Cup Stitch

Time for another 100 Stitches Plus post.  I just learned how to do this interesting stitch - the Cup Stitch.    

For my floss, I used perle cotton - DMC #742

The stitch is made by looping around a triangle foundation formed from three Straight Stitches.  
To make the triangle, I came up through my fabric:

Went back into the fabric at a slight diagonal:

and pulled all the way through to complete the first Straight Stitch.  This forms the left side of the triangle:

Next I came up through the fabric to start to form the bottom side of the triangle:

I pulled all the way through and went back into the fabric at the base of the left side.  

I pulled all the way through, forming the bottom side of the triangle and then I came back out of the fabric at the top of the left side of the triangle:

I pulled all the way through and then went back into the fabric at the right edge of the bottom side of the triangle. 

I pulled all the way through and that completed the triangle foundation: 

To start the looping stitches, I came up through the fabric just below the bottom side of the triangle: 

I pulled all the way through:

Next I brought the needle around and slipped it under the bottom edge of the triangle.  I didn't go into or pick up any of the fabric, I just slid the needle under the triangle edge.  As I slide the needle under the edge, notice the position of the needle to that of the working thread:

First it slides under the working thread and then over the working thread.  This will automatically form the loop when the needle is pulled all the way through:

The first loop:

Next, I brought the needle around and repeated the loop steps - needle sliding under the triangle and then under/over the working thread:

I continued the looping all around the sides of the triangle:

until I was back to where I started.  To make higher sides to the cup, you can do another round of looping stitches all around the triangle. 

I did the second round and then when I was back to the beginning, I went back into the fabric:

and secured my floss underneath:

I like this stitch!  I also like the puffy effect the double stitching gives so I think in the future, when I use this stitch I will always use the double stitching.

This stitch is from the book Embroidery Stitches by Mary Webb.

Whipped Blanket Stitch

I have a stitch from my 100 Stitches Plus list * to share. This is the Whipped Blanket Stitch.  

I have admired this as a decorative stitch,and wanted to learn how to do it.   I found the instructions in the book Embroidery Stitches by Mary Webb.  

The first step is to make a line of blanket stitch.  I used perle cotton floss - this is dmc color variations #3840.  Then I selected a nice contrasting color for the whipping - this blue is dmc #798.

The first step is to come up through the fabric on the right edge - just below the horizontal line of blanket stitching: 

Pull the floss all the way through:

 Then bring the needle around and slide it under the horizontal line of the blanket stitch - in between the two vertical lines of the stitch.  Don't pierce the fabric, just slide on top of it.

 Pull the floss all the way and this will create the first wrap or whip around the horizontal line:

Here is a better look at the whip:

Now, just like before, bring the needle around and slide it down between the next two vertical lines of stitching and under the horizontal line:

Pull the floss through:

and just continue doing those same steps all along the line of blanket stitching.

To finish mine, I just went back into the fabric when I reached the end of the vertical stitching lines: 

 Then I secured my floss on the underside:

This is an easy stitch to do and I am really looking forward to using this as a decorative edging.
I like the contrasting colors!  I also think it would look good with tone on tone or with a metallic floss for the whipping.

This stitch is in the Looped Stitches category.

* 100 Stitches Plus
 You may have noticed in my last post, the "100 Stitches Plus" title with a list of categorized stitches. I will be adding to this list as I continue to learn new stitches - you can read about how this all started and my plans to continue here .  
If you want to see any of the 100 Stitches Plus posts, you can click on the 100 Stitches Plus icon on the left side of this blog or follow the label link.

100 Stitches - Buttonhole Stitch Bars and Double Buttonhole Stitch Bars

Time to show the latest stitch I have learned from 100 Stitches.  Actually, I should say the latest stitches.  These are the buttonhole stitch bars and the double buttonhole stitch bars. They are listed together on the 100 Stitches list.

These are both very easy to do stitches.  According to 100 Stitches, they are used in cut-work embroidery, which I have only done once (remember this disaster?!).  The buttonhole stitch bars (shown on the left) can be used to bridge a large open space and once stitched, you can cut away the fabric underneath it.  The double buttonhole stitch bars can be used as a broad bar between shapes and once stitched, the fabric on either side of the bar can be cut away.

I think both of these look particularly nice done with the pearl cotton variations floss - this is DMC #4025

I drew guidelines for both of the stitches. The buttonhole stitch bars only need one line but the double needs two.

The first example is the buttonhole stitch bars.  This stitch is made up of two straight stitches with a line of buttonhole stitches worked over the straight stitches.  This is worked from left to right. The first step is to come up through the fabric on the left end of the guideline:

Pull through and make a straight stitch by going back into the fabric at the right side end of the guideline.  Now come back up at the right end of the guideline and make another straight stitch alongside the first straight stitch:

Come back up through the fabric at the left end of the guideline, under the two straight stitches:

Bring your working floss around in a big loop and slide your needle under the two straight stitches, don't go into the fabric or pick up any fabric, just slide the needle under the straight stitches.

Then your needle tip should go OVER the working thread at the bottom of the loop.  Keep pulling:

Pull all the way through until a stitch is formed snug up against the straight stitches. 

Now, just like before, bring your working floss around in a big loop and again, slide your needle under the straight stitches and over the working floss.  Work these stitches close together and just keep doing these stitches along the straight stitches:

until you reach the end.  To finish, go back into the fabric and secure your working floss.  Easy!

Now the double buttonhole stitch bars.   The first step for this stitch is to do a running stitch inbetween the two guidlines.  This is to provide padding for the double buttonhole stitch bars:

The first step is to come up through the fabric on the left end of the guideline.  The double buttonhole stitch bars are really just two lines of buttonhole stitches:

Start the first line of buttonhole stitch by bringing your working floss around in a loop but now the needle goes into the fabric on the top guideline and comes out of the fabric on the bottom guideline right to the right of where the thread first emerged.  The needle tip now passes over the working thread:

Pull all the way through and take the working floss around in a big loop and go back into the fabric on the top line a little to the right of your first buttonhole stitch.  You need a little space between these stitches for the second line of buttonhole stitches:

Work this first line of buttonhole stitches from left to right until you are at the end of the bottom guideline.  Go back into the fabric and pull all the way through.

Now turn your hoop around so that the top guideline is now at the bottom.  Come up at the left end:

Bring the working floss around in a loop and put your needle back into the fabric just below the edge of stitches created by the first row of double buttonhole stitch. 

Basically, this row of buttonhole stitches is stitched in the spaces left by the first row:

Stitch to the end and go back into the fabric and secure the thread on the underside:

Here is an underside view of both stitches:

And a final view of the tops:

These stitches are together as number 28 on the 100 Stitches list.  They are in the looped stitches category.