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Info on sewing, needlepoint and textiles...

The Straight Stitch Category in Needlepoint
By Renee Shelton
© 2006

The Most Popular Stitches in Needlepoint

This category encompasses the most popular stitches and uses either a vertical (up and down) or horizontal (left to right) motion for the stitch. They do not cover the crossing points (or intersections) of the mesh strands of the canvas, and do not distort and bias the canvas the way that diagonal stitches can. The Bargello Stitch is a straight stitch and is probably the most well known of the all the stitches. Straight stitches are great for beginners and can be made easily into advanced projects.

Here are some of the more well-known Straight Stitches:

• Bargello Stitch: Also known as the Flame or Florentine stitches. This stitch has a wave pattern of single or more upright 3- to 8-mesh long stitches. Horizontal Florentine or Horizontal Wave has the stitches going from left to right.
• Brick Stitch: The Brick is composed of vertical stitches that are all done in a pattern back and forth going up and down a mesh. The stitches are composed of 2-mesh long stitches, but the Giant Brick Stitch has stitches ranging from 4- to 6- mesh stitches. A Double Brick has the vertical stitches in pairs as opposed to singly. The Horizontal Brick is the version having the stitches going from left to right for the pattern on canvas rather than vertical, or up and down.
• Parisian or Hungarian Stitch: These are related when worked. The Parisian is worked in a three stitch pattern shape with the first stitch smaller, second stitch larger and the last stitch same as the first, making a wave pattern. The Hungarian Stitch creates a diamond shape from skipping a mesh after the three stitches to continue the pattern. Both generally use 2- and 4-mesh stitches: a 2-mesh stitch for the ends and 4-mesh stitches for the center of the shape. The shape can be altered by increasing the center stitch. Double Hungarian is having two of each of the stitches.
• Gobelin: Also known as the Upright Gobelin or Straight Gobelin Stitch: it's simplicity and evenness make it great for background stitches. It generally consists of 2-mesh vertical stitches continually done in a line from left to right.

2: Straight Stitches in Needlepoint
3: Diagonal Stitches in Needlepoint
4: Crosses Stitches in Needlepoint
5: Decorative Stitches in Needlepoint Including Eyelet, Looped, and More

By Renee Shelton
© 2006