Triangular buttonhole and Beaded Triangular buttonhole stitch

Triangular buttonhole is a version of buttonhole stitch. If you are a total beginner, I suggest that before you attempt this version you familiarise yourself with basic buttonhole stitch first.

Triangular buttonhole is an interesting stitch I discovered in an old book by Edith John titled Creative Stitches. In experimenting with it, I discovered it not only is an interesting stitch of itself that is great for edgings or building up patterns, but you can add beads to it at various points in the process that enhances the stitch in some really nice ways. The shape of the stitch lends itself to stacking row upon row to create patterns yet like buttonhole it can be worked on a gentle curve. You can change the angles to create higher pointed triangles or make them larger by adding more stitches to the triangle.

How to work Triangular Buttonhole Stitch.

Triangular buttonhole This stitch is worked from left to right. Bring the thread out at the base of your stitching line and insert the needle at the top. Position the needle so that the tip emerges at an angle of about 45 degrees. With the thread under the needle point, pull the needle through the fabric to form a loop. This first stitch forms one side of the triangle.

Triangular buttonhole 2 Move along the line and insert the needle at an angle but lower down the side of the triangle as illustrated. With the thread under the needle pull it through the fabric to form the next stitch.

Triangular buttonhole 3 Once again, move along the line a little and insert the needle at an angle to create the next part of the stitch as illustrated. With the thread under the needle pull it through the fabric.

Triangular buttonhole 4 Move along the line and insert the needle at the top of the triangle and angle the needle so that the tip emerges at the base of the triangle as illustrated. With the thread under the needle pull it through the fabric and you have created the first triangle.

Triangular buttonhole 5 Repeat this process along the line.

Triangular buttonhole 6 You could work rows of this stitch back to back or row upon row, or face to face with the points touching or offset. You could also work the stitch over a ribbon. The variety possible is really very rich.

How to work Beaded Triangular buttonhole stitch

To work Beaded Triangular buttonhole use a size 26 tapestry needle. Since the eye of a tapestry needle is long you can thread perle #8 and Perle #5 through the long eye. However the needle itself is thin which means you can add a bead to your working thread as you stitch in other words the beading becomes part of the process rather than added afterwards. This tip is key to success with this type of beaded embroidery.

You can bead Triangular buttonhole on any bar of the stitch or the base of the stitch. Or you can set up patterns with the beads by beading two of the bars or one triangles and not the next and so on. The varieties of patterning available is rich particularly if you mixed bugle beads and seed beads.

Beaded Triangular buttonhole 1 As with regular Triangular buttonhole this stitch is worked from left to right.

Beaded Triangular buttonhole 2 I have demonstrated this stitch adding beads to one side of the triangle but you can thread beads on to any of the bars.

Bring the thread out at the base of the stitching line and thread 4 seed beads to your working thread. Insert the needle at the top of the triangle and have the tip emerging at the base. The needle is at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. With the thread under the needle point, pull the needle through the fabric to form one side of the triangle.

Beaded Triangular buttonhole 3 Work the rest of the stitch as you would regular Triangular buttonhole and continue along the line.