Basic Embroidery Stitches: Herringbone Stitch

Herring bone stitch comes under the category of crossed embroidery stitches. 

This stitch is used in plain needlework to join flannel pieces together. 

It is also used as an ornamental stitch in embroidery. The beauty of this stitch depends entirely upon the execution. Every stitch requires to be put in at an exact distance from the last made, and the amount of material taken up upon the needle should always be the same.

 

This stitch is so called because it resembles the spine of a fish such as the herring.

Synonyms: 

Mossoul stitch, Persian stitch, Russian stitch,Russian cross stitch, Plaited stitch, Catch stitch, Fish net stitch, Hex stitch and Witch stitch

 source: embroiderers guild.com

Herringbone stitch is used exclusively in Candle Wicking, Crewel Embroidery, Shadow work, Indian Chikankari work and White Work.

Rule For Herring-Bone

The herring-bone (also called catch-stitch) is worked from left to right, or away from the worker. It is a sort of cross-stitch taken alternately from side to side. The position is over the first two fingers of the left hand. The form of the stitch may vary greatly in the length of the slanting line which connects the crosses on either side, and also in the distance apart of the crosses. When the stitch is once started the width of it and the relative position of the cross stitches on either side must remain the same. In the most usual form of the stitch the crosses on one side come exactly between the crosses on the other side, so that the bottom of the stitch on one side is directly opposite the top of the stitch on the other. On the wrong side of the cloth the stitch looks like two lines of running-stitches.

Here's my work using Herringbone stitch.

I need to admit that this is the first time I am using this stitch so elaborately . Never had I got the opportunity to work this stitch.
The embroidery below uses closed herringbone stitch. I just didn't want the work to be too porous.

Now, I just experimented a bit and outlined the large flower with back stitch. The result though is not much appealing.

A close up view of the herringbone stitch. It just looks divine!!!!!!!!

My mind is flooding with ideas to work variations of this stitch.

I can point out so many mistakes , esp , the crowded stitching of the petal shown above; but otherwise the work as a whole is quite satisfying.

Find all the Basic Embroidery Stitches Here

Related Posts: Shadow Work and The Indian Chikankari