Herringbone Stitch Compensation

For this blog posting I am going to concentrate on the Herringbone Stitch.  There are many variations of this stitch, depending on the slant of the stitch, the width and the height of the stitch, as well as the numbers of threads in the separation of each “v” of the stitch.  Compensation must take into account all of these variations, there is not one way to do it for every variation of the stitch.

Let’s look at the Herringbone Stitch that is two threads high and two threads wide:

Herringbone Stitch - 2 wide x 2 high

The red lines show the compensating stitches.  Since this stitch follows the 45 degree diagonal of the square grid, the compensation is straight forward and no guessing is needed.

Here is a stitched sample:

Herringbone Stitch - 2 wide x 2 high

Looking at the back of the canvas:

Herringbone Stitch - back of canvas

There is not much thread on the back of the canvas to weave in ending threads.  In fact the stitches on the back of the canvas are over one thread. 

Let’s look at two difficulty issues that the Herringbone Stitch may cause:

1. It is hard to end threads on the back of the canvas.
2. The step back stitch (as in going from 2 to 3), the thread goes back one canvas thread and many times it can be pulled under the thread that is supposed to separate where the needle went into the canvas (at point 2) and where it is brought out of the canvas (at point 3.)

For Point 1:

The first piece of advice that I can give about weaving in ending threads is :  get a sharp needle - a crewel needle or an embroidery sharp needle is better than a sewing needle, but that will work too.  The embroidery sharp needle is the easiest to use because the eye of the needle is as large as a tapestry needle.

Let’s look at a stitched Herringbone Stitch sample:

Herringbone Stitch ending threads showing through to front of canvas

The arrows are pointing to ending threads showing through to the front of the canvas.  Let’s look at the back:

Red arrow - ending threads diagonally on the back of canvas

Blue arrow - ending threads horizontally on the back of the canvas

This is the back of the sample and you will notice that you do not see the ending threads on the left side of the stitching where the ending threads are woven into the stitches on the back (and I had to use a sharp needle because there is not much thread on the back of the canvas.)  Notice that ending the threads horizontally means that the ending threads show through to the front.  It is much better to end the threads on a diagonal on the back, meaning you have to weave through a top stitch, then a bottom stitch, then a top stitch, etc.

Other options for ending threads - weave them into stitches next to the Herringbone Stitches.  This is an option, but unless I absolutely have to (like for darning stitches) I always try to end threads behind the stitches that the thread was used to stitch them.  Why?

First, I don’t have to worry about thread shadows showing through stitches with lighter colored threads.  Second, if I have to rip out stitches, I don’t want to disturb stitches in surrounding areas - this just makes it easier for me.  If you’ve ever ripped out stitches and had all these ending threads in them from other areas you’ll know that this can really be a problem.  Maintaining stitch tension on those stitches from surrounding areas is nigh impossible.

Now for Point 2:

Having threads slide under the intersection of the canvas thread is a pain.  Let’s look at the canvas:

Canvas thread on top is vertical

When the top thread is vertical, any stitch over one horizontal canvas thread (as in the Herringbone example above) may slip under that vertical canvas thread.  This usually happens when the area you are stitching in has been disturbed (as in ripping out stitches and stitching over the area again.)  Canvas has some starch in it and that makes the canvas threads “stitck” a bit to each other when you first stitch on the canvas.  However, if you break this bond, then threads can easily slip around, as well as disforming the canvas threads with tight stitching tension.

This is a problem with a linen ground fabric also.  People who work on linen have to take more care in their stitching tension than canvas stitchers.  So watch your tension.

Try not to start a horizontal run of Herringbone Stitch that has an over one canvas thread stitch across the back of the canvas with a vertical stitch on the top.

If you are stitching Herringbone vertically, the opposite is true, don’t have the top canvas thread be a horizontal thread if you have an over one stitch on the back of the canvas.

Canvas thread on top is horizontal

Now let’s look at a variation of the Herringbone Stitch that is not square.  

Herringbone Stitch - 3 high x 4 wide

The important issue with respect to any stitch that is not a a true diagonal - the compensated stitches must have a slant as close to the slant of the original stitches.  I drew the compensating stitches in the diagram in red using the same angle as the original stitches to find where they would enter the canvas.  Let’s look at a stitched sample to determine if the slant is correct.

Herringbone Stitch - 4 wide x 3 high - Arrows pointing to compensated stitches

The compensated stitches are executed with white thread so that they stand out.  I will look at the slant of these stitches to determine if they are correct.  With this sample, I am happy with the slant - that is the only way to know if a compensated stitch will work - look at the slant of the stitch and compare it to a previous whole stitch. 

Those Pesky Ending Threads

I was recently at a needlepoint exhibit and I came across a needlepoint piece that had an error in it related to ending a thread.  The piece had a lot of white stitching in it and there was a section that had a red metallic thread that was couched down.  Surrounding this red metallic thread was all white threads.  Where do you end the metallic thread with all that white thread around it.

Here is an example of what I am talking about:

The arrow is pointing to the ending part of the red metallic thread showing through to the front.  The problem is intensified because the two cashmere stitches end right at the point where the thread is pulled across the back, showing through to the front.  I don’t quite remember what was above and below the metallic thread, just that whatever stitches were there were not suitable for ending the metallic behind either.  So I put in some herringbone stitches in white so that I could make my point.

The back of the canvas looks like this:

The arrow shows how the ending thread is pulled away from the red metallic thread on the front and through the white cashmere stitches on the back.  This is why you see the red thread from the front of the canvas.

The correct way to end those threads should not reveal any metallic threads showing through to the front, as shown below:

The black arrow points to the location that the red thread is taken to the back of the canvas and you can not see the any thread shadowing through to the front.  Just how did I end that thread without any red showing through?   Look at the back:

The black arrow points to where the red thread is brought to the back of the canvas and pulled behind the red thread on the front of the canvas.  I used a length of white sewing thread to tie down the thread on the back directly behind where the thread lies on the front.  Furthermore, to make sure that thread does not wiggle out, I pierced the metallic thread with the sewing thread in more than one place.  That thread end will not loosen or wiggle out of place - it will keep the front thread crisp and solidly in place.

Do not hesitate to whip or couch threads in place on the back of your canvas piece.  Piercing the ending thread will hold it stable.

Red thread stitched near white thread is notorious for causing troubles:

• red fibers may shed onto the white thread
• red ending threads show through to the front very easily 
• the red color may rub off onto the white thread

Always stitch the white thread first and the red thread last in these circumstances.  And always end the red thread directly behind the red stitches on the front of the canvas.  Now you know how to end that pesky red thread behind the red stitches on the front of the canvas even when it first appears that there is no way you can do it.