What are stitches for? Types of adhesions and the purpose of their use. Snare or hand copy stitch
There are a lot of seams, not all of them you need to know, at least at this stage of mastering sewing skills. Some stitches are made on the hands, and then they are called “hand stitches”. Other seams - “machine” - are made on special sewing machines.
More often than others in needlework, straight seams are used, such as a forward seam with a needle, a seam behind a needle and a lower stitch.
Seam forward with needle.
This is the simplest seam, and it is performed as follows. Take 2 parts that you need to sew together. Connect them so that the front side of one piece faces front side other details. This is called "face to face". Align the edges of the pieces along which you are going to stitch. Start the line in the right corner and move it from right to left.
Insert the needle into the fabric so that it passes through both layers of fabric and comes out on the opposite side. Then step back a few millimeters to the left and stick the needle in again, this time in the opposite direction. Keep up the good work. Let the needle move forward and forward along the cut of the parts to be joined (Fig. 41). The size of the stitches can be very different - from 2 mm to 4 cm. The larger the stitch, the less durable the seam will be.
Rice. 41. Seam with needle forward
Another name for a forward seam with a needle is “basting”, since it is usually used for temporarily connecting parts - basting.
Stitching forward with a needle makes gathering easy. To do this, make one or two seams along the entire length of the assembly with stitches no longer than 3 mm. When the seams are ready, pull the loose ends of the threads to gather the fabric until required length (Fig. 42). Tie knots on the threads to fix the length of the gather, and distribute the gathered fabric evenly.
Rice. 42. Gathering fabric to the desired length
Seam behind the needle (Fig. 43).
If you do not need to temporarily sweep, but permanently sew two parts together, then it is better to choose a seam behind a needle. Unlike the previous seam, here the needle moves not only forward, but also backward. Step forward one stitch and pull the thread back, insert the needle between the entrance and exit of the previous seam. The result will be small stitches intermittently on the side of the fabric facing you, and a continuous stitch of overlapping stitches on the opposite side.
Rice. 43. Seam behind a needle
Lowercase seam (Fig. 44).
A backstitch is similar in appearance to a stitch made on a sewing machine, but is done on the hands in much the same way as a stitch behind a needle. The difference between a line stitch is that the needle is inserted into the place where the previous stitch came out. The result is that the stitches on both sides form a continuous line without gaps. When making a stitch, try to make stitches of the same length, no more than 6 mm each. Then the seam will look neat and beautiful, as if you sewed it on a typewriter.
Rice. 44. Lowercase stitch
A stitch is used to permanently join parts if it is not possible to make a seam on a machine.
A seam of oblique stitches (Fig. 45).
When hand stitches are not performed straight, but at an angle; seams are made from oblique stitches. They are more reliable than direct ones and are used in several cases:
– for temporary sweeping of sliding materials or materials with long pile (velvet, corduroy, faux fur);
– for temporary sweeping or permanent connection of parts made of highly stretchable materials;
– for processing edges; – for hemming the edge of the bottom of the product. Let's consider the last case in more detail. Since the hem of the skirt has a disgusting habit of coming off all the time, we will sew it on using oblique stitches.
First, the hem needs to be prepared. If the edge of the skirt is sewn with threads, then it is folded only once. If the edge is not processed, then first bend it by 1 cm, and then by another 1–4 cm, so that the raw cut is hidden inside. After this, baste the folded edge with the seam forward using a needle. You already know how to do it. Place the running seam at a distance of 2–3 mm from the fold. Well, now that the hem is basted, you can start sewing the bias stitches.
Rice. 45. Bias stitch seam
Using a needle, grab 2-3 threads of the main fabric at the hem and the same number of threads at the very edge of the hem. The stitch should be as small and inconspicuous as possible from the front side of the skirt. Pull the thread through and make another stitch a few millimeters from the first. Keep up the good work. On the wrong side you will get oblique stitches, but from the face of the product the threads will not be visible.
Cross-shaped seam (Fig. 46).
Cross stitches are most often used as finishing. In some books they advise using them to hem the bottom of products, but this is wrong, as they quickly wear out, and you will have to hem the hem again and again.
