Also known as: Vandyke chain stitch
This stitch is the incorporation of chain stitch in a zig zag manner. In other words, a zig zag chain stitch is done between two parallel lines instead of one. Ideal for any border embroidery, this is more of a decoration stitch.
I have used only one stitch line to illustrate this stitch. You may imagine a parallel stitch line over the one that I have marked. To do this stitch, you need to know how to do chain stitch.
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| Fig 1: With the base on the stitch line, do a chain stitch loop. | Fig 2: The stitch should be slanted at about a 45 degrees angle, from the stitch line. If it helps, you may draw a parallel stitch line as well. | |
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Fig 3: Continue with the chain stitch procedure, but keep the needle at a 45 degree angle always, for every new stitch. | |
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| Fig 4: You should get a pattern like this when done on a straight line. You can try to follow curves too. | ||
Tags: embroidery tutorial, hand embroidery, vandyke chain stitch, zig zag chain stitch
Hi sarah ..
Just pitched into the embroidery section when I was browsing .. Good job!!! There is a beautifully written tutorial for a wide range of stitches… Had never seen this zig-zag chain stitch anywhere .. You have explained this stitch with really good pics !!!
Book marking this site for future reference !!
-srilatha
Hey srilatha,
Thanks. Nice to hear from you.
Do let know if you looking for any other kind of specific stitch. Maybe I can place it up here.
Thank’s a lot about your very excellent write tutorial. You give me more than what I want. Thank’s…….
Hey Ratnawati,
Thanks for your appreciation. Enjoy stitching!
[...] embroidery stitch is also known as Vandyke chain stitch. It is a line stitch and filling used on plain-and even-weave fabrics and is suitable for use with [...]
hey sarah,
isnt the stitch at 45 degrees? just asked to avoid confusion for beginners like me.
Dear Leema,
Thanks for pointing that out! You are right, it should be 45 degrees with the stitch line as the base.
I think my head had taken a vacation.
The correction has been made.
Hi Sarah,
Great to see that you have already corrected it!
Its human to make mistakes. I thought it spoiled the otherwise perfect tutorial and hence sent you a mail.
Btw it would be great if you could reply to my doubt in the homepage of the chain stitch family. As suggested by you posting a comment in the relevant page would help others who might have similar doubts and hence I am not asking it here again.
Also warm bday wishes for your lil one.
Just anxious to know where you are located in India. Are you in Kerala and if so in which part of Kerala? If you are in Trivandrum I would love to attend your classes in person.
Leema
Hello Leema,
Thanks for your wishes.
We are located in Pune. Right now, we are in Kerala for a few days, though.
Hey Sarah!
Are you located in Pune? If yes please let me know where and if you take classes?? I would really love to join…
Sarah,
Thank you so much for this tutorial!! My grandmother taught me all these stitches when I was younger and I forgot some of them. Seeing them again in an easy to understand tutorial has brought those precious memories back. Also, I can use some new stitches when I embroider wedding dresses. If you don’t mind, I would love to link this website to my facebook page.
Dear Emily,
We are happy that our pages revived some of your fond memories, and you found them good to refer and learn new stitches.
So, you embroider wedding dresses… that is wonderful.
I would have no objections if you want to link this website to your facebook page.
Madam,
I am very very happy about your online classes. As I am an employee I could not attend any classes. I was very excited to see your site in the internet. It made me to remember all the stitches when I was in primary classes. I embroidered my daughters two dresses also. Thanks alot.
Dear Archana,
Thanks.
So happy that you could learn and practice from our pages.
Dear Sarah,
Thank you very much for these wonderful tuitorials.I am very much interested in doing hand emb and your tui are most helpful.It is like finding a treasure of stiches.
Chhaya.
Hello Chhaya,
It is really nice to hear that you are enjoying our pages.
thanku for all ur stiches they r vgood. i would like to knw aari work, & kashmire stich if u can help thanku
Dear Madhu,
Aari work is done with a special needle. I have made a tutorial where we use a normal embroidery needle to reproduce the same embroidery. Please check http://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/hand-embroidery/zalakdozi/zalakdozi-tutorial/
Hope this helps.
Dear Sarah,
Thanks for the very pretty variations of chain stitch. I was looking
for a border stitch and I found one here.