TAST #136 Knotted Buttonhole Band

We have already learned several beautiful embroidery stitch bands and bars in the ongoing Take A Stitch Tuesday course. The latest one, #136, is called Knotted Buttonhole Band and is worked over a row of straight stitches.

First take a look at, or indeed join TAST and learn, the stitch at Pintangle. Then you will know what it should look like. Sharon B, our teacher,  always produces stitches that are neat and tidy.

My first attempt was on the Aida sampler, where I used a purple linen thread and a pink coton a broder. These types of thread have very little twist and the result is - appalling! Green perle 8 behaved better.

Please note, though, that going down the left side of the 'ladder' base stitches the thread sits neatly whereas working the thread in the different direction, as seen on the right side, the thread WILL twist and misbehave.

On my sampler I switched to a newly acquired hand dyed variegated perle 5,

and to a strange 'thread' or should I say nylon string, that I picked up at FOQ some years ago.

Both of these threads have a good twist which help to produce much better results.

Even so the movement of the stitch makes the thread curl up and misbehave a bit.
One TAST participant said it was hard to find where to insert the needle for the second knot. Here is how I solved that problem:

Step 1. Make the first Buttonhole loop.

 Step 2. Insert the needle in the loop before you tighten the first knot.

 Step 3. Tighten the knot around the needle.

 Step 4. Pull the needle through and gently pull the thread to knot the second loop. Use your thumb to hold the thread in place.

Step 5. Pull tight.

In the end I liked this stitch so much I am now off to play with the next one, #137 Beaded Knotted Buttonhole Bar. My report on that one will be posted later.
Happy stitching!