Needle work

Position of hands and Method of working

The simplest stitch that is tacking should be chosen to begin with. Hold the needle between the first finger and thumb, the thimble should be put on the  middle finger must be placed to the eye of the needle, which is then urged on its material by all three fingers. The thumb and the first finger are slipped along to the point of the needle, in order to draw it up and out, the thread meanwhile slipping between the second and the third fingers, where it is held firmly.. The needle having now completed an elliptical motion is ready for the next stitch. Worked in this way the making of a stitch becomes in time a continuous motion, making for speedy work. The wrist must be slightly bent so as to bring the line of work almost parallel with the worker’s body.

      These positions of right and left hand will of course have to be modified in the management of certain pieces of work, but tacking illustrates the most common way of working.

                 

Basting:-  There are three types of basting—even basting, uneven basting and diagonal basting. It is a temporary stitch.

It is used for  adjusting the length of a dress, draping a skirt, temporarily fastening together materials that are later to be permanently sewed together.

Even basting :-

Even basting is used for marking purposes and for very particular fastenings, such as important seams. The stitches should be very carefully taken.Always knot the end of the threadBegin at the right-hand end of the work, passing the needle through the material or materials from the upper side. Take a stitch underneath the exact length you want all succeeding stitches to be and bring needle up again through the material. Make even stitches on both side of the material For all ordinary purposes make your stitch about one-half inch long.Place the needle again through the material at the same distance from where the thread came through as the stitch underneath is. Take another stitch the same length as the one previous, and continue until the whole length of the material is basted.

 Uneven basting     :- Uneven basting is used for very much the same purpose as even basting, except that it is more often used to hold together temporarily edges of material that are later to be permanently sewed together. Begin in the same way as you did for even basting, but instead of taking a long stitch underneath, take a short one of about one-quarter of an inch.

      Bring the thread out and draw it over about an inch before taking another short stitch. In other words, make a long stitch on top and a short one underneath.

Diagonal basting :- Used to hold the lining to the garment as in coat or jacket while it is being fitted. Take diagonal stitches on right side and short vertical stitches on wrong side Begin at the upper end of the materials to be basted together. Take a short stitch on underneath side, about one-quarter inch, from right to left horizontally across the work Your needle is now on the right side of the material. Take a diagonal stitch bringing the needle out directly under the point where you first brought it to the right side. This diagonal stitch may be one inch or more long, depending on how easily the material slips out of place.

Back stitching :- Used where strength is necessary as in seams and bands. Take a short  stitch backward on the upper side of the material and pass needle under twice  that space on the wrong side. Bring needle through to right side and back to first stitch then repeat process       

Hemming:- Used for folding the bottom of  skirt, pant etc. Also used for folding the necklines if blouses and various western garments. These  stitches are  put diagonally and minimum upper and lower cloth is caught in the thread. There are two folds to a hem—a first narrow fold to conceal the raw edge of the material, and another deeper fold as wide as is desired. Hold the work to be hemmed in a vertical position, placing the hem over the forefinger and under the middle finger and holding it down firmly with the thumb. It is always wiser to baste first, especially on good material, as this insures a perfectly straight hem. Begin at the top, fastening the thread with a back stitch under the fold.Pointing the needle toward the left shoulder, make a slanting stitch taking up a few threads of the foundation material and a few threads at the fold of the hem. Draw needle through and repeat. Keep your stitches small and even, for the whole beauty of hemming depends upon fine stitching.

Running Stitch

Never knot the end of your thread when you begin a running stitch as it impairs the appearance of the work and thus indicates poor workmanship. Take a small stitch passing the needle over and under as few threads as possible. The smaller your stitch is the finer the finished work will be.Take several of these stitches on your needle, making all uniform in size, and then draw the thread through the material and continue until complete length of the material is covered.

Twisted running :-This is very simple and quick worked decorative stitch. Work one or two rows of running, then pass the needle with thread of different color under each stitch without catching the material.

Combined stitch:- A stitch that is stronger than the running stitch and yet one that can be made more quickly than the half-back or back-stitch is called the combined stitch. To make it, take three or four tiny running stitches and then a back stitch. Repeat this procedure for the length of the seam.

