Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 160: Portuguese Clover Stitch

Do you know the Portuguese Border Stitch? 

It is one of the stitches I once learned in the TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) course. Basically it is a stitch worked on a 'ladder'. You go up the ladder on one side, and then down on the other, placing four stitches on each of the ladder's rungs.

Today we have a variation of the Portuguese Border Stitch. How you move along the rungs is different, though. This stitch is perfect for making flowers and as the result reminds me of a clover, I have given it the unofficial name: Portuguese Clover Stitch. Should you know of the real name, don't hesitate to leave a comment and I will change the name.

The best choice for nice coverage is six strands of floss, DMC or Anchor, or similar.

You can watch it being worked on YouTube.

or check out my photos.

First you need to draw the outlines of the flower, then stitch some horisontal bars.

Come out at the top of the design.

From now on, work over the bars, without biting any of the fabric.

First go under two bars.

Here you go under only one bar - the one you worked last.

Once again you go under two bars. You need to make two stitches next to each other.

Here you can see, how the second stitch (green line) will be stretched into the orange line and sit nicely next to the first blue line. 

The thread will then start forming the new stitch on the right side of the flower petal.

All the time you need to look ahead and imagine where the thread will sit.

Orange sits snugly next to the blue .

The blue line will stretch and sit where the orange is.

Now fill in the gap in the middle.

From time to time, press down your finger to adjust the stitches.

By now you have probably got the hang of it. Continue down the ladder.

and there we are! Anchor the last stitch.

Don't you think this could be a nice clover, or maybe a raspberry?

Homework:

Work the usual samplers.