A cross-shaped seam, also called a “goat” stitch, is performed as follows. As in the previous case, fold the edge of the product to the wrong side. If we are talking about embroidery or decorative stitching, the fabric does not fold. Use a needle to grab 2-3 threads of the main fabric near the hem, pull the needle towards you, fold the thread back and, diagonally parallel to the hem line, grab 2-3 threads on the folded fabric with a needle. So alternate punctures on the main fabric and on the hem, placing them in a checkerboard pattern. The seam is made from left to right from bottom to top. The distance between stitches should be the same, especially if you are making a finishing stitch in the most visible place of the product.
Rice. 46. Cross stitch
Loop stitch (Fig. 47).
Take the fabric so that its cut faces away from you. Insert the needle from top to bottom perpendicular to the cut and pull the thread. Stepping a few millimeters to the left, make another stitch. When you pull out the thread, make sure that the thread from the previous stitch is under the needle.
A loop stitch is used to process sections of bulk and easily unraveling materials. The seam is made from right to left. If the loop seam is made in the opposite direction - from left to right, then it will be more durable and reliable. In this case it is called "stitch by needle".
Machine stitches.
Sewing by hand is very interesting, but it is long and tedious. It's good if you just need to hem your skirt. What if you sew a whole coat from start to finish? It will take you a few weeks, if not months, on your hands! To speed up the sewing process, in the 19th century it was invented sewing machine. Today, when almost every home has a sewing machine, very little sewing is done by hand: except to fill a hole, sew on a button, or hem a torn hem. In all other cases, use a sewing machine. And machine seams themselves are stronger and more accurate than hand-made ones.
If you have a sewing machine at home, take it out and see what kind of stitches it can make. First of all, it's direct connecting seam, similar in appearance to lowercase. This is the most necessary seam in needlework. Secondly, this is a zigzag seam, which is used both for connecting parts and for overcasting edges so that they do not unravel, and even for processing loops. Thirdly, there are several decorative seams and unique seams for finishing the edges.
Rice. 47. Buttonhole stitch
For professional processing of cuts, there is a special machine - an overlocker. It is expensive, and people who are not involved in professional tailoring do not need it.
So these are also skills that most people around us possess to one degree or another. Probably everyone has sewn on a button at least once in their life.
Now we will not touch upon the generally quite large list of hand stitches, but we will consider those that are, as they say, “well-known” and most in demand in this article.
Hand stitches
We will talk about seams, i.e. the connection of several (most often two) layers of fabric with one or several rows of repeating stitches of the same type.Hand seams are used both for a temporary purpose - connecting parts of products, and as permanent ones - for finishing sewing products, processing cuts, joining parts of products, sewing sewing accessories, etc.
Since hand stitches for temporary purposes are of an indicative nature - these are the contours of parts of patterns on the fabric, the directions of the lines of the middle of the shelves, backs, etc. and should be clearly visible on the material, they are laid with thin cotton threads of a color contrasting with the main fabric.
Threads of temporary hand stitches are removed by cutting the seam every 10-15 cm and carefully pulling out the ends of the threads.
When it comes to hand stitches permanent purpose, it is clear that they are laid with threads that match the tone (i.e., close in color) to the main fabric so that they are as less noticeable as possible on it.
The numbers of threads and needles are selected taking into account the type of fabric and the type of sewing operation (basting, hemming, etc.) that will be performed.
As well as in machine seams, when laying hand seams, a bartack is made at the beginning and end of each seam. Moreover, it does not matter what type of seams are laid - temporary or permanent.
You can simply tie a knot, but, as a rule, bartacks when laying hand seams are done by analogy with machine-stitched seams, using one of the proposed options.
1. The edges (cuts) of the parts to be joined are aligned. The needle is inserted into the fabric from the “back” side towards itself and is pulled, leaving a tail of thread 1-1.5 cm long.
2. When laying temporary stitches, make 1-2 stitches (stitch to stitch) of the bartack through the tap (cuts) of the parts being joined, and 3-4 stitches of the bartack when laying permanent stitches, holding the tail of the thread with your finger.
Depending on the type of stitches being laid - temporary or permanent - the tail of the thread is respectively either
remains, or is cut off and then the necessary seam is applied.
