Turkman Stitch

 

Turkman stitch is simple and quick to work. You can use Turkman stitch as a linear stitch and as a filling. It will also follow a gentle curve. It is worked between two imaginary parallel lines down the fabric swinging back and forth, from side to side.

Some people classify Turkman stitch as a form of double chain stitch and others classify it as a closed feather stitch. Some books have the point of the needle angled further inwards for double chain and for Turkman, the point of the needle follows the outer edge of the line. In many ways, depending on how you view this stitch, it could be either.

How to work Turkman stitch

Bring the needle out at the top left line, and insert the needle on the right line and make a small vertical stitch in a downward motion, so that the needle’s point reappears on the right line.

Keeping the thread under the needle’s point, then pull the thread through the fabric to make the first stitch.

Next, insert the needle on the left line, very close to where the thread emerged and take a small vertical bite of the fabric.
Keeping the thread under the needle’s point, pull the thread through the fabric to make the stitch.

Insert the needle on the right line, catching the loop and make a small vertical stitch in a downward motion so that the needle’s point reappears on the right line.

Work these movements alternatively down the row, but notice that as the row is worked, each stitch catches the previous stitch.

I hope you enjoy the stitch!

Thread Twisties!

Experimenting with different threads can be expensive, as you would normally have to buy a whole skein of each type of thread. So I have made up my thread twisties. These 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 so that twisting them around a needle makes experimental hand embroidery an interesting journey rather than a battle. These are all threads I use regularly. You may find a similar thread twist but no two are identical.

You will find my thread twisties in the Pintangle shop here.