look like this.

 

Variation 2:

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Check the side bar on the right side to find the two patterns.

PATTERN 1

Pattern 1 will show the logic of holbein stitch.  A variation of this stitch is shown

in pattern 2.

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Fig 1

Fig 2

Fig 3

1. Lay the foundation of running stitch. (Fig 1)

2. Take a return journey using running stitch, only this time, you try to fill the

gaps created by the earlier running stitch.

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3. For that, bring the same needle out through A and put in through B to take it

out through C. (Fig 1 and Fig 2)

4. Continue such filling that ultimately, you get a design of straight line.

Note: The thread used for the return journey stitch is the same with which you

ended your first running stitch journey. However, if you want to give it a different

touch or look, you can use a differnet color to give an alternated colored look.

PATTERN 2

Holbein stitch   can be used to create a ‘pyramid’ like effect or ‘temple design’

too. It can be seen widely in Indian Kasuti or Kashidakari embroidery work. This

art of embroidery, which is still done by only the women of the villages bordering

karnataka and maharastra, dates back to the Chalukya period of the 6th- 10th

century. Usually kasuti designs resembles the rangoli designs in India.

   

 Fig 1                                                     Fig 2

 

 Fig 3

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Fig 4 : Reverse side

1. Bring the thread through A and take it in through B. (Fig 1)

2. Bring it through C and take it in through D. Note that C lies exactly below B.

(Fig 1 and Fig 2)

3. Continue this pattern to follow the alphabets as illustrated. (Fig 2)

4. You will finish up with a temple like design. (Fig 3). Check the reverse pattern.

(Fig 4)

Now, we will fill the gaps to finish the design.

   

Fig 5                                                      Fig 6

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Fig 7

Fig 8 : Reverse side

 5. You would end the design with the final stitch Y-Z. (Fig 5)

6. Bring the same needle out through Y and take it in through X to bring it out

through W. (Fig 5)

7. Continue to fill the gaps in the similar fashion. (Fig 6)

8. You will finally finish the temple design. (Fig 7).

9. If you check the reverse, it will look like an identical design. (Fig 8 )

Note: Holbein stitch can be used to make any pattern geometrical in nature. Of

course, it is not restricted to the above mentioned patterns. All that is required is

a little imagination! I will get back to this stitch while discussing Kasuti or

Blackwork as we move along.

        As mentioned in the notes of pattern 1, you can leave the conventional

method of single thread holbein stitch and take up another color to fill the gaps

to give an attactive pattern.

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DARNING STITCH

The darning stitch is about making rows of straight running stitches near each

other. The technique of darning is used to mend  torn clothes, especially socks

and looks like a woven patch.

A fabric is made of weft and warp yarn. Weft is the yarn that runs vertically, while

warp is the yarn that runs horizontally. They interlock with each other to form the

fabric. While mending torn fabric, the darning stitch is used to ‘rebuild’ the weft

and warp of the worn out area.

This lesson, however, will show you only the ’back and forth’ stitch technique

of darning stitch. The purpose is to use this lesson as reference for Embroidery

works (and not to mend clothes   ). The most popular embroidery where darning

is used for embroidery purpose is the pattern darning.

You need to know the running stitch to be able to do darning stitch.

Fig 1: Do a row of running stitch, starting from A and ending at B. Then, turn around and begin the second row of running stitch from C to end at D. Keep this process of stitching rows of running stitches back and forth. Note that each row is ’stepped’ in order to get a brick like formation.

You can turn a couple of rows of darning stitch into a base for beautiful patterns

like we did in  parallel running stitch   and stepped running stitch.