Shell Chain is a member of the chain stitch family and a form of double chain stitch, which is a lot of fun to do. Below is a freeform sample worked in a variety of threads, including satin ribbon and hand-knitting yarn! The ribbon is about 1/4 inch wide. I used 25-count linen for the base fabric. A weave of this count has quite a bit of give, which enables me to get a thick tapestry needle and thread through it without having to tug, pull, and carry on.
Shell chain stitch can be easily worked in a circle or on a curve. And you can emphasise the effect by angling the needle further left or right. It is a fun and interesting linear stitch. Is is also effective as an edging stitch too. But if you layer it, you can build up some very interesting textures with it too!
How to work Shell Chain Stitch
Begin with a small chain stitch.
Then insert your needle to the right of the first chain stitch.
Bring the needle up through the fabric to the left side of the line as illustrated. Wrap the thread under the needle point and pull the needle through the fabric.
This forms the first shell chain stitch.
To continue down the line, make a chain stitch emerging from the last chain loop. Insert your needle into the left side of the loop as illustrated.
Bring the point of the needle up through the fabric as illustrated. With the thread wrapped under the needle point, pull the needle through the fabric.
Bring the point of the needle up through the fabric further down and to the right of the line, as illustrated. With the thread wrapped under the needle point, pull the needle through the fabric.
Work this way along the line.
I have a beaded version of this stitch too! Check it out here
My samples are here.
http://hobbysewing.blogspot.com/2020/12/tast-46-beyond-tast-46.html
Hi Sharon, I love this stitch and the possibilities. I don’t have a blog but I will share this stitch with my CQ buddies at our next meeting. Thanks for the inspiration! Cindi
Thanks Cindi I am pleased you have fun with it
Hi Sharon,
Beaded shell chain stitch sampler is here-
http://jizee6687.wordpress.com/category/tast-2014/4-98-beaded-shell-chain-stitch/
Thank you,
Chitra
Hi Sharon,
I started this stitch sampler. the details are here-
http://jizee6687.wordpress.com/category/tast-2014/3-97-shell-chain-stitch-2/
Thank you,
Chitra
Finally I have worked the beaded version:
http://queeniepatch.blogspot.jp/2014/02/tast-98-beaded-shell-chain.html
Hello all,
I’m back after a long break and here is my stitch.
M
http://theworkingneedleandpen.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/thursday-6-february-2014/
Finally I got it right!
http://queeniepatch.blogspot.jp/2014/02/tast-97-shell-chain-stitch.html
Hello Sharon, I did not get the last tree stitches and it was Annet who sent them to me. I re-registered Pintangle.com. I would not like to miss any of your stitches. Thank you for all of them.
I’m back to stitching in TAST and have blogged my work, errors and all at
http://crazyqstitcher.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazyqstitcher/
I really liked this one — especially beaded every other stitch:
http://210920746822434353.weebly.com/1/post/2014/01/take-a-stitch-tuesday-2014-stitches-97-and-98.html
A very beautiful stitch. I have seen in before in Totsuka Embroidery Stitch Book #3, but it has no name. It is simply called ‘Chain stitch variation no 13’ and described as a combination of Chain stitch and Open chain stitch. It is so nice to have a name to a stitch. It will be fun to work!
I, too was not expecting a new stitch today. You got me scurrying to stitch the beaded chain stitch from last week and also the shell chain stitch for this week. I will do the beaded shell chain stitch next week. Thanks so much Sharon, I really enjoy learning the new stitches!
http://princessbubblescreates.blogspot.ca/
Angela and all I won’t be doing a new stitch next week – so folks will have time I was just trying to get a ahead a bit as I have a busy time coming up.
A brilliant stitch, Sharon. Thank once again.
I didn’t expect a new stitch today and now you treated us with 2! My soup is bubbling, so I had some time to write a blog post about my old shell chain stitches:
http://fat-quarter.blogspot.nl/2014/01/old-shell-chain-stitches.html
Hi Annet it won’t be every week – but I thought I would get in everyones good books and a a couple of stitches this week
Hi please, excuse my english which is not perfect, but,
merci Sharon pour ces quatre nouveaux points.
très faciles et sensasionnels.
The “Bead link chain stitch” is complitly different with long bead than ordinary ones.
and i receive two mails each day: one at twenty one on monday in France and the same at seven on tueday-in France. Is it normal?
l’essentiel est de les recevoir!
Merci encore
A mardi
Anna
Anna it sounds like you have subscribed to the email twice. At the bottom of the-mail will be a cancellation for the subscription. It will read
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gorgeous! Ilike it thank you very much
have a good day
michele
Merci Sh