TAST 2010 Week 11 Bullion Buttonhole

This weeks stitch is actually an interesting  variety of buttonhole as it is a buttonhole stitch with the upright stitches worked as a bullion stitches 

I have seen a similar stitch in Edith Johns Creative Embroidery listed as buttonhole looped knot but I know this stitch as bullion buttonhole and when you see how this stitch is worked  I am sure you will understand why I think that name makes perfect sense.

Why do we have a photo of a packet of milliners needles this week? Because these needles are the secret weapon in creating wonderful bullion stitches! 

People either love or hate bullions, but most of the problems associated with working them is that people use the wrong needle.

I recommend milliners or straw needles because most embroidery needles have an eye that is wider than the shaft of the needle. Milliners or straw needles have an eye and shaft that are the same width which makes sliding the wrapped bullion knot along the needle easy. 

How to work Bullion Buttonhole

As I said in my introduction to this stitch, this week  you will be working a version of buttonhole that has a bullion as the vertical stitch. It makes sense to be familiar with both basic buttonhole stitch and bullion stitch before you embark on this. So if you need a refresher work a few of both stitches on some scrap  fabric

Samples worked in DMC perle #5 cotton using a #3 Milliners needle on 26 cnt linen.

The same as basic buttonhole is worked from left to right over two imaginary lines bullion buttonhole is also worked from left to right over two imaginary lines. 

Bring the thread out on the lower line. Insert the needle on the upper line making a straight downward motion and then loop the thread under the needle point as you would with regular buttonhole.

Wrap your needle 5 or 6 times. Make sure the wraps side side by side. Don’t wrap too tight as that will make it hard to pull your needle through. On the other hand loose wrap will make for a sloppy knot.  

 

Pull your needle through while loosely holding the wraps between your thumb and forefinger. As you pull your needle through the bullion stitch will point towards the top imaginary line. 

Some of the wraps may be a little wobbly. Tickle the bullion’s tummy with the point of your needle. Run it  smoothly up an down the underside of the bullion. Do this a couple of times as this will even out wobbly  wraps.

Your thread should emerge from the bottom of the bullion. Move along the row, repeating the same stitches.

By altering the lengths of the upright bullion stitches this variety of buttonhole can be very decorative 

Rows of the stitch can be built up to create patterns. 

It is an ideal stitch to use as a seam embellishment in crazy quilting as the spines can be further decorated with beads.

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) 

Also now if you leave your full address ie include the http:// bit in your address it will become a link automatically. 

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 that you have seen their work on their site.

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 and the guidelines and list of participants is here.

Anyway enjoy the stitch this week!

Comments

[Robin/Sabrina]

Bohn needles are also fabulous needles. Yes to using a darning -- YES to using Bohn needles for everything.

[Diane]

Am I missing a step? The thread comes out of the bottom of the bullion - do you stitch up again going in and out the same spaces?

[Sandy Jandik]

I've posted my Bullion Buttonhole on my blog http://focus-on-fiber.blogspot.com

[Sue McB]

I haven't been leaving a comment here, but I have just completed my example of Bullion Buttonhole, and all of my other samples are on my blog, and the Flickr Group. I'm really enjoying doing all these stitches, most of which I have not come across before - so thanks Sharon.

[Linda Calverley]

I like this stitch but I did have a few problems with using the wrong needles, it looks untidy. I looked at the instructions and thought I would do it later, which I did but I couldn't remember exactly how to work it. But I kept experimenting and got there in the end, but I will check again now to see if I did do it right. And I must buy some new needles.

http://linsartyblobs.blogspot.com/2010/05/tast-week-11-altered-flower-book-p40.html

[Nancilyn]

What step am I missing? When I pull through the loops and position the bullion, my thread is at the top. At this point do I go back into the top row hole and come out at the bottom crossing over the horizontal thread that leads into the bullion (like I'd be doing for the buttonhole stitch), then proceed to the next stitch?
Sharon, I believe you selected this stitch as my penance for producing sloppy bullions last week!