  Over Handing

To join folds or selvedges, or to apply bits of lace or other trimming, where it is necessary to have a flat-finished seam, over-handing is used.  Hold the work lightly between your fingers with the edge up and draw the needle through both edges.Holding the edges even, draw the thread across the top and take another stitch the same as the first. Be sure you make your stitches fine and close together,

Over casting stitches :- This stitch is used to keep the edges of seams or parts of the garments from fraying. Trim raw edges evenly; then with needle pointing towards the left shoulder, make slanting stitches.

Top sewing 

This is the simplest way of joining finished edges. In making the stitch, keep the needle perpendicular to the work by bending the right wrist. Hold the work in the left hand along the first finger. The beginning is made secure by leaving a short end on the surface of the work and sewing it down.. End off by sewing back a few stitches.

Catch Stitches

This stitch is used to finish flannel seams and hems, to fasten down linings, and sometimes it is even used for trimming purposes.In making the catch stitch, work from left to right—the point of the needle is always to the left. Begin at the left end of the work, taking your first stitch in the foundation.Now bring the thread to the right side of the work, carrying it diagonally across the seam and take a small straight stitch with the needle pointing left. Carry the thread diagonally across the seam again and continue in this manner with small even stitches, being careful that they do not show on the right side

Chain stitching :

Insert the needle in the loop made by bringing out the needle downwards over the thread. In finishing a thread, catch down the last loop formed and in joining bring the new thread through that loop. Finish ends by running in the thread on the wrong side

Magic chain stitch:-

 This stitch is worked in the same way as chain stitch, but having two contrasting threads. In the needle at the same time. When making the loops, pass one color under the needle point and let the other color lie on top. Pull through both threads , work the next loop with the other color under the needle point.

Blanket stitching :- Blanket stitching form decorative finish for edges Working from left to right, insert needle at desired depths. Hold thread under left thumb and pass needle through with thread underneath needle.

feather stitching :- The method of working is similar to those of blanket and chain stitch, but the stitches are worked first on right and then on left of an imaginary vertical line. In finishing a thread catch down the last stitch formed and in beginning   a new thread bring the needle out through last loop

satin stitch :- Satin stitch consists of rows of tacking stitch, placed below each other very closely and regularly, so that when the work is finished it will have a perfectly smooth and satiny surface. It is one of the simplest and most useful stitches in embroidery

Fish bone stitch:- It looks like satin stitch. Draw a line in center of design and work  straight stitch closely side by side.

Lazy daisy stitch:-  Mark position for stitches. Bring needle up at center of flower as close as possible to starting point; then make a long stitch and form loop by passing thread under the point of the needle. Cough the loop down with  a short stitch bringing the needle back to the center for the next petal.            

Buttonhole stitch:- The buttonhole stitch may be used as an edge as a decorative finish. Begin buttonhole stitch as follows: Take a several overcastting stitches; then bring needle down to the desired depth through wrong side, having the thread behind the eye and under the point of the needle. Draw needle through, forming the pearl or twist at edge of the material. Do not draw thread tight.

Long and short stitch:- This is a decorative stitch  used to create a shading effect. First mark the outline of the design with basting stitches. Fill the design using long and short stitches close to each other.

Herringbone stitch:- Draw the needle upwards at a point.Take a diagonal stitch and again go down. Then again come up from a point at same level  and a little away. Now again go down from the point at same level to the first one making a diagonal stich crossing the first one. Continue the process.

French knot :- First draw needle through to right side; then wind thread around needle two or three times. Holding thread firmly around needle, insert through material as close as possible to the place where it first came up. When last knot is completed fasten on wrong side with several back stitches.

Bullion knots:- First make a backstitch and then draw the needle up till the eye and wrap the thread around the point the desired number of times.Holding the twisted thread pull the needle smoothly with least disturbance to the twists.Then draw the needle needle downwards where it is inserted before and pull the thread firmly.

Seedings:- First draw the needle from beneath the cloth to the upper side. Then again draw it down very close to the first point , again draw the needle up from the first point and go down very close to the second point.This gives a thick  effect. The stitch should be as broad as long. Work a series of such stitches all scattered over the surface in different directions.

Mirror work:- Attach the mirror with the help of four long stitches.Then insert the needle in fabric making loops around the long stitches.Fix the entire mirror in the same manner.