This lesson will demonstrate how to do the embroidery using the different stitches over a border design.

It is advised to go through the thread-fabric-and-stitch section of the chicken scratch page before beginning this lesson. It will help you to understand the logic and techniques used in this embroidery.

The stitches used are mentioned with each illustration. Clicking over them will take you to the instruction page of that stitch.

chicken_scratch_1 chicken_scratch_1_key
This is a broder design.  I want it to have a very lacy effect, and so, will use  two strands of thinner perle cotton thread. The key will help me to decode the stitches onthe graph and use them on the gingham cloth. Each cell in the graph is like each cell on the cloth.
chicken_scratch_3 Cross stitch:
It is always better to begin any design with the outer stitches or outlines. So, I begin the border design by doing the cross stitch. I will be doing the cross stitch over the darkest cell.
chicken_scratch_4 Double cross stitch:
I begin filling up the inner part of the border with the double cross stitch. The filling is done only over the darkest cell.
chicken_scratch_5 Woven circle:
The legs of the cross stitch provides good anchors to make a woven circle.
I make two rounds of circle, each time. This gives a bolder, more embossed look.
chicken_scratch_6 Woven oval:
I weave ovals with the diagonal stitches of the double cross stitch as the anchors I make the ovals only in the white cells.
chicken_scratch_border
The finished border looks like this. It gives a very lacy and rich effect when viewed from afar. :)
Note how all the tinted cells are left alone. Working the cross and double cross stitches over the darkest cells nullifies the color in the design part of the fabric. Woven ovals and woven circles over the white cells, amplifies the ‘whiteness’ and gives it a more raised, lacey look. The tinted cells will throw out a background effect.

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