Thursday, March 10, 2011

100 Stitches - double back stitch

Here is the very difficult to photograph but easy to do double back stitch! This is the top or right side of the fabric:and this is on the underside of the fabric! This beautiful stitch is #16 on the 100 Stitches list.According to 100 Stitches, this stitch is used for "shadow work" and is to be stitched on fine, transparent fabric. Here I am using a white organza: Basically, this stitch is two rows of back stitches on the top of the fabric. They are connected by the needle alternating diagonally from one row to the other on the underside of the fabric. 100 stitches points out that you could work this stitch on either the top of the fabric or the underside. I am working from right to left on the top side of the fabric. The first step is to come up through the fabric.Next, go back down through the fabric a little to the right of where your floss first emerged:Pull through and this makes a small stitch:Come up through the fabric below where your floss first emerged: Pull through, this will create a diagonal line of floss on the underside of the fabric. Go back down into the fabric a little to the right: This makes a small stitch. Come back up throught the fabric a little to the left of the very first stitch you made:This creates another diagonal line of floss under the fabric, forming an "x". Pull through and go back into the fabric right where your floss first emerged - sort of like a back stitch: Pull through and come back up through the fabric a little to the left of the first stitch on the bottom row: Go back into the fabric, next to the first stitch on the bottom row: Come back out of the fabric on the top row, to the left of the stitches:
and back in: and to the bottom row: and just continue: until you have a whole row of stitching.Easy and fun to do!This stitch is in the flat stitches section of 100 Stitches.

7 comments:

Farah said...

Hi Kim...
It is the beautiful stitch for a shadow work ... I did some shadow work on scarves quite long before... and I truly in love with this stitch...
Hope you like to pay a visit to my new spring arrangement saved in a cloche
http://craftaworld.blogspot.com/
Love
Farah

donna!ee said...

really enjoy the bigger filler stitches, thank you much AND great change up using the transluscent fabric to see front & back! :)

julia said...

Oh my, this is awesome. Thanks for sharing. I am challenging myself to learn a new technique every month. Last month I tried my hand at Boutis Quilting. This month I'm going to learn the knitted cable stitch. I have done shadow embroidery, but nothing like this. Beautiful! I wish I hadn't already finished my 4 little grandaughters' Easter dresses. My oldest is nearly 11 and doesn't want anything heirloomish at all. She wants trendy. The others are boys. I am going to bookmark this post. Visit me. I mostly sew for my grands and mostly do heirloom type sewing. Or at least that's what I try to do mostly.

Julia said...

I left the comment above, but realized I wasn't coming to you from my blog so it won't link. My friend, who is also a blogger, saw your post and thought I would enjoy it, so she sent it via email. I linked from there. Anyway, now, I think I'm linked. I just signed up to follow you, too.

Kim said...

Thanks Farah - I love this stitch too!
Thank you Donna!ee - This was a fun stitch to learn.
Hi Julia - So glad you found and like the blog! Your new technique challenge is such a good idea - I am really enjoying challenging myself to learn new stitches. I am also trying to learn quilting - I will have to check out the Boutis Quilting - I have never heard of it. I just looked at the purple Easter dresses you made - just beautiful!!!

MomWaldsPlace said...

Oooh, I've been pondering shadow work for awhile. Spring seems like the perfect time, and you've made it look so easy. Thanks!

Now I'm off to check out the Hand Embroidery Network.

Mahalakshmi said...

Beautiful stitch and it looks easy too..