Take a Stitch Tuesday Week 5 Basic TAST
This week I am introducing Detached Chain stitch. Many people know detached chain as Lazy Daisy stitch because stitchers have long enjoyed using this stitch to create the petals of little flower motifs. Detached chain is a fun stitch that is quick and easy to do.
My Tip! The trick is to not pull the stitch too tight. A tight tension will pull the curve of the stitch into a tighter line. In other words, you will create thin petals to your daisies. Keep the tension a little loose but not so loose they are floppy and you will have generous flower petals. For instructions on how to work this stitch visit the Detached Chain Stitch page in my stitch dictionary for a step-by-step tutorial.
The sample at the top of the page consists of 3 detached chain stitches worked in fine wool. I have placed two straight stitches between the detached chain stitches and then topped the motifs off with a little seed bead. The fabric is a hand-dyed Aida.
Take a Stitch Tuesday Week 5 Beyond TAST
A fun variety of detached chain stitch that is easy to work and wonderfully adaptable is Long Tail Chain stitch. It is simply a detached chain stitch (or Lazy Daisy) with a longer tie-off stitch. In my tutorial for Long Tail Chain stitch there are some techniques for you to explore, have fun with, and combine. As a stitch, it lends itself to beading, and other techniques such as lacing and whipping to the spokes, are effective too. It is not too complicated and relatively quick to work and produces interesting results. I hope you have fun with it!
Just a quick reminder as next week being the first week of the month we will have our second design challenge for the year. I am looking forward to seeing what everyone has done!
Where to share your Take a Stitch Tuesday Week 5 samples
If you are new to hand to embroidery the challenge is to learn the stitch and share what you have learned. If you are an experienced embroiderer, enjoy Beyond TAST and give your work a modern twist. And of course, share it online so beginners can see what can be done with a little imagination.
If you are doing the design challenge you have a month to work on your design and stitch it up.
So the idea is to stitch a sample, photograph it, share it in the Take a Stitch Tuesday facebook group or use the hashtags are #TASTembroidery and #PintangleTAST on Instagram.
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You can have Pintangle including TAST delivered to your inbox — just type in your email address and click on the Subscribe button below. Then check your email inbox for a confirmation email and click the link to confirm your subscription. If you don’t see a confirmation email, check your spam folder — sometimes the computer puts it there.
If you need more information the challenge guidelines are on the TAST FAQ page.
Thread Twisties!
Experimenting with different threads can be expensive. You would normally have to buy a whole skein of each type of thread. My thread twisties are a combination of different threads to use in creative hand embroidery. These enable you to try out stitching with something other than stranded cotton. For the price of just a few skeins, you can experiment with a bundle of threads of luscious colours and many different textures.
These are creative embroiders threads. With them, I hope to encourage you to experiment. Each Twistie is a thread bundle containing silk, cotton, rayon and wool. Threads range from extra fine (the same thickness as 1 strand of embroidery floss) to chunky couchable textured yarns. All threads have a soft and manageable drape. Twisting them around a needle makes experimental hand embroidery an interesting journey rather than a battle. Many are hand dyed by me. All are threads I use. You may find a similar thread twist but no two are identical.
You will find my thread twisties in the Pintangle shop here.