3. All actions are absolutely the same, with the exception of bartack stitches, which are in this case laid parallel to the edges (cuts) of the parts.
0.5-0.7 cm before the completion (or beginning) of the hand seam, a stitch is made in the opposite direction, but the thread is not fully tightened, a loop is formed, into which the thread and needle are drawn away from you and, without tightening the thread, moving towards The thread with the needle is now drawn in the opposite direction into a tight loop, while carefully tightening the thread. Thus, a strong fastening knot is formed.
If this is the beginning of a hand seam, then a seam is laid next, and if this is the end of a seam, then before cutting the thread, the needle and thread are brought into the space of the seam allowances and cut.
This technique of thread cutting reduces the likelihood of the bartack unraveling.
Depending on the type of thread weave, hand stitches can be classified into straight, oblique, loop-shaped, cross-shaped and special.
With the exception of cross stitches and loop stitches, all hand stitches are made from right to left.
In addition to the fact that, regardless of the type of seams (manual or machine), if they are made with high quality, in addition to their main function - connecting elements, parts, units, etc., they also fully perform the function of finishing products.
This means that the seams from under the needles should come out even (in the sense of straight), with evenly tightened threads (unless otherwise specified in the seam laying technology) and with the same distance between the stitches.
The simplest and most frequently used are hand stitches made with straight stitches.
Running stitch (basting stitch) with straight stitches
It is used to temporarily connect parts (marking parts) and create assemblies.
Depending on the type of fabric I used and the type of sewing operation performed in which this seam is used, the length of the stitches is 0.2-5 cm. The running stitch is made with straight running stitches “forward with the needle”.
Temporary: as a rule, it is laid in front of machine seam, therefore it is made at a distance of 0.1-0.5 cm from the contour of the future seam towards the cut, so as not to disturb the integrity of the seam, which will be laid with a sewing machine, when removed.
There are also some recommendations regarding the length of stitches on the front and back sides. So, for example, forming gathers, basting, basting, basting, basting, basting - all this is done with straight stitches of the same length (0.5-5 cm) on the front and back sides.
For applying control marks, fold lines, center lines of parts, etc. more often; In total, different-sized stitches 1-3 cm long are used.
This seam is used to transfer contour lines from one symmetrical side of the product to the other.
Copy seam perform as follows: parts of the product are folded front side inside.
Basting stitches are laid along the marked lines at a distance of 0.3-1 cm from each other; the thread is not tightened, but loops are made 1-1.5 cm high, depending on the thickness of the fabric.
The loop is needed in order to be able to move the layers of fabric apart.
Copy stitches are laid strictly along the contours of the parts. After the running stitches are laid along the entire contour, the parts of the product are moved apart, and the stretched threads are cut in the middle. This way the contours are transferred to symmetrical parts.
That’s why bias stitches are called that because they are laid at an angle to the seam line.
Hand stitches with bias stitches are used when it is necessary that the cut details or layers of fabric do not move relative to each other in any way.
Among other things, hand seams with oblique stitches are much more elastic than hand seams with straight stitches, which does not interfere with the stretching of the fabric.
Oblique stitches are used to make hand stitches for temporary and permanent purposes. Temporary ones include basting (basting) and basting seams.
A basting seam with oblique stitches is used when basting collars, hems, etc.
When making basting seams, oblique stitches are laid with stitches parallel to each other, 0.7-2 cm long, from left to right.
The needle is pulled out of the material from the bottom up (as if towards itself) at a short distance from the edge of the parts and a stitch is laid along the surface of the upper part at an angle to the stitch line from top to bottom through all layers of fabric in the direction from the edge of the part.
Next puncture needles are made along the surface of the lower part from the bottom up through all layers of fabric along a line perpendicular to the edge of the parts being connected towards the stitch line. This creates a basting seam using oblique stitches.
The final step will be a machine stitch laid along the marked lines on the cut parts, after which it is necessary to remove all basting seams and turn the stitched parts or product right side out.
If it is necessary to secure the seams located inside the product, use a basting seam, which is performed similarly to a basting seam.
Most often, the basting stitch is used when processing patch yokes, pockets, collars, etc.
