Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 187: Catherine Wheel Stitch

I do have a lesson and a stitch for today, but I want to give some background to it and talk about how I finally came to include this stitch. If you don't want to read my long ramblings, scroll down and you will find the instructions and step-by-step pictures below.

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I started Sunday Stitch School in 2016. I had learned a lot of TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) stitches, but wanted to learn more. I had all these embroidery books, and there was the internet, and YouTube... 

At the outset I had no idea how much I would learn. I am not talking about the embroidery aspect of the stitches - of course I learned how to stitch each one, unfortunately it does not mean I remember how to stitch many of them, without looking at the instructions, sigh! 

No, I am referring to all that I have learned about other things, because of the stitches. 

For example I have gained geographical knowledge as I looked up in an atlas, where stitches with these names come from: Anundsjö, Rumanian, Hungarian, Mountmellick, Bosnian, Parma, Smyrna, Cashmere, Kerman, Antwerp Edging, Puncetto Valsesiano, Ceylon, Croatian, Norwich...

I have learned about botany:  Thorn, Rambling Rose, Moss, Leaf, Petal, Maidenhair, Chemanthy, Dandelion, Sycamore, Raised Daisy, Hyacinth...

Biology: Sprat's Head, Crow's Foot, Snail Trail...

I learned some French: Tet-de-boeuf, Mille Fleur, Point Russe, Point à la Minute...

Some stitches refer to architecture: Gate, Vault, Step, Tied Windmill, Brick... 

I have also been struck by how many stitches have a name with religious references: Cross, God's Eye, Mennonite Tacks, Methodist Knot, Celestial Eyelet, Pagoda Chevron...

Today's stitch belongs to this last group. 

I first saw the beautiful Catherine Wheel Stitch in Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches. Then online at StitchDoodles, where you can see clear instructions.

Catherine Wheel Stitch is made up of a combination of stitches. You start with a circle of Buttonholed Blanket Stitch, with the spikes turned outwards. Across the void circle you make up the spokes of the wheel with Straight Stitch. The very middle of them is then whipped to form the hub. The result is an elegant wheel. 

I saw it, and liked it. Then, a chill went down my spine!

A bit of online research made me realise that this stitch has a gruesome meaning. A Catherine Wheel is an instrument of torture! 

It got its name from the torture of Catherine of Alexandria by the Roman emperor Maxentius in the 4th century.  Catherine came from a noble family, was thoroughly educated and intelligent. When she refused to denounce her Christian faith, though, she was sentenced to be executed by torture on a spiked wheel. Legend has it that the wheel broke as soon as she touched it, and Catherine was instead beheaded. She was later made a saint.

You can read about St Catherine of Alexandria here.

When I looked at the beautiful Catherine Wheel Stitch again, I realised what the Buttonhole Spikes actually were,  I could almost see the drops of blood... and I didn't want to include this macabre stitch in my Sunday Stitch School collection!

So why have I change my mind and added Catherine Wheel?

It happened after I watched TV news the same day.  I learned of villagers, ordinary civilians, in an African country who had been beheaded by barbaric rebels, and of a 3-year old Japanese boy who had died at the hands of his mother's cruel boyfriend...

I NEED to learn this stitch! I NEED to remember the suffering of others, I NEED to reflect on WHY humans have this urge to be cruel to others. 

Torture happened in the past, it happens today, it happens in countries far away, it happens close by. Bloody assults, destroyed crops that cause starvation, discriminations against people for who they are and for their looks, their abilities, their beliefs. All over the world you have dictatorship, bullying in school, power harassment at work, backstabbing comments online, nasty gossip among neighbours... Where does it come from, this need, this urge to trample on those who are weaker? 

The Catherine Wheel will help me focus on questions like these, and remind me to perform acts of kindness and help, to try to counteract the viciousness of the world.

A stitch can teach us so much, geography, botany, biology, languages, architecture, religion, history - and philosophy.

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Here are my picture instructions for Catherine Wheel Stitch:

Mark two circles on the foundation fabric.

Stitch Buttohole Stitch along the lines, 

make sure the spikes are turning outwards.

When you come to the end/beginning 

of the circle, go upwards UNDER 

the first stitch,

and anchor at the top.

