Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Button Samplers and Two New Stitches


You have spoken. I have listened.

There are a number of patterns that have come out of the feedback you've given me during Embroidery School, and the very first is ready for you! It's a set of three Button Samplers!

These samplers use stitches you have learned, plus a couple of adaptation stitches described below. 

Start with the sampler that uses back stitch. It's the easiest. Then move on the the blanket stitch buttons. Last, move on to the lazy daisy buttons.

The pattern is available as a PDF document and includes the images in forward and reverse for whatever transfer method you choose.

You can use the patterns to make hoop art samplers or you can use the designs to embellish clothing, tote bags, or quilt blocks.


In these samplers, you get to practice the back stitch, french knots, lazy daisy stitch, satin stitch, blanket stitch, and learn two new stitches: crossed buttonhole stitch and up and down buttonhole stitch.


Hold it right there, Allison! We didn't learn buttonhole stitch. 

Actually we did. Blanket stitch is also called buttonhole stitch though these two variations are known as buttonhole stitches. Don't know why and it doesn't matter. What matters is that they are so easy to learn and so lovely, I wanted to add them to the samplers and also teach you two new stitches. 

Head over to the shop and get your patterns so get started on your next embroidery adventure!

New stitches:

Crossed Buttonhole (Blanket) Stitch

Bring the threaded needle from the back of the fabric just to the left of the bottom of a cross.

As shown in the photo, take a stitch under the cross and catch the thread as is normally done in blanket stitch.



Stitch the other side of the cross as shown below. basically, it's just two blanket stitches right next to each other but the inner spokes are crossed.




 Up and Down Buttonhole (Blanket) Stitch

Start the same way you did above or with any blanket stitch. In this case the stitch made is furthest left of the pair of "up and down" spokes.


 Once the actual blanket stitch has been made as shown below, take a small stitch at the corner.



 Bring the needle up at the end of the the other up and down spoke and pull the thread through the small stitch. Then proceed to make the next blanket stitch.



 Make another small stitch and repeat.




Yay! You've learned two new stitch variations to use in the Button Samplers.  

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Play with colors. Add other stitches if you like. Samplers are good for experimenting.

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