Just keep in mind that due to its remarkable feature of being “tightly” fixed, basting and basting seams are not recommended for use when processing parts made of fabrics with checkered and striped patterns and parts made of light, thin fabrics.
In the first case, wet-heat treatment may distort the pattern, and in the second, the structure of the fabric may change.
The stitches are directed freely, without tightening, the length of the stitches is 0.5-0.7 cm.
One of the representatives of manual seams with oblique stitches for permanent purposes is the overlock stitch, which is often used when it is necessary to process the edge (cut) of the fabric from fraying.
It is performed as follows: at a distance of 0.3-0.5 cm from the edge of the fabric, a needle is inserted into the material perpendicular to the edge from bottom to top from right to left.
This seam is used to permanently connect parts in cases where it is very difficult (one might say impossible) to machine stitch, when a seam of increased stretchability is needed (middle trouser seam) or when it is necessary to secure the thread at the beginning or end of the embroidery.
In any case, this is the strongest seam among all hand seams. The stitches are laid without breaks (gaps). The needle is injected into the place where the needle exited the previous stitch.
At the seam line (a permanent seam is laid only in the indicated directions), a needle is pierced from top to bottom of all layers of material.
On the seam line along the part that is located below, a stitch is made forward and a needle is pierced through all layers of material, but from the bottom up. The distance between the entrance and exit of the needle is 0.1-0.3 cm.
On the seam line along the surface of the upper part, a stitch is made back, inserting the needle into the previous puncture of the fabric from top to bottom.
At the seam line, having brought the needle and thread out, the next stitch is made along the surface of the lower fly and the needle is pierced through the weight of the layers of material from the bottom up. The length of the stitch in this case will be twice as long, since the thread runs along the previous stitch and a new stitch is made.
Then the stitch is laid again, inserting the needle back (behind the needle) into the previous puncture. In this way, a stitched seam is formed using a needle.
Let's consider another type of seams, the essence of which is the same, but there are several options for execution. It's about about the seams included in the group called hemming.
Despite significant progress in the field of sewing technology, the area of processing the bottom edges of products cannot yet abandon handmade, and this is where hemming seams are most often used. Let's look at the most commonly used ones.
We remember that to make hemming stitches, the threads are selected to match the tone of the fabric (do not compare with visual illustrations, since for clarity only contrasting colors).
Whatever hemming stitch you choose, before you start working, you need to prepare the cut (edge) of the product for processing.
First, you need to bend the entire hem allowance of the product and fix it 0.5-1 cm from the fold in any way convenient for you (pin or baste).
Then bend the cut (edge) directly of the product allowance 0.5-1 cm from the cut (edge) and also fix it, stepping back from the edge of the resulting fold by 0.3-0.5 cm.
Iron both folds. The result was a folded edge with closed cut. Now you can proceed directly to the hemming process.
A simple hemming stitch is used to secure a folded edge on the wrong side of a product, for example, to hem the bottom of a product.
It is performed as follows. The thread is secured in the fold of the hem allowance and then, grabbing 1-2 threads from the wrong side of the product in the direction from the wrong side of the product, the tip of the needle is brought under the allowance and the needle is brought out to the side of the allowance through the entire thickness of the folded cut at a distance of 0.3-0, 5 cm from the fold of the folded cut.
The stitching direction is from right to left. And so on until the end of the treated area.
A blind hem stitch is used for the same purposes - to secure the processed part or hem the product on the wrong side of the product. The only difference is that it is done in such a way that the seam lines are not visible, neither from the front side nor from the back.
To do this, the folded edge with a closed cut is folded over to the front side of the product and the seam is laid along the front surface of the top fold of the hem allowance and along the back surface of the product no higher than the level of the top fold of the hem allowance.
The blind hem stitch is made from right to left. There are several ways to perform a blind hem stitch.
A blind seam with unequal blind loop stitches is performed in this way - the hem allowance with a closed cut is folded to the front side of the product, 0.3-0.4 cm from the fold line top cut allowance for the hem of the product, and a tack is made in the hem allowance, at a distance of 0.1-0.2 cm from the edge of the hem.
