Looped Cretan and Beaded Looped Cretan stitch

Looped Cretan Stitch

I discovered Looped Cretan stitch in an old embroidery book.

It is called Looped Cretan, and the beaded version is my adaptation, which includes adding a bead. It is really useful to know the foundation stitch, which is, of course, Cretan stitch. Here, I worked both samples using a cotton perle #5 thread. With the beaded version, the beading is not done afterwards but during the stitching process.

Tip! 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 also thin, which means you can add a bead to your working thread as you stitch.  This choice of needle is key to success with this type of beaded embroidery.

How to work Looped Cretan Stitch

Work from top to bottom between 2 imaginary lines.

Bring the needle through the fabric at the start of the line on the top left side. Then move across the line and insert your needle on the right edge. With your needle angled and pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch.

Then, keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric. It should look like a shallow, unsecured fly stitch.

Insert your needle on the right edge in the same place, as illustrated. Following this, you will angle your needle downward as illustrated, and make a small stitch.

Keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric to create a loop. This loop is like adding one buttonhole stitch. So it is also this extra loop on the Cretan stitch that gives this stitch its name.

Move across the line and insert your needle on the left edge. With your needle angled as illustrated and pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch. (As you would for regular Cretan stitch)

Keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric.

Insert your needle on the left edge in the same place, as illustrated. Angle your needle downward and pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch.   Keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric to create a loop.

Move across to the right and repeat this process. Continue working downward, back and forth, until the line is worked.

Uses for Looped Cretan Stitch

As you can see, this is a decorative and interesting stitch and would be useful working in trailing lines as part of a floral motif.

Like Cretan, you can work Looped Cretan stitch close together to form a very different pattern in the movement of the stitch. You can vary the length of the wings or the angle of the wings to create interesting effects. Why not try increasing the width of the wing, then return to the established line to create an alternating pattern of wider wings?

You can work this Looped Cretan stitch in a circle to create other organic-like forms.

It is very versatile, and I hope you enjoy experimenting with it.

How to work Beaded Looped Cretan Stitch

You work this stitch using the same method as Looped Cretan stitch, but add a bead to your working thread. I have added a bead after each loop is created. But you can add beads at any of the steps, and each creates a different pattern.

Use a size 26 tapestry needle, as this type of needle is thin enough to take the bead, yet the eye is large enough to take perle #8 or perle #5 thread.

Getting started

Work from top to bottom between 2 imaginary lines.

Bring the needle through the fabric at the start of the line on the top left side. Move across the line and insert your needle on the right edge. With your needle angled and pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch.  Keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric.

Insert your needle on the right edge in the same place, as you did at the first step, as illustrated. Angle your needle downward as illustrated and make a small stitch.   Keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric to create a loop.

Add a bead to your work thread and tuck it up against the last stitch.

Move across the line and insert your needle on the left edge. With your needle angled as illustrated and pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch.  Keeping the thread under the needle, pull it through your fabric.

Insert your needle on the left edge in the same place, as illustrated. Following this, angle your needle downward, pointing towards the centre of the line, make a small stitch.

Then, keeping the thread under the needle as illustrated, pull it through your fabric to create a loop.

Adding beads

Add a bead to your work thread and tuck it up against the last stitch.

Move across to the right and repeat this process. Finally, continue working downward, back and forth, until you have worked the line.