[Sharon B]

Diane
After you have done the bullion. The thread should come out at the bottom and you move along as you would a buttonhole stitch - remember you are doing a buttonhole with the upright spike a bullion.
Nancilyn
you say "When I pull through the loops and position the bullion, my thread is at the top." Your thread should be coming out at the bottom - do you have the needle upside down ? Take a quick look at the photo

I hope I have understood your question correcting and that the answers help!

[slavetobeads]

I finished my sample for this week. You can see it on my blog and Flickr http://slavetobeads.blogspot.com/2010/05/tast-2-week-11-bullion-buttonhole.html

[Nancilyn]

No. When I work the stitch as shown in the first two pix my thread ends on top. If you will take a look, the second photo is repeated, which made me think a step was missing, one that brings the thread to the bottom again.

[Sharon B]

Nancilyn - you are so right! Sorry I did not notice that and I should have. Honestly, 3,000 people hit that site yesterday and you had the sense to insist I take a second look. Thanks for picking me up on it. Needless to say I was tired when I wrote it but that is no excuse particularly with a tricky stitch
Anyway its fixed now I hope

[Nancilyn]

Now we're cooking! Logic suggested the what step was missing, and when I worked stitches in that manner they resembled your samples, but I wanted to make sure I was working the stitch correctly.
Sharon, apologies are never necessary from you. You give so graciously of your time and expertise, and your commitment to TAST2010 despite the additional burden is laudable. I only hope you reap some sense of accomplishment and joy as you take in our work and realize our enthusiasm. I sometimes feel guilty that I'm having so much fun at your expense.
Now back to my milliners needle...

[viji]

I posted my trials in the flicker group.

viji

[Raphaela]

I'm glad I did the right thing. When working the first stitch I was confused: I looked at my stitch, at Sharon's pictures, at my stitch again ... and finally decided - even if I should do wrong - to add the missing stitch. But I think it's not problem, Sharon, to err is human. So here are my bullion buttonhole stitches which need far more practice: http://textileexplorations.blogspot.com/2010/05/tast2-bullion-buttonhole.html

[Sharon B]

I am pleased its reading ok now- happy bullion stitching everyone !

[Valerie L]

Here is my completed stitches for this week. You'll find them at http://www.flickr.com/photos/vallor/

I really like the bullion stitch--even if it can be troublesome sometimes.

[Lakshmi Sadala]

Here is mine

http://sadalas.blogspot.com/2010/05/tast2-week11bullion-buttonhole-stitch.html
and I have used portuguese stitch and raised herringbone stitch neck line
http://sadalas.blogspot.com/2010/05/tast2-week9-raised-herringbone-band.html

Lakshmi

[Riddhi]

hi
sharon....
added a few to the flicker group site....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42190094@N03/4611116176/

[Annet]

Thank you for the info about the needles, it made a huge difference!! I had a lot of fun with this stitch. The details are on my blog:
http://fat-quarter.blogspot.com/2010/05/bullion-buttonhole.html
and my sampler is on my Flickr-page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/28957501@N04/4611839328/

[Nancilyn]

Thank you, Sharon for the help with this stitch. I love it and will definitely be using it , although more practice is called for. I've blogged my samples and it will appear in the Flickr Group also.
http://mindblogglings.blogspot.com/2010_05_01_archive.html#4031643161721234376

[Penny]

My rather wonky grubs are connected by a fence, not really but that was what I think they look liked. I liked this stitch, once again after I had got my head around it. Seems to take me longer these days.
I may get this weeks done, not sure about the next couple as we are off fishing, depends on wether we take the printer or not!

[Miriam Klaassen]

My sample is uploaded to the Flickr-group and I also blogged it: http://borduurblog.blogspot.com/search/label/TAST .

[chitra gangadharan]

Your idea of using millianary needle to do the bullions, was very useful. My trials are here-
http://jizee6687.wordpress.com/2010/07/04/tast-2010-11-bullion-buttonhole-stitch/
and http://www.flickr.com/photos/22818176@N07/4761265572/