Make four Straight Stitches,

across the open area of the circle.

If the stitches are long, like these, I 

recommend that you anchor them 

with a knot at the back.

Change to a different thread and 

stitch Buttonhole Stitch over the 

(purple) thread, without biting the

fabric. Work your way around the

circle.

Anchor the thread and change to 

another colour, then come out 

from the very centre.

Use Back Stitch over the (green)

spokes and work your way 

round the circle.

Anchor the blue thread when 

you have a nice hub.

Remove the marking lines.

Homework:

Add to the samplers, and reflect

on what this wheel stands for, 

while you work.

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 173: Eyelet Wheel Stitch

At first glance you might think this is a Buttonhole Wheel, but it isn't. It is made up of Back Stitch and keeps it shape beautifully, unlike the Butthole Wheel which has a tendency to loosen up a bit.

I found the Eyelet Wheel Stitch at Sarah's hand Embroidery Tutorials.

Work it like this:

First draw a circle, mark the centre and the spokes.

Make a Back Stitch at the edge of the circle.

Take the needle in at the centre and out at 

the next spoke in the circle.

Take another Back Stitch.

Repeat.

Go on.

Make that last Back Stitch.

Anchor the last spoke in the centre.

There you have it - a stitch that will stay round and steady....

or will it roll off?

Homework:

These Half Rhodes want company, add some Eyelet Wheels on the samplers.

Friday Homework for Lesson 173: Eyelet Wheel Stitch

I am very please with how steady this stitch is. I agree that it takes longer to make than the traditional Buttonhole Stitch, but it is worth it. I must also admit that it is easier to work the Eyelet Wheel Stitch on plain weave than on Aida.

Aida Sampler

Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart

Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth

Sunday Stitch School - Lesson 215: Up and Down Crossed Buttonhole Stitch

How many stitches are based on, or include, the Buttonhole Stitch (or Blanket Stitch, if you prefer that name)?

Sharon Boggon's list of TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday) stitches contains 27:

• #2     Buttonhole
• #17   Crossed Buttonhole
• #22   Buttonhole Wheel
• #26   Up and Down Buttonhole
• #36   Knotted Buttonhole
• #37   Beaded Hedebo Edge
• #40   Buttonhole Wheel Cup
• #46   Buttonhole Eyelet Flower
• #55   Buttonholed Herringbone
• #64   Top Knotted Buttonhole
• #65   Buttonhole Bar
• #69   Buttonholed Double Chain
• #71   Bullion Buttonhole
• #85   Raised Cup
• #87   Buttonhole Picot Bullion
• #88   Buttonhole Picot Chain
• #94   Reversed Buttonhole Bar
• #101 Triangular Buttonhole
• #102 Beaded Triangular Buttonhole
• #104 Buttonhole Cable Chain
• #105 Alternating Buttonhole Cable Chain
• #118 Beaded Buttonhole
• #126 Alternating Up and Down Buttonhole
• #127 Beaded Alternating Up and Down Buttonhole
• #128 Interlaced Up and Down Buttonhole
• #136 Knotted Buttonhole Band
• #137 Beaded Buttonhole Band 

My Sunday Stitch School has another 15 stitches:

• #27  Buttonholed Buttonhole
• #48  Detached Up and Down Buttonhole
• #55  Tailor's Buttonhole
• #66  Berwick
• #92  Parma
• #96  Buttonhole Fly
• #134 Slanting Blanket
• #167 Fringed Buttonhole
• #176 Buttonhole Cross
• #187 Catherine wheel
• #194 Magic Blanket
• #197 German Blanket
• #199 Up and Down Flower
• #207 Plaited Edge 
• #214 Threaded Blanket 

 So are you ready for yet another Buttonhole stitch? I hope so.

It is thanks to Annet of Fat-Quarter that we have this nice variation, which she calls Up and Down Crossed Buttonhole Stitch. 

At first glance it can be mistaken for Sunday Stitch School's #111 E Laced Edging Stitch, 

but it isn't - Annet's stitch is crossed at the top of the stitch, AND it is worked in a different way.

