I discovered the Buttonhole Wheel Cup while experimenting with buttonhole wheels. I am sure I just re-invented the stitch, and somewhere someone else will have had the same thoughts.
They make great middles to flowers like daffodils, and I use them all over the place in my textured embroidery, as I really like working them. I think I find it appealing because they are so highly textured.
How to make the stitch
To work them, you need to know how to work a buttonhole wheel and then combine them with detached buttonhole. Both of these stitches are found in my stitch dictionary.
Start with working a buttonhole wheel. Space the spokes of the wheel fairly close together, but not packed. If your wheel edge flips up, it is probably because you are not spacing the stitches closely enough together.
Bring your thread out on the edge of the wheel and work a detached buttonhole stitch. I changed the thread colour so you can see what is happening, but normally I would have the same colour thread.
Into the edge of the buttonhole wheel, work buttonhole stitch. Do not work the stitch through the fabric, but around the edge of the wheel. One row will produce a ridge.
Two rows produce a small cup, and three rows, a deeper buttonhole wheel cup, and so forth. You can stitch beads to the middle of the cup or leave it as a textured stitch.
If you want the cup to go straight up, don’t add any stitches. If you want it to flare a little, add an extra detached buttonhole stitch every two or three stitches. To do this, work two stitches into the same hole the same way you would with crochet or knot stitches.
I hope you enjoy this stitch!
My book for creative stitchers
If you enjoy my site you will gain real value from my book: Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery: Visual Guide to 120 Essential Stitches for Stunning Designs
Feeling stale? Wondering how to add sparkle to your embroidery? I have aimed Creative Stitches for Contemporary Embroidery to be suitable for both beginners and seasoned embroiderers. It introduces techniques to encourage your creative interpretations of stitches. I guide you towards discovering play-points in your embroidery by varying the height and width; by stacking stitches; or by filling multiple rows with the same stitch. With creative variations and demonstrations of tiny tweaks, You will be ready to head off down your own creative path and, of course, illustrated with plenty of eye candy!
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Hi Sharon,
I am really sorry to have stopped my sampler for TAST, but my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which had been on the mend, came back earlier this year, and with work & etc I had no other choice but to drop it… But I still look at your blog and at the work of fellow stitchers. I’ll be moving to a sunnier place shortly, and hopefully the climate and less stressful life will allow me at least to finish TAST 2012, and maybe even join TAST 2013 at some point. Excellent idea, thank you very much!
Hi Sharon, yes please with rest breaks. This year I took on far too many challenges and lessons so have not been keeping up with posting my work. I have learned so, so much thank you for this unique opportunity. I look forward to more in 2013.
I would love to go on with Tast. I love the idea of learning something new . I may never use some of the stitches , but the knowledge is there if I want to. Thanks for all you do for us. It must be very tiring for you , but I’m sure glad for what i learn. Thanks , Eileene aka Noiseynana
Hi Sharon, had to drop out for a couple of weeks, due to
ill health (Diabetes ) playing up ! I would love to continue in 2013 ! When I miss a week, do I have to catch up or can I just continue with the current stitch ???
Thank you so much Sharon…….I dearly love Tast !!!!!!
hugs
Chris richards
It’s up to you Chris if you play catch up or not – my philosophy is that the process of learning and quality of the experience that is important not just meeting required number of stitches by a certain date. I think its all a bit pointless if deadlines etc take away from creative experimentation and learning something new. To me the challenge is that to learn not meet a particular number of stitches. I never was a bean counter … But its up to you. Join in on the current week or not – what ever fits your personality.
As I just joined in a few weeks ago, I would love to have the challenge continued next year. It’s such a fascinating learning experience and I just want more 🙂
Thank you a lot Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Thank you for doing this challenge. I would like to explore more stitches . I am looking forward to the continuation of this challenge .
Thank you,
Chitra
I’d love TAST to continue, I do skip weeks if I’ve either done that stitch in a SAL (I do a lot of speciality stitch sals) or I can’t think of anything to stitch with it but later I catch up, usually a few weeks at a time. I’ve found quite a few new stitches that I adore and am using in lots of different ways now. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to learn this way and the hard work you put in. x
I’m so horribly behind that I despair of ever really catching up!! However…
My vote is for concluding this challenge and re-starting a new one in January. It could still be a TAST style thing, but just with a new start so that those who’ve got behind/dropped out can have a clean slate and those who were too late to sign up in time for this year also have a chance to join in formally. A new year is a good time to start afresh with a number of things, so rather than make it that each challenge has 52 elements (and it really doesn’t matter if it has a few less, I feel), I vote strongly in favour of a new start in the new year.
