Stitch with Love. Mandy Shaw

for an even row of equally spaced stitches.

       Can be used to:

       Outline an embroidery motif

       Create flower stems

       Fill in a shape when worked in close rows as detail, right

      Right-handers

      Work from right to left. Bring the needle and thread up at the start point. Holding the thread to the left, put the needle back in where it first came out and bring the needle tip out again a little way beyond this point. Make sure the thread is under the needle and gently pull through.

      Put the needle in again beside the last stitch and continue. To secure the final stitch, sew a small straight stitch over the final loop.

      Left-handers

      Work from left to right. Bring the needle and thread up at the start point. Holding the thread to the right, put the needle back in where it first came out and bring the needle tip out again a little way beyond this point. Make sure the thread is under the needle and gently pull through.

      Put the needle in again beside the last stitch and continue. To secure the final stitch, sew a small straight stitch over the final loop.

       LAZY DAISY

      A very pretty stitch related to the chain stitch.

      Can be used to:

       Make lovely flowers

       Create perfect leaves

       Embroider seeds when worked very small

      Right-handers

      Work from left to right. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the top of the petal, hold the thread down with your thumb. Reinsert the needle at the start point and take it up again at the petal tip, keeping the thread under the needle.

      Pull the thread through and, holding the petal down, make a little stitch at the tip to secure.

      Left-handers

      Work from right to left. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the top of the petal, hold the thread down with your thumb. Reinsert the needle at the start point and take it up again at the petal tip, keeping the thread under the needle.

      Pull the thread through and, holding the petal down, make a little stitch at the tip to secure.

      If you pull the stitches tight you get long thin petals, if you sew them loosely they are plump and fat.

       WHIPPED RUNNING STITCH

      Whip a second thread through a line of running stitch for a decorative variation on this simple stitch.

      Can be used to:

       Outline curved motifs

       Create a textured braided effect

       Decorate with contrasting threads

      Right-handers

      Start by sewing the motif with a running stitch. For the best effect, keep the running stitches small. Working from right to left, pull the thread up from behind at the start point and slip the needle over and under one of the running stitches. Continue to whip the thread over in this way until all the running stitches are covered.

      Left-handers

      Start by sewing the motif with a running stitch. For the best effect, keep the running stitches small. Working from left to right, pull the thread up from behind at the start point and slip the needle over and under one of the running stitches. Continue to whip the thread over in this way until all the running stitches are covered.

      To prevent piercing through either the thread or the fabric, use the eye of the needle to whip the thread over the running stitches.

      Working the second thread with a contrasting thread colour creates a wonderful braided effect, which is just perfect for the jam jar lid string in this detail from the Shelf Bunting.

       BLANKET STITCH

      This is a great border or edging stitch.

      Can be used to:

       Appliqué fabric shapes onto a background fabric

       Outline seed packet labels

       Define the edge of self-covered buttons

      Aim to keep the tops of the stitches level.

      Right-handers

      Work from left to right. Bring the needle up on the line of the motif or the edge of the appliqué. Take a stitch down from the line and bring the needle back where you started keeping the thread to the left.

      Insert the needle to the right of the first stitch, down from the line or edge, and bring it back out on the line or edge, making sure the thread is behind the needle. Pull through.

      Continue repeating to make a line of stitches.

      Left-handers

      Work from right to left. Bring the needle up on the line of the motif or the edge of the appliqué. Take a stitch down from and bring the needle back where you started keeping the thread to the right