Stitch School: Overcast Stitch

I've been avoiding showing you some of the very complicated stitches, not because I don't think you can handle them, but because they're going to involve lots and lots of photos and I'm not sure this is the best place to do that. I recently bought the domain name stitchschool.com so you can put two and two together and guess what I'm planning to do in the near future :)

Luckily, I've found a batch of easier stitches in a vintage (1964) Coats & Clarks booklet called "One Hundred Embroidery Stitches" so I have something for you in the meantime.

The overcast (or trailing) stitch is kind of a cross between couching and satin stitch. It resembles a fine cord and would be perfect for stems instead of outline stitch. Here's how to do it:



Start by bringing what we'll call the laid threads up to the surface. I used six strands of floss because I wanted a nice thick cord; use less for a more delicate one. Rethread your needle with a second thread in the same color (I used three strands) and bring it to the front using the same hole as the laid threads.



Hold the laid threads in position on the line of your design with your left thumb.



Work small satin stitches very closely together over the laid threads. You're doing the same technique as with couching but with that stitch they're spaced farther apart.



When you come to the end of your stem, rethread the laid threads onto your needle and take it to the back. Then take your overthread to the back in the same hole. If you're working a short line it might save time and be less hassle to use two needles and keep the first threaded with the laid threads. Either way is fine.

Here's what it looks like when you've finished. My line is kind of wavy—I think I need to practice keeping it straighter :)



See you next week for another Stitch School. And check back for answers to more embroidery questions from readers and a post I'm working on about redwork embroidery. As always, past Stitch School posts can be found in the sidebar to the right.

Didn't want this to get lost in the comments. Ann-Margaret provided a link to a page with photos of Armenian embroidery that you might be interested in checking out. And there are instruction diagrams, if you want to try this technique. It's another combination stitch that begins with two rows of herringbone, then has several rows of thread woven amongst the threads. Beautiful work!