Again, with a slight tilt to the left, the needle is inserted into the surface of the front side of the folded cut (edge) of the hem allowance of the product 0.1-0.2 cm from the top fold of the hem allowance, passes between two layers of fabric: the hem allowance and the top fold hem allowance and is brought out after 0.5-1 cm again to the front side of the folded cut of the hem allowance.
That is, the needle passes only one layer of fabric - the top fold of the hem allowance and comes out of the same layer. And thus we move until the hem is completed. Do not tighten the thread.
And the second option - blind seam using identical loop stitches.
The technology for making this seam is similar to the technology for sewing with unequal hidden loop stitches.
The only difference is that when a needle and thread are inserted into the front side of the folded cut (edge) of the hem allowance, it does not stretch 0.5-1 cm, but only picks up 1-2 threads on this surface and returns back to the surface the wrong side of the product.
The needle seems to jump from the surface of the back of the product to the front surface of the fold of the hem allowance - back and forth, back and forth.
The task comes down only to control that the jumps (in the sense of picking up 1-2 threads) are uniform and asymmetrical relative to each other.
It doesn’t matter how the product is hemmed, it is important that the result in both cases (provided, of course, that the work is done efficiently) justifies the name of the seam - a hidden seam. The hemming thread is not visible either from the front side or from the back side.
The seam is used to fix hems of open, unprocessed sections of product parts or the products themselves made from fraying fabrics. This seam is from the “2 in 1” series, i.e. both the raw cut of the product is processed and the hem allowance for the product is fixed.
This seam has a unique technology: the seam itself moves from left to right, but the needle moves from right to left. And the needle jumps, as in the previous example, from one surface to another.
The hem allowance is folded over to the wrong side of the product, fixed (with pins or basting) and ironed, i.e. the wrong side of the hem allowance (hem) is aligned with the wrong side of the product.
WITH back side hem facing the wrong side of the product, a tack is made (in this case you can simply tie a knot) and the thread is brought to the front side of the hem from bottom to top at a distance of 0.4-0.5 cm from the raw cut.
Directing the needle point from right to left, i.e. in the opposite direction, with an inclination to the right from the thread exit, the needle picks up 2-3 threads on the surface of the wrong side of the product 0.2-0.3 cm above the raw cut and the thread is pulled through them.
Without changing the direction of the needle, from left to right, at a distance of 0.5-0.7 cm from the first needle puncture and at the level of the first needle puncture, 2-3 threads are picked up on the front surface of the hem and the thread is pulled through them.
This is how, alternating between picking up the threads from below and from above, a hemming seam is laid using cross stitches.
Source - Bible of Cutting and Sewing magazine
Hand stitches very often come to the aid of good housewives. Using hand stitches, you can join two cut parts, finish the edge of trousers, or decorate open areas of clothing, bags, and other items.
Seam “forward needle” (Seam No. 1)
The seam will help temporarily hold two pieces of fabric together. How is it done? Pass the needle and thread forward from right to left. There can be any number of stitches, it all depends on the size of the parts. The following method can save time on such a seam: raise several stitches on the needle at once. The stitch length can be different: from 5 mm to 10 mm. Many needlewomen alternate lengths.
Copy stitches (snares, seam No. 2)
This seam acts as a copier. For example, a seamstress needs to copy a dart line. The stitch resembles the previous temporary stitch, but the stitch is not tightened. Hand stitching produces slack stitches. When the entire sewing operation is completed, the fabric moves apart and you need to use scissors to cut the resulting gap along the sagging stitches. IN finished form The snares are obtained in the form of small scraps of thread, but they are on those sides of the fabric where you need to see the stitching line.
Running seam (seam No. 3)
This seam is used if you need to temporarily fasten two parts together (for example, a sleeve along the side sections) or before preparing for fitting, to lay a machine stitch. The seam has another name. THIS basting. It is performed as a “forward needle” seam.
Blind stitches (seam No. 4)
The seam is used for hemming hems of dresses, trousers and other similar sewing operations. From the wrong side, use a needle to pick up 2-3 threads and the basted edge, and tighten the needle and thread. This technique will allow you to have the front side of the product clean, without any stitches. The stitches are visible from the reverse side of the product. The hem of the dress should be folded over once with the hem closed.
Loop stitch (seam No. 5)
This type of hand stitching is considered decorative. It resembles a seam on an overlocker (only by hand).
