Next up on the 100 Stitches project is the cable stitch! I am using six strands of DMC #907 floss and a #24 chenille needle on 100% cotton quilting weight fabric.
If you are just learning how to do this stitch, I recommend practicing it on a marked stitching line! I first tried just looking at the picture in 100 stitches and stitching on my fabric without marking a line. I was thinking "I know what I'm doing, this looks simple" - only to find out that the needle needs to follow the stitching line not move to either side of the previous stitch, like the picture seemed to be showing!
This stitch is worked from left to right. First come up through the fabric at the beginning of your stitching line:
Next, go back down through the fabric a stitch length to the right of where your floss just came out and come back up halfway between. Notice that the floss is below the needle:
Now pull the needle through forming a simple stitch. Now repeat the process of going back down through the fabric a stitch length away from where your floss emerged. Bring the needle back up right at the end of the previous stitch and NOTICE the floss is now above the needle action.
Pull all the way through.
Repeat the process and this time the floss will be below the needle again:
Stitch and pull through:
Repeat the process and this time the floss is above the needle and stitching line:
Pull through - now the floss is below the stitching line for your next stitch (this is a slightly different and hopefully helpful viewpoint) Notice that the needle is always on the stitching line!
Just keep stitching with the floss alternating below and above (or left and right) of the stitching line:
And you are doing the cable stitch!
If you look at the underside of your fabric after you have done a line of cable stitches, you wil see that you have a really nice, neat line of back stitches! 
According to 100 Stitches, the cable stitch is also known as side to side stem stitch. The cable stitch is #3 and is in the flat stitches section of 100 Stitches.
Ilove that floss!! The whole time I was reading, I was thinking "that kinda looks like a stem stitch" I'm learning!!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy your 100 Stitches project! Love this color of DMC #907 floss! Have a lovely merry happy day and love to you!
ReplyDeleteThank you both! I love this floss too and I think it makes the stitches so easy to see :)
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