Buttonholed Cable Chain and Alternating Buttonholed Cable Chain

Buttonholed Cable Chain and Alternating Buttonholed Cable Chain

Hand embroidery stitches / Stitch Dictionary

Buttonholed Cable Chain is, of course, a variety of Cable Chain stitch and you need to be able to work a foundation of Cable Chain. If you need a refresher my tutorial for Cable Chain stitch is here 

Buttonholed cable chain sample

Cable chain differs slightly from regular chain stitch, as Cable chain has an extra bar worked between each chain stitch.  When you buttonhole this stitch it becomes something quite different.

As you first learn this stitch, use a thread with a firm twist. When you master it, try experimenting with other threads. The example is worked in Perle #5 thread. I stitched each journey in different colours so you can see what is happening.

Buttonholed cable chain 1Work a row of Cable Chain stitch, which acts as a foundation.

For the second part of the stitch, work from left to right and bring the needle up through the fabric on the bottom the left-hand side.

Slip your needle under the thread of the first chain stitch, as illustrated. Loop the thread under the needle’s point and pull the needle through to make the first buttonhole stitch.

Buttonholed cable chain 2Work a buttonhole stitch on the side of the chain stitch, being careful not to pass the needle through the foundation fabric. Add more buttonhole stitches along the bar until they sit snugly.

As you work, slide the stitches along the bar in order to space the finished stitches closely together.

Buttonholed cable chain 3When you reach the end of the foundation stitch, move to the next chain skipping the bar between. The bar acts to divide each loop neatly but does not need to be buttonholed.

Buttonholed cable chain 4When you reach the end of the row, turn your work, and buttonhole the other side of the cable chain foundation.

Buttonholed cable chain 5How to work Alternating Buttonholed Cable Chain Stitch

Alternating Buttonholed Cable chain stitch is a variety of Buttonholed Cable Chain in that you start with a foundation row of Cable Chain stitch.

Alternating Buttonholed cable chain 1

On the second journey, work buttonhole stitches on the side of the chain stitch. But be careful not pass the needle through the foundation fabric. As you add more buttonhole stitches, slide the stitches along the bar so that the finished stitches are spaced closely together.

When you reach the end of the foundation chain stitch, slide your needle under the bar between the chain stitches and work buttonhole stitches on the other side of the next chain stitch. Work like this along the line, buttonholing first one side of the chain stitch then, on the next foundation stitch, work the other side.

Alternating Buttonholed cable chain 2It is a fun stitch to work and I can see lots of applications for it.

Alternating Buttonholed cable chain 3

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