The work begins with an over-the-edge stitch. Thread a needle and thread into the loop formed and tighten. The loop stitch is ready. Using this method, you can make loops on the product (the stitches should lie tightly to each other).
Seam "over the edge"
This type of hand stitching is used to finish open edges on fabric. The stitches are applied along an oblique line. The distance between stitches is 0.5 cm.
One of the simplest types of needlework is embroidery. Ornament line or beautiful pattern will decorate any thing: dress, blouse, bag, napkin, tablecloth or pillow.
Finishing seams
Seam "forward with a needle"(Fig. 1) is the simplest. It is used to simulate and outline the contours of a drawing. The needle and thread are passed into the fabric from right to left, all the time forward, picking up one or more stitches. This stitch is used to embroider patterns on blouses, napkins, and bags.
Stitch seam(Fig. 2) resembles a machine stitch. On the front side the stitches are adjacent one to one, and on the reverse side the stitch length is equal to two stitches on the front side.
Stem seam(Fig. 3) are performed from left to right. The point of the needle is always directed to the left, and each new stitch begins by stepping back, i.e. right. On the front side the stitches go one after another, and on the reverse side they create a line. The contours of the design (for example, stems, flowers, leaves) are embroidered with a stem stitch and marks are made on the linen.
Loop or slip stitch(Fig. 4), used for binding loops, hemming edges, and embroidering. The seam is made from left to right. The thread is always in front of the needle, making a loop. Depending on the width, height and direction of the stitches, you can complicate the seam by twisting.
Chain or chain stitch(Fig. 5), is a series of loops that come out one from the other, resembling a chain on the front side, crocheted, and on the reverse side - machine stitching. It is performed from top to bottom or from right to left, securing the loop with one or more small stitches. The tambour loop may be different forms, and this makes it possible to create many patterns. Leaves and flower petals are embroidered with this stitch.
Herringbone seam(Fig. 6) resembles a buttonhole stitch or an open chain stitch. It is used for finishing products. There are many variations of this seam.
Goat or cross stitch(Fig. 7), perform from left to right. You can use a goat stitch to decorate clothes and linens, hem the hem of a dress or skirt, or connect the edges of two fabrics.
Verkhoshov "verkhoplut" or Vladimir seam(Fig. 8), performed with long stitches. Very thick threads (mostly red) are often used.
Stitches are placed from the center of the pattern to the edges and back. On the front side of the fabric we get the main pattern, and on the reverse side we get an outline with small stitches. This stitch is used to embroider flowers and leaves, different figures, decorating clothes and household items.
Cross stitch
Half-cross or painted seam(Fig. 9) - a double-sided seam, which is performed in two stages - forward and backward. First, stitches are laid along the contour of the pattern from left to right "needle forward", and then from right to left fill the gaps from the previous row.
You can embroider with a cross on linen-bound fabrics, on canvas or along contours marked with dots. Cross stitch or cross stitch(Fig. 10), consists of two crossed stitches. Stitches are placed from left to right first, and overlapped from right to left.
Cross stitch patterns are shown in Fig. 11.
Double, or Bulgarian cross(Fig. 12) are performed with four straight stitches - two diagonal and two mutually perpendicular. First, a simple cross is embroidered, then a vertical stitch is made, and it is covered with horizontal stitches from left to right.
The edges of two canvases can be connected in several ways, as shown in Fig. 13.
Embroidery with beads, bugles, beads, artificial pearls
You can decorate with beads, bugles, beads and artificial pearls Evening Dress, handbag, wallet, etc. For the base we recommend velvet, satin, silk, woolen and cloth fabrics, linen with lavsan.
Threads for embroidery must be strong, “waxed” (coated with wax) so that beads or glass beads do not fray them, and matched to the color of the fabric. For work, use round or faceted beads, single or multi-colored - depending on the pattern. You can also use glass beads and glitter.
They embroider according to a design applied to the fabric or along a canvas, which is then drawn out. Each bead is sewn to the fabric along the contour of the pattern. The beads are sewn end to end or at some distance. You can also lay out a thread with beads strung along the contour and attach it to the fabric with another thread, sticking a needle into the spaces between the beads.
