Barb Stitch

There is a new stitch to add to my 100 Stitches journey.  This is the Barb Stitch.  

This stitch requires two threads.  One for the foundation stitches and one to whip around the foundations stitches.  The threads can be the same color or contrast in color or texture.  I chose to contrast in both color and texture.  I am using perle cotton floss and metallic floss:

The Barb Stitch is made by forming two rows with Blanket Stitch that are then whipped.  The Blanket Stitches should be arranged so that their spines are together in the middle. 

The first Blanket Stitch row is started working left to right:

The first row of Blanket Stitch is finished and then the next row is started: 

To whip these stitches, first come up through the fabric on the left side of the Blanket Stitches:

Then whip around the two spines of the Blanket Stitches.  Notice that the needle is not going back into the fabric but just sliding over it and under the stitching:

and finish the whipping by going back into the fabric and the right side end of the Blanket Stitches:

Here is a look at the underside of this stitch.  

I learned this stitch from Embroidery Stitches by Mary Webb.

Embroidered Valentine Heart

 

This beautiful flower-filled heart is from my Be Mine Valentine hand embroidery pattern.  

The stitches I used are so simple!  The outline of the heart is the Pekinese Stitch.  The flowers are Lazy Daisy Stitch with a Straight Stitch for added dimension.  The decorative dots are all French Knots:

You might notice that I used DMC Blanc perle cotton thread for all the white and DMC 349 six strand cotton for all the red.  I used all six strands for the outline, but three strands for all the interior work.