Thanks for all your hard work. Given that it *is* you who does all the work, I also think that you ought to be the one who calls the shots, so you go along with how you feel about it! If you tire of it, then move on. No-one wants you to feel that it’s become a burden and a nuisance!
I started TAST quite late on (week 39 I think), but I have loved it! Embroidery is something I’ve been interested in for a long time but never really took beyond the book-reading stage until now. TAST has really helped to develop my creativity and I love to see what others create. So a hearty YES from me. Thanks for taking the time to organise it.
thank you sharon for introducing TAST among embroidery lovers..i too wish to continue TAST with new stitches..many stitches were there in TAST 2012 which i have never seen before..it will be a golden oppurtunity to learn stitches,share ideas and get encouragements from many other participants in the world..apart from this as a homemaker,its an interesting hobby for many like me…long live TAST!
have throughly enjoyed this tast having joined in the middle of the year and if you have the time and energy to carry on I would love it to continue
yes please do continue.
I visit the blog but don’t do the challenge, but I really would like to so I am thinking of ways I could do it next year anyhow.
A new start for 2013 will encourage me!!!
Thank you for all this hard work.
Dear Sharon, I can’t imagine how life would now be without Tast and without all the wonderful contributions of the stitchin fingers’ ladies and man (ha). It is a wonderful treat if you go on – but I vote for a short (1 month) break for you and us – something like summer holidays or winter vacation depending on where we are living. This “private” challenge acts for me like a band between Australia and Germany widening my horizon in many aspects also because personal contacts have developped and are heartwarming – personal contacts also to European neighbour countries. And to you I can’t but say “Thank you, thank you” for all you are doing for us in this inspiring community.
Yes I would have break over Christmas and a little into the new year as its summer here and Jerry has taken a months leave and our daughter and her partner are coming home for the season. So there definitely would be a break.
I would continue with TAST if you waited until the end of January to start. I still had holiday company when you started this year so was behind from the start. I also like the idea of a new stitch every other week as the new stitches will be more complicated and I wouldn’t feel so rushed to learn the stitches and complete them. Thanks, Sharon. LisaB
Even if I don’t get my stitches done in the “right” time sometimes I’d really enjoy TAST continued. There’s so much joy in learning new things and fiddling out how to use them and looking at those samplers others have been inspired to. Yes, I’d love more of TAST 🙂 and thank you for all this energy you put into it!!
Oh yes, Sharon, would be great to continue learning new and more complex stitches. A break would be fine. I have learnt so much this year and I would like to have time for repeating the new stitches.
Again and again I just can say thank you, Sharon, for all you do for the stitching community. I’m looking forward to learn more stitches, see what others do and share my attempts.
Hi Sharon
I would love the stitches to continue. I know I have not kept up just lately but now have the time to do so. I have really enjoyed the different stitches so far. I started at the beginning of the year with just knowing the very basic stitches that I learnt as a child. I have learnt so much and am looking forward to more complex stitches so that I can explore and make more interesting pieces of work.
Thank you so much for all of the work that you have done so far. Every Tuesday it is like waiting for the postman to call with another gem for me to see and explore.
YES,YES, I certainly want TAST 2013. When I joined TAST 2012 on its 23rd week I never knew that there were so many stitches in embroidery. (I was doing with only the basic stitches like stem,satin,back,french knot and lazy daisy.) A big thank to you Sharon for giving the opportunity to learn so much stitches and I really appreciate. Looking forward for TAST each year ahead.
I’d like to continue please Sharon. I love learning these stitches and I want learn even. thank Sharon…
Please do continue in 2013. A couple weeks break would be a great idea and maybe a catch up week every month or two? Thank you so much for the time and effort you put into this each week! 🙂
Sharon I like TAST very much and will continue one more year. Have made a little book where I collected all the stitches. You make a marvelous job, thank you.
I would love to see TAST continue, even though I haven’t actually taken part this year, though I have kept a list of the stitches, and hopefully soon I will start!!! Continuing next year I just may be able to catch up ggg
I also love to see what people do with the stitches, I think that is the most fun part.
Hi Sharon, firstly we all appreciate the hard work it takes for you to bring this to us. I was glad to see this stitch since I am cheating and putting more than one stitch the buttonhole cup stitch has come at the right time to use thanks heaps.