For embroidery with beads, you can use cross stitch patterns: each sewn bead will correspond to a cross on the pattern. Sew the beads using half-cross stitches, slanted in one direction (so that the beads lie flat).
It is better to embroider with glass beads using the top stitch.
Figure 14 shows patterns for embroidering a wallet or handbag. Petals can be embroidered in white and pink beads or bugles, with yellow and green stems in the middle.
Today it’s time to study the means of artistic representation in embroidery - various stitches. Be patient, read the article to the end, motivation and inspiration awaits you!
I will say right away that with such an incredible variety of stitches and techniques in embroidery, we will consider only the most important and interesting, in my opinion, my favorite embroidery methods.
Cross. I’ll start with the simplest, but at the same time the most significant element and method of embroidery. We have already talked about its connection with the rituals and beliefs of the ancient Russians in the first part of our conversation about embroidery. The cross was considered protection from dark forces and any evil. It is still used for the same purposes. The cross is laconic and beautiful, but its most magical and incredible property for me is that thanks to the little prickly hedgehog, pictures are created. It's all about the size and number of these "hedgehogs", of course. Crosses are like pixels: the more there are, the clearer and more realistic the image.
The thread consumption will be less, the work will progress much faster, the embroidery will look neater if you first embroider the lower diagonals of all the crosses (for example: from right to left from bottom to top). And then you will finish the crosses with a perpendicular crossbar (for example: from left to right from bottom to top). Note! The figure shows a way to save time: it is not necessary to pull the needle under the hoop and then return it to the front side of the embroidery. You can make a stitch with one movement and immediately find yourself in in the right place! 🙂 Here’s a little trick.
When people talk about cross stitch, it immediately seems simple. cross or "Russian cross", but there are many more types of cross stitch.
I will dwell briefly on the complex (double) cross and on the counted surface.
Double cross or "Bulgarian cross" looks a bit like a snowflake and consists of two crosses superimposed on each other with a shift.
Cross stitch also includes countable surface. Let me remind you that this stitch is called “counted” because the length of the stitch is determined by the number of warp (canvas) threads.
Now it would be logical to get acquainted with the namesake of the counting surface - with uncountable surface. In Rus' it was called Surface finished embroidery even and smooth as satin. Satin differs from counted satin stitch in that the length and direction of its stitch are determined only by the contour of a particular embroidery detail.
It is important to prepare the “flooring” - it is like a skeleton for musculoskeletal tissue, like a foundation for a future home. The flooring can be the outline of an embroidery detail (leaf, petal, etc.) “circled” by a chain stitch or other stitch (we will look at the chain stitch later).
If the embroidery piece is large in size, then flooring (as I call it) is necessary over its entire area, which is often done with threads to match the background. The flooring stitches can be quite rare; they should not cover the entire area of the part, but it is important that they are perpendicular to the future main satin embroidery. This “foundation” will support the top embroidery, make it voluminous, and give it a neat and even appearance. The knit (top) stitches of the satin stitch itself will not fall or sag. Also pay attention to the tension of the thread while embroidering so that the stitches lie tightly, but at the same time do not tighten the fabric.
For extra volume, the piece can be embroidered using satin stitch in two layers, the stitches of which will be perpendicular to each other.
The next number in our program will be the “chain” or “tambour” seam - this is a continuous chain of loops coming out of one another. The loops can be small or large depending on the thickness of the thread and the length of the stitch being performed. Using a tambour chain, various patterns are embroidered along a free contour or the entire plane of the motif is covered in rows. This seam also has its own variations and complications.
"Loop with attachment" can be considered a type of chain stitch or rather a separate element of it.
And now on our stage there is a “French knot” - dearest visual medium in embroidery! With its help you can easily add volume and charm to your work. You can see for yourself what different images can be created with the help of this small and remote knot. 🙂
Meanwhile, it is done very simply: a needle is wrapped around two circles of thread, stuck into the fabric near the end of the thread coming out of the fabric, and pulled through these loops. The knot is ready!
