Tete-de-boeuf Stitch has turned out to be a very controversial stitch.
First of all, the name. Boeuf is French for beef, not bull, so the translation ought to be Beef Head Stitch rather than Bull's Head Stitch. I have got comments wondering if the blog post was about cooking.
Secondly, all my embroidery books call this stitch Tete-de-boeuf and have the instructions I showed in last Sunday's lesson.
Online, however, I have found several references to this stitch worked in a different way, a way similar to, but not exactly, Wheatear Stitch.
Have a look at this:
On the left, my instructions,
in the middle, the online instructions,
on the right, the real Wheatear.
The online version does resemble a bull's head with the two horns.
None of them look like a beef head, though, ; ).
For my homework I filled in this square with Tete-de-boeuf Stitch placed in various ways.
Finally I want to show how one of the stitches once was used to celebrate children in Japan - the carps in this set of carp-streamers are worked in Wheatear Stitch. I made this card for TAST 2012, when the stitch of the week was Wheatear.
15 comments:
A very nice and interesting way to use wheat ear stitch. lovely card.
your home work looks beautiful and neat.it looks great was filling too. I like the way you have arranged various version of this stitch inside the square.
All the variants have their own uses. It's easy to fall down a rabbit hole when you start looking at stitch instructions!
Oh, I really love those colorful carp! The stitch all in a group looks quite different from the single ones.
Love the card.
I love your koinobori!
I like how you have turned the stitch to make a lovely overall pattern on the sampler. When completely filled, it will be another treasure to keep and or display.
I'd forgotten those pretty carp and am delighted to see them again. What perfect cloth to stitch them to.
Great work on you carp streamers. I like how you arranged the stitches in the box, variations in size and orientation give different effects.
Have a good weekend!
Although the filling stitches are neat, the characteristic look of Tete-de-boeuf can't be seen.
Yes, I like those carps, too.
With the wealth of information we have in books, magazines, and these days online, instructions or recipes can be very confusing. WHICH is the right one?
You need to know the stitch well to be able to pick one out of all the others in that filled in square.
The carps are back in the storage box, tucked up in acid-free tissue paper, until next year.
Thank you! This is a beautiful time of the year in Japan.
You have the most observant eyes, and notice the sky fabric for the carp streamers.
I can't remember now how many squares there are, but it will take a LONG time before they are all filled!
Other needleworkers are constantly trying out new ways to tinkle with a stitch. it was fun to fill the square with the Tete-de-boeuf, but they have kind of lost there unique look.
Your carp are wonderful! What a great place for your stitches!
Thank you, it is nice to have something to decorate the home with for a short period every year, just like you do with your stained glass quilt carps.
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