Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 243: Basket Stitch

 When you see this, what do you think?

Ah, that's a set of wonky Herringbone Stitch!

Yes, taking today's stitch for a Herringbone Stitch that has gone slightly off-centre is easy. As you have probably guessed, this is NOT a Herringbone Stitch. 

It is the Basket Stitch.

It is worked quite differently, and the back of the fabric proves that it uses up much more thread, too.

Apart from my photo tutorial below, you can watch a video at Needle 'n Thread, or Needlepointers.

Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials has a set of photos. The stitch is also listed in these books: A-Z of Embroidery Stitches 2 and Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches.

You stitch the Basket Stitch in a column, from top to bottom.

In the first example, I have cramped the stitches tightly.

Using Aida cloth it is easy to see where

the needle goes in and out.

Go down to the third row.

Continue like this, down a row 

and up a row.

When you reach the end of your 

column, anchor the stitch as shown.

Here you have a tightly stitched Blanket Stitch.

Good for filling.

As I mentioned above, there is a lot of thread

on the back.

Now for a column of less cramped stitches, you 

need to skip one row.

Flip the column sideways and you have the 'Wonky Herringbone' look.

A good stitch for using up your thread stash?

Homework:

Try out the stitch freehand on the Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart and the Mottled Wool Scribble Cloth. See if it is good for curved lines...

Follow the holes on Aida.

I hope you will have fun!