Woven Trellis Stitch

Hand embroidery stitches / Stitch Dictionary

Woven trellis stitch is a fun woven stitch. And since it adds texture to a piece, it can make for an unexpected element that can really lift a piece and add appeal. With a bead added to the middle, it can look like flowers. Woven Trellis Stitch is also very effective if you use a hand-dyed variegated yarn. If you want a contemporary feel, try working this stitch off the grid.

How to hand embroider Woven Trellis Stitch

With woven trellis, you work a group of foundation stitches onto which you weave. Use a blunt tapestry needle so that as you weave the threads, you do not split them by accident.

Start by working 12 straight stitches clustered in groups of 3, arranged radiating from the middle of a circle, as illustrated above.

Bring the working thread up through the fabric in the middle. Using a blunt tapestry needle, begin weaving by sliding the needle from one side to the other, picking up the two outer threads, skipping the middle thread. Pull the thread through firmly but not too tightly.

Turn the needle and continue weaving by sliding the needle from one side to the other, picking the middle thread. Pull your thread through. Then continue in this back-and-forth motion until you have woven the length of the foundation stitches. As you weave, use the needle to pack the petal so that it is firm.

Continue weaving until it is packed firmly to the base.

Take the thread to the back and bring the needle out at the centre of the motif ready to work the next set of foundation stitches. Work until you have woven each section, and take the thread to the back and secure it with two small back stitches.

This is a fun stitch that looks great if you use hand-dyed or variegated threads. And for extra zest, add a bead in the middle. I hope you enjoy Woven Trellis Stitch.

Enjoy your stitching!

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 embroiderers’ 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.