Take a Stitch Tuesday week 10
Tuesday, March 6, 2007 at 7:22AM | Sharon B | 39 Comments | in Challenges, Hand Embroidery, Needlework, Take a Stitch Tuesday 
This week the challenge stitch is barred chain and or Alternating barred chain.
Chain stitch has all sorts of varieties and these are two which are incredibly versatile.
Once again this is a deceptively simple stitch which can be arranged in a number of ways, layered and both are particularly effective worked on a curve.
As you can see the first sample I worked is in a circle.
Small disks of this stitch worked with long arms produce interesting floral motifs.
The sample above is worked in perle 8. As you can see it is ideal for twiggy bits of foliage in a floral spray. The spines can be varied and swung either left or right.
The sample below is worked in perle 3. If you work it in a thicker thread it produces a very thorny line.
The stitch can also be stacked. It is most effective if the spines overlap other stitches as this layers the embroidery to produce a rich and interesting texture. As you can see a mix of threads have been used. Silk, wool, cotton, perle 5 and 8, metallic threads and the like are all mixed in.
When you have stitched a sample swing by and leave a comment so people can check out your site. Don’t forget to leave your URL. To avoid spam you must be registered to leave a comment and all comments are moderated. This means when I have read them I approve them and they are published.
I spent a long time yesterday checking out what everybody has been doing and spent a good few hours on the blogs. There is some wonderful work being done and it is just great to see how everyone re-interprets the stitches. I hope everyone is following the links left in the comments as you are missing out if you are not doing so.
Don’t forget that Debra Spincic generously runs a web ring for the TAST challenge which is found here and for those who have a Flickr account there is the Take a stitch Tuesday flickr group
That’s the Take a Stitch Tuesday Challenge stitch this week … Enjoy!
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Reader Comments (39)
Hi, Sharon,
The links didn't work in the first paragraph. I went to the stitch dictionary and had no trouble going to them, though.
Thanks desertsky for letting me know I have fixed them now
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for your email yesterday enabling me to join in. I've obviously got a lot to catch up on but I've made a start. I did a Herringbone Stitch sampler yesterday which can be viewed at changelingthings.wordpress.com (I really hope I've got that right) I'm getting so much inspiration from everyone. Thank you.
ChangelingIrene
Hi, Sharon, this is a totally brand new stitch for me and I'm anxious to try it.
I just sketched a design for this in my morning meeting. Of course, I also just realized that I'm using the shapes Sharon showed above -- but still -- at least I have something this week!
Hi,
these stitches were new to me, I really liked the alterating stitch and will use it a lot. I stitched one CQ heart using different threads.
Nice to have you back!
Helina
http://www.flickr.com/photos/helinacq/?saved=1
Hi Sharon
Hope you're feeling much better!
My Week 10 is up...
http://magpiesmumblings.blogspot.com
Here's my offering for the week - a little barred chain on plastic mesh to be found at:
http://susaneta.wordpress.com/2007/03/08/tast-plos-week-2-grids/
HOLA Sharon!
I am glad you feel better!
Here is my week 10 sample, inspired by you:
http://corinaj.wordpress.com
Hope your feeling heaps better. Barred Chain on http://alteringthoughts.blogspot.com/ and Flickr.
My barred chains are under http://www.flickr.com/photos/verobirdie/415334440/
and in our group
I have finished the barred chain for this week's TAST. I am so pleased you are on the mend Sharon, Maureen
http://crazyqstitcher.blogspot.com/
Hi Sharon,
Here are my samples for this week.
http://www.fabthreads.blogspot.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabthreads/
Annica/ Fabulous Threads
Hi all,
have already uploaded my sample at http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com
good to hear you're recouping.
neki
Hi Sharon,
Glad you are feeling better.
Missed you while you weren't posting.
My samples for barred chain are here.
http://crazyquiltsusan.vox.com/library/post/tast-week-10---barred-chain-stitch.html
Sharon: I hope you are back to feeling human and soon you will be your old self!
I have added a freestyle cross stitch and samples showing variations of the chain stitch, including the barred chain stitch.
http://vivian-institches.blogspot.com/
Glad you've recovered enough to web surf because you've posted some great sites.
Here is my TAST for this stitch:
http://lifeneedleworkandeverything.blogspot.com/2007/03/tast-10-barred-chain-and-stumpwork.html
Margaret
Sharon, I hope you're back to full strength soon. I've been enjoying a some of the links you've put in your posts this week so much. Thanks for all you do.
My postings for week 10 are at http://quietermoments.wordpress.com" rel="nofollow">quietermoments.wordpress.com
My sample of barred chain is at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57851085@N00/416544224/
MadyH
My Barred Chain Stitchs can be seen here:
http://textilesintime.blogspot.com/2007/03/barred-chain-stitch.html
I found the cross stitch a stretch as I kept seeing it in the traditional sense so I really had to push to do something out of the box. Which made me go totally out of the box with the barred stitch. http://katemadeloso.vox.com
I am really enjoying this challenge. thank you Sharon!
I put a little bit of the barred chain on some atcs I just finished. http://www.artbybethrobinson.com/journal/2007/3/11/mixed-media-tree-atcs.html
Nice to see you back on form Sharon. My sample for barred chain is on the blog and the Flickr site:
http://smockery.blogspot.com/2007/03/tast-barred-chain.html
Finally I have done my Barred Chain stitch sample and posted it on my blog.
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
Hi Sharon my barred chain stitch is blogged http://loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/?p=368
I think I've done Barred Chain correctly. I certainly hope so. I've also done the past couple of weeks' worth of TAST. All of these are on my Encrusted CQ block.
http://madebymisa.blogpost.com
Oops! That should have been:
http://madebymisa.blogspot.com
Both the Barred and Alternating Barred Stitch were very interesting and you can see what I did with them here
http://normasneedlez.blogspot.com
My barred chain stitch is finally up on my blog
http://backvalleyseasons.blogspot.com
I had a very busy week so I have only just finished it, a new stitch for me and my sample is not very brilliant but it is in my book with the other samples now.
My barred chain stitch is here:
http://brahdelt.blogspot.com/2007/03/one-year-of-blogging.html
I made two samples with the barred chain stitch. They're on my blog
http://creatilfun.blogspot.com/2007/03/tast-week-10.html
I'd never made this stitch before, so while the sample on my blog (quiltpixie.blogspot.com) might seem tame, I'm excited. I love the texture of this stitch, and can see adding it to my collection...
Here's my sample for barred chain http://faffingabout.blogspot.com/
Finally gave this one a try - not much yet, but will definitely come back to it later.
http://katestast.blogspot.com/2007/03/week-10-barred-chain-stitch.html
I forgot to post this earlier! My barred and alternating barred chain piece is at my Flickr account. Luci F
http://www.flickr.com/photos/luci_f/
Here is my barred and alternating barred chain sample. Another new stitch to me and really I like the rhythm of twisted chain better, still very interesting to try out. It is at the flicker group and also on
http://flickr.com/photos/helenad/
http://alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/2007/03/take-stitch-tuesdaybarred-chain.html
This is a seam treatment using the barred chain.
Thank you, sharon, for your helpful tip to try thicker thread for barred chain. i've tried it with soft cotton and it does improve it! 'Catch up' pic of several stitches on http://embroideryoverlaps.blogspot.com now, but more will appear later.
This stitch seemed a little strange to me, but I tried to use it together with knots in different color.
Picture on my blog http://aboutivana.blogspot.com/2007/04/barred-chain-stitch-tast-week-10_09.html#links and flickr (my nick is imichalova1)