You can see Annet's set of Up and Down Buttonhole stitches here, where one of them is the Up and Down Crossed Buttonhole Stitch.

Now for my photo instructions:

Start with a horisontal Straight Stitch.

Come out to the upper right side.

Go under the Straight Stitch without 

biting the fabric. Notice that the needle

goes DOWN.

Make a cross.

Make another horizontal Straight Stitch, where the

needle goes UP.

Repeat from there.

Anchor with a Straight Stitch.

Easy and neat!

Thank you Annet!

Homework:

Show off the Up and Down Crossed Buttonhole Stitch on these samplers.

Sunday Stitch School - Revision: Stitches 171 - 175

 Time to revise the latest stitches. Click on the title for instructions.

171 Ray Stitch

This stitch is great for leaves, trees, feathers, hand held fans....

172 Half Rhodes Stitch

So easy, so impressive.

173 Eyelet Wheel Stitch

So much neater than its cousin, the Buttonhole Wheel, but it is time consuming.

174 Pagoda Chevron Stitch

A wonky version of a traditional stitch.

175 Woven Long Tailed Lazy Daisy Flower

Aren't they cheerful?

Homework:

Never leave home without it!

What's in a Quilt - The Green Man - Part 6: Buttonhole Appliqué

Today I want to talk about raw edge appliqué and Buttonhole appliqué.

How many stitches are there in the Buttonhole Family? Well, there are MANY, that's for sure!

In TAST (Take A Stitch Tuesday, the stitch tutorial and stitch challenge held by Sharon Boggon of Pintangle) I learned 25! variations of Buttonhole, or Blanket Stitch, not including the beaded versions. 

In my own Sunday Stitch School project I have introduced 14.

Now, not all of these 39 stitches are suitable for along-the-edge appliqué. Actually, many stitches with 'Buttonhole or Buttonholed' in the name feature detached buttonhole stitch, i.e. a Buttonhole Stitch has been worked over a THREAD, and not biting any of the foundation fabric, for example, a Cable Chain Stitch, as illustrated below.

Most of the other Buttonhole stitches can be used, though. Here are a few examples:

The point with Buttonhole Appliqué is that you don't need a seam allowance. Instead of turning in the allowance, needle turn, you can anchor the raw edge with a line of Buttonhole stitches. 

To keep the fabric in good condition, why not fuse the patches to the background first, then stitch along the edge?

Raw edge appliqué has its disadvantages of course. Eventually, the edges will fray, especially if the quilt is washed and handled a lot.

Many sewing machines have a Buttonhole Stitch, so it is also popular for machine quilting.

My Green Man looks like this:

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To see the Buttonhole Stitches in my collection you can find them in the lists below and by clicking these tabs:

TAST

#2 Buttonhole

#17 Crossed Buttonhole

#22 Buttonhole Wheel

#25 Bonnet

#26 Up and Down Buttonhole

#36 Knotted Buttonhole

#40 Buttonhole Wheel Cup

#46 Buttonhole Eyelet Flower

#55 Buttonholed Herringbone

#61 Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole

#64 Top Knotted Buttonhole

#65 Buttonhole Bar

#69 Buttonhole Double Chain

#71 Bullion Buttonhole 

#87 Buttonhole Picot Bullion

#88 Buttonhole Picot Chain

#94 Reversed Buttonhole Bar

#101 Triangular Buttonhole

#104 Buttonholed Cable Chain

#105 Alternating Buttonholed Cable Chain

#126 Alternating Up and Down Buttonhole

#128 Interlaced Up and Down Buttonhole

#136 Knotted Buttonhole Band

#141 Fancy Bobbin Edging

SUNDAY STITCH SCHOOL

#27 Buttonholed Buttonhole

#48 Detached Up and Down Buttonhole

#55 Tailor's Buttonhole

#66 Berwick

#96 Buttonholed Fly 

#134 Slanting Blanket 

#167 Fried Buttonhole

#176 Buttonhole Cross

#197 German Blanket

#207 Plaited Edge

#214 Threaded Blanket

#215 Up and Down Crossed Buttonhole

#247 Scallop Blanket

There are still Buttonhole stitches that I have not introduced in Sunday Stitch School yet!