The next seam is rococo. M This is not the name that reminds me of a chicken. 🙂 And if the “French knot” is a chicken, then Rococo is its mother, because Rococo is a complicated interpretation french knot, In my opinion. For rococo, the needle needs to be inserted at a distance from the thread exiting the fabric, and when the end of the needle appears next to the thread coming out of the canvas, you need to wind a little more loops of thread around it than for a knot. After you pull the needle and thread through the loops, you will get a “caterpillar” or “smile”, as you like. We lay it out as required by the design and composition of the embroidery, and fix it by sticking a needle into the fabric in the right place. Please note that the thread must be completely covered by the loops: the “caterpillar” should be dense. To do this, the number of turns of the thread around the needle must correspond to the distance between the thread exiting the fabric and the subsequent entry of the needle into the fabric. You can tighten and tighten the loops on the thread a little, but not indefinitely.
Rococo is most often used for embroidering flowers and leaves.
And now... My beloved . When my mother taught “workshops” (labor) at a pedagogical school, she at will mastered this type of needlework, although she already possessed and possesses an impressive set of creative skills. In the evenings, I watched with rapture as my mother worked magic with the hoop and performed miracles with threads...
In my opinion, the most unpleasant thing about hemstitching is that it’s boring and rather labor-intensive process pulling threads from fabric (pulling) to create a “springboard”: for further creativity. And then you need to arm yourself with some kind of optics and provide good lighting (as for any type of needlework). If you have patience, you are guaranteed a masterpiece! Merezhka is the spirit folk embroidery! It is incredibly beautiful, original and gentle! See for yourself:
There are different hems. There are types of hemstitching designed to work with “tracks” (as I personally call holey, perforated striped spaces on fabric). And there are types of hemstitching suitable for decorating and processing the corners of the future pattern.
To avoid disappointment, you need to start with a “short distance race” - with simple type hemstitch and short “track”. When positive result will inspire you, you can take on more difficult versions of this end-to-end embroidery. Go for it!
In my opinion, hemstitch is the sister of weaving and a relative of macrame.
I bow before the beauty and nobility of yet another type of embroidery. Meet us! Magnificent in person. Just like hemstitching, this embroidery method is borderline with other types of needlework. Richelieu is very similar to lace. Cutwork is also close to knitting and macramé because it contains “hinged” (as I call them) elements over pieces of fabric that will later be cut out. These constrictions woven from threads, similar to rope bridges over an abyss, like Atlanteans, support the entire composition and the central fragments of openwork, end-to-end embroidery.
The next seam that we will consider is stalked. With your permission, I will end there. But don't rush to leave. 🙂 At the end of this article the most interesting things await you!
This was our last “exhibit” for today. But please, read the publication to the end.
If all this time you have been admiring the products of masters, admiring pictures and photographs, and sadly thought that creating such masterpieces was beyond your capabilities... I will give you reasons that can inspire you.
1. In China there lives a woman who was born without arms in the literal sense of the word. The most amazing thing is that she is a talented embroiderer!
Agree that after this, talking about yourself as full and healthy: “armless” or “arms grow from the wrong place” is simply a sin!
2. The modern world offers so many different devices to help that facilitate the creative process and help you get pure pleasure from embroidery.
Convenient lamps with magnifying glasses are at your disposal to protect your eyesight. Hoops of various sizes, shapes and models have been designed, as well as entire installations for securing fabrics during embroidery.
3. We have much more opportunities, time and energy for creativity for pleasure than our great-great-grandmothers, who had a subsistence economy with domestic animals and birds, a vegetable garden, as a rule, large families and hard physical labor in the fields.
4. You can not only enjoy the creative process, but also use the result (the product of your activity). It can be a wonderful gift for family and friends, a talisman for your home, or a decoration for yourself. Some people also receive financial rewards for their hobby, like the Fair masters, for example.
5. And finally, the most important thing, in my opinion! Creativity gives modern woman an opportunity to feel like a little fairy, a kind sorceress, a creator of comfort and a good atmosphere in the house. Embroidery or another type of creativity can make you an even more “kind and happy” woman, wife, mother, sister, friend... Any handicraft is many times more beneficial for mental balance and health in general than watching TV series or gossiping with neighbors. Creativity helps relieve stress, find inner harmony and peace.
Therefore, be creative and be happy, dear sorceresses!