I am looking forward for TAST 2013. I was not regular due to other personal commitments in TAST 2012. However, I have learned many new stitches in 2012. Thank You Sharon. A few weeks of break should help me catch up with all the stitches I missed in 2012..
Although life has gotten in the way for me to keep up, I do hope you will continue this next year, 2013. I love learning these stitches. Thank you so much for doing this.
I have so enjoyed doing the TAST. I’ve learned so much, Sharon. Thank you. Continuing depends, will you be starting from the beginning again for 2013 with the simple stitches, or will you be continuing with all these new stitches that we are seeing now? I prefer the latter. I like what Kathy said about calling it TAST 2013. I think I would finish off my current sampler and use a different method for my sampler next year. Also, I’m all for any breaks or weeks of rest, anytime, LOL! I like to keep up, so extra time is always welcome.
No I mean to continue with new stitches – not a repeat that is why I asked as the stitches will become more challenging as time goes on
Hi Sharon!
It is a long time since I learned as much as I have done during this TAST challenge. I definately want to learn more! If you run ‘TAST2013’ I will sign up.
or would that be a swinging stitcher?
I’ve been enjoying TAST 2012–my first time doing TAST, and I would like it to continue, although I may ‘swing in and out’ from time to time. Guess that would make me a stitch swinger? ..lol..
I’m going to wrap TAST up by the end of the year. I plan to use what I have learned this year on a large CQ project in 2013. I’ll probably need a full year to practice everything thoroughly before adding more to my stitch stash.
I appreciate your hard work, Sharon! You are a gem.
I must say this year has been a fantastic learning experience. I had no idea there were so many stitches. I have been looking forward to finishing up as well, as Kathy said. If you continue I may follow along, but wonder if a bi-weekly might be a possibility? Or even a monthly? Just a thought.
i think with a few weeks rest after the holidays i might be able to continue with TAST . . . it’s been a good thing to be involved with this group. i love seeing what others do with the stitches as well as practicing and seeing what i can do with them.
a big THANK YOU to you, Sharon, for sharing your knowledge so generously and hosting the TAST project.
🙂
libbyQ
Yes I agree a couple of weeks rest – I need it too. I think during the year a few more breaks would be useful for everyone and practical . Even the odd review week (ie work again any stitch you want explore more of are a bit unsure of type thing )
I am never able to keep up, but TAST is such a wonderful resource and such a feast for the eyes, I would love to see it continue.
Yes please, more. I have enjoyed doing this current one it as have a few mmbers of my classes.
The book I produced was enjoyed at our recent exhibition and I was surprised at how many of our visitors knew about both Pintangle and TAST, both of which were acknowledged fully on the title page. Thank you for your hard, regular and dedicated work!
I have enjoyed learning new stitches but I also have been looking forward to the end. I like completing things. If you continue will you call it TAST 2013? That way when I don’t continue, I will have completed TAST 2012.
Kathy you made me smile. I think of TAST as that and the year just a category, but you can declare TAST 2012 done at the end of year or when ever you choose. It’s up to you as TAST is always a personal challenge and what you learn along the way that is the achievement.
As much as some of the stitches sometimes frustrate me, I’m really learning something with this challenge and would not mind at all if it continued on… (If that sounds wishy washy, it’s because I over-enrolled in challenges this year and am somewhat burning out on them, but most end in December and I’ll have more time to participate and hopefully more imagination to work with!).
I’d like to continue please Sharon. The more Tast I do, the more organized my stitch sample collection becomes.
Earlier I did not label some so have forgotten how to do them or can’t remember what they are called.
I just enjoyed the learning of each.
I wonder how many members have seen your Stitch Dictionary page and ‘Crazy Quilt Seam Treatments’ in the sidebar. Plenty of ideas there to use some of the TAST stitches.
Hello Sharon,
I would be very grateful if we could continue with TAST next year, it’s been fascinating and I’ve learned beautiful new stitches that have all kinds of applications. Thank you. Kind Regards Mandy Currie (mandycurrie@googlemail.com)
Sharon,
TAST is my most favorite and inspiring of all of the challenges that I have done. I get behind at times, but I seem to eventually catch up. It is such a great way to review and learn new stitches. I say yes to continuing it in 2013!
Thanks a bunch.
ValerieL
Hi Sharon
I’m struggling to keep up with the TAST challenge, but I know I will have catch-up time over the festive season, so am not unduly worried. I like the opportunity to learn increasingly difficult stitches and am building up my own sampler with all I’ve done so far. I’d vote to go ahead into next year. Cheers, Carole A in the UK