TAST 2010 Week 7 Rope Stitch
Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 6:20AMTuesdays are starting to sneak up on me but once again I have enjoyed browsing to blogs and flickr sites to see what people have done. I always find it fun to see what people have done with a stitch and most people seem to be enjoying TAST 2010
Not much news this week except I will start to put together an indexed list of stitches as I did for TAST 1 I will host it on the guidelines page. I have left it until now as I wanted a few to list!
Don't forget that if working a challenge stitch every week sounds too much. It is OK to swing in and out of the challenge as life dictates. I can't make TAST 2010 more guilt free than that.
That said those that worked all the stitches in the last TAST 1 have said to me that learnt a lot! Even stitches that did not initially appeal, they learnt from and were sometimes to find how enjoyable they were.
That is a enough babble for one morning ... time to introduce the stitch for this week.
Rope stitch is one of those handy stitches which after you master it you wonder why it took so long to getting around to learning it and how you lived without before!p
It s a linear stitch that is a bit like a rope and can be used very well in most situations where you need a clear slightly raised line.
How to work rope stitch
Rope stitch is actually a version of twisted chain. Twisted chain is worked with longer spikes. Once you see that to work it is the same process, rope stitch becomes simple, quick and falls into a rhythm with ease.
To work rope stitch bring the needle up through the fabric and hold the thread with the left thumb.
Insert the needle to the left of where it emerges from the fabric bringing the point of the needle out a short space along the line to be stitched.
Cross the thread over the needle.
Wrap the thread under the needle point and pull the needle through the fabric. (as you would for chain stitch)
The stitch that you have created is the first rope stitch.
Insert your needle a little down and to the left side of the stitch you just made.
Bringing the point of the needle out a short space along the line to be stitched.
Cross the thread over the needle.
Wrap the thread under the needle point and pull the needle through the fabric.
Continue in this manner down the line.
Rope stitch is ideal for linear details and follows curves with ease. It is great for spirals and curves.
Rope stitch has an organic quality which means it is ideal to use in floral motifs as stems and twiggy bits etc.
A large variety of threads can be used from the finest thread to silk ribbon.
The width of the stitch will depend on the weight of the thread used. The thicker the thread the thicker the line created.
Rope stitch can also be stacked line upon line similar to what you can do with stem stitch. This means you can graduate colour, tone, light to dark or graduate from thin to thick threads.
This stitch is aslo called knotted Satin stitch.
There is another version of the stitch in which the stitches are stacked horizontally producing a thick band. This version is documented in Marion Nichols Encyclopedia of Embroidery Stitches
However, since this vertical version of the stitch is documented in The Embroidery Stitch Bible by Betty Barnden 
I took rope stitch to be the version that appears in most publications.
I must admit that I mostly use rope stitch as stems in floral motifs.
I have included two recent applications of rope stitch that I have used in crazy quilting.
Both are worked using perle 5 thread.
This is a sample of ropes stitch worked line upon line and worked in a free form manner
How to join in.
Work an example of the stitch. Experiment a bit, photograph it, and put it on your flickr site or write about it on your blog. Please remember to link back to here so others can find the challenge too
Come here to this post and leave a comment to tell everyone where your site is. (Click on the title and it will take you to this post on an individual page if you bookmark it you can find it again)
Visit a few sites of people who have already left a comment. See what they have done. I am sure everyone will enjoy following the links left in the comments. If you have time, let other people know on their site that you have seen their work.
Other groups and networks
You can also share your explorations with other members on stitchin fingers group and the flickr TAST site
All posts relating to this challenge are in the Take a Stitch Tuesday category
Anyway that is the stitch for this week - have fun with it and enjoy!
Reader Comments (28)
The Rope Stitch looks very easy & versatile-can't wait to give it a try. (I got started late, so am currently only on Week 3, pedaling very fast to catch up!). I'm intrigued by the flowers on your 2nd CQ floral example. The flowers with the bead/button centers-are the bugle beads lying on top of Satin Stitch petals or are they edged with Bullion Stitches? Pray tell Sharon! They are so beautiful & unique! I love that look!
