SuccessfulSatinStitch

You might think that satin stitch is an incredibly easy stitch to sewafter all you just go in and out, out and in, from one side of the shape to another - and in one sense you'd be absolutely right. I would argue though that it’s very easy in to work, but harder to work well. I am by no means a perfect satin stitcher, though I do have a few tips to share with you - so I thought I'd share a few of my tips with you - just hints that my mum and grandma passed onto me.

1. Use a good quality floss. You won't get good results with any kind of stitch if you're using cheap floss that breaks and tangles and is horrible to work with.

2. I usually like to work with two strands, and personally would be unlikely to use more than three for a nice smooth stitch - but that really is a matter of choice. No matter how many strands you use, when you're separating them from the skein, do so one strand at a time and then line them up together to thread your needle, making sure they're not twisted in any way.

3. Make sure the outline of your shape is nice and clear and unambiguous. You don't want to be wondering where is the best place to pass your needle through the fabric as you work.

For a nice plump stitch you can outline your shape with running stitch first, then work the shape by taking your needle through the fabric just outside your back stitches so that the satin stitch sits over them. This works well for simple shapes, but isn't always practical if your shape is quite irregular.

4. Use a hoop. Even if you normally prefer to stitch without one, then give it a go - you may be surprised. If you don't have a hoop to keep your fabric taut, then it's possible your satin stitches may grow tight causing your fabric to pucker beneath them - or alternatively loose, in which case they won't sit beautifully straight on top of your fabric.

5. Choose the angle at which you're going to work your stitches (this will depend on the shape you're stitching - if, for example you need to slant your stitches around any curves). Once you have chosen your angle, then stick to it! Beware your stitches drifting away from your chosen direction. I am particularly prone to this happening (I think I forget that floss has width as well as length and so my stitches tend to become bunched together at one end and fan out at the other).

There are two ways round this problem - either draw parallel lines across the shape with a sharp pencil (preferred) or work stitches at intervals then fill in between them. This is less satisfactory as the gaps you leave may not be the exact intervals to fill with strands of floss - you may have to squeeze extra stitches in from time to time.

6. Do not be tempted to bring your needle in and out of the fabric in one movement (My grandma was especially strict on this!) because (1) you will find it more difficult to follow your outline accurately and (2) the floss will enter and leave the fabric

Satin stitch might look like one of the easiest embroidery stitches there is - but be warned - it is actually one of the most difficult to work correctly and neatly. It covers the area to be stitched with long smooth stitches placed close together, giving the effect of continuous, solid, smooth colour

When working this stitch you carry your thread across the space you want to fill and then return underneath your fabric to the starting point again. The skill is in making your stitches lie evenly and closely together and in creating a neat firm edge to the shape being filled.

You can work your satin stitches in any direction, and they can be of any length, but the longer they on a more oblique angle that will make your stitch flatter and far less lovely - you have been warned! become, the more unwieldy and untidy they may appear. For this reason any large shape you want to fill with satin stitch should be split up as much as possible. This change in the direction of your stitches has the added bonus of giving light, shade and depth to your shape which is most effective.

7. Don't try to carry your floss across the back of your work between areas of stitching. Work each area separately, starting and finishing off as necessary as I have done below. Because satin stitch depends so heavily on achieving the right tension, carrying your thread can be risky as your stitches may become loose and "wobbly."

8. If the area to be covered is large, or your work will be subject to a lot of wear, tear and washing, then consider using another stitch such as split stitch which is much more hardwearing to fill your design area.

You can work running stitch beneath your satin stitch, or work two layers in different directions to give a raised, padded effect. It’s also nice to whip your satin stitch as shown in the diagram on the left to give a raised and corded effect. If you are doing this, then your satin stitch should be slanted and your whipping stitches placed almost at right angles and slightly apart.

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