This is a simple stitch and easy to do. But what looks easy is difficult for creative applications? Let me see. Thank you Sharon. Every Tuesday I have this sense of suspense as to which stitch you would be posting. I eagerly wait for Tuesdays. Thanks a lot. We are all enjoying TAST. No doubt on that
Sailaja
http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/
Rope stitch workad line upon line and flowers on cq are very interesting
wow
interesting. Let me try.Every tuesday I am waiting which stitch you would be posting. Thanks.
viji
I posted my trials.
viji
Hi Sharon,
it´s great fun, all stichs.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/murgelchen/4519493177/
LG,
Helga
Hi Sharon my sample "sample" is done--it's a bit rough but my official sample will be better.
Regards Doreen
http://doreeng.blogspot.com/
My first experiments with this stich are on my blog here:
http://fat-quarter.blogspot.com/2010/04/rope-stitch.html
This stitch is very addictive!
I have posted my Rope Stitch samples to my blog at http://shirleystwistedthreads.blogspot.com/
I did enjoy this stitch. Thank you Sharon.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/stitchinwoman/
Hello Sharon, I like this stitch very much. It is perfect to stitch initials which I need for my quilts. Narrow curves are much easier than with stem stitch, which I made up to now.
All this stitching is great fun.
Hi again Sharon
I have done my official sample of Rope stitch --I like it and will surprise you when I put it on my crazy block .
http://doreeng.blogspot.com
I have posted my pics on Knotted Buttonhole-5th week in my blog. Please do visit my blog and leave your comments
http://summersofindia.blogspot.com/
Sharon here is my simple attempt of rope stitch..
http://sadalas.blogspot.com/2010/04/tast2-7th-week-rope-stitch.html
lakshmi
My sample of rope stitch in now on Flickr.
I have done mine too - examples on my Blog and Flickr.
I've posted my Rope Stitch samples on my blog http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com Thanks for another great stitch.
it's great fun each tuesday.........my sample of rope stitch is on Flicker now
My sample of rope stitch is done. It has been posted on my weblog http://borduurblog.blogspot.com/ and also in the TAST-Flickr group. It was a joy to try this stitch!
I have caught up again and posted my sample on my blog and to the Flickr group. ( I rushed this one.)
Hello Sharon, thank you for making me more aware of Rope Stitch. Wonderful for working initials. My sample of this stitch is posted on the TAST 2 2010 Flickr group.
Waiting in anticipation for next Tuesday's stitch. smg1955
Playing catchup! I posted a pic of my little sampler with Rope Stitch, Portuguese Border Stitch and Knotted Buttonhole Stitch.
www.flickr.com/photos/stitchintime
Gayle
Here's my version of rope stitch, on my blog. I have to admit to fighting off a bad mood while stitching, and only partially succeeding. :-( Oh, well, on to a better next week. And, without further ado:
http://y-knotblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/tast7-rope-stitch.html
Changing computers and programs is a messy job but I'm finally able to post pictures - still need work to get it right.
My weeks 6 and 7 are at the links below.
http://crazyqstitcher.wordpress.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/crazyqstitcher/
I am late again and too tired for words. Just a great thank you to you, Sharon, for providing us with this opportunity to learn.
http://textileexplorations.blogspot.com/2010/04/tast2-rope-stitch.html
hi,
late, but better than never :). my knotted buttonhole and rope stitches are up in my blog http://amovablefeast.blogspot.com.
thank you Sharon,i really enjoyed both!
Hi ! This is my first TAST. I'm not sure I've done the rope stitch properly as English is not my native tongue and I had difficulties understanding the explanations. I had a lot of fun doing it though. I can't wait to find time to start the next one.
Here is my blog where you can see my work : http://thefrenchfrogtouch.blogspot.com