Cast-on stitch

How to work it

1. Come up at A, then scoop from B to A

   

   Bring the thread up at A. Put the needle in at B, one stitch length away, and bring the tip out again at A, in the same hole or right beside it. Leave the needle in the fabric.

2. Twist a loop and slip it on

   

   Lay the thread that comes out at A over your index finger and turn the finger so the thread makes a twisted loop. Touch the fingertip to the tip of the needle and slip the loop onto the needle.

3. Slide the loop down and cast on more

   

   Slide the loop down the needle to the fabric and pull the thread so the loop sits snug, not tight. Add more loops the same way and slide each one down, until the row is at least as long as the distance from A to B.

4. Hold the loops and pull through

   

   Hold the loops between your fingers. Pull the needle, and then all of the thread, through them.

5. Pull toward B and go down at B

   

   Keep pulling the thread toward B until the row of loops reaches from A to B. Then take the needle down at B.

6. The finished stitches

   

   A row with more loops than the gap needs stands up in a curve. Worked around a small circle, curved stitches make the petals of a flower. French knots can fill the center.

At a glance

Used for

petals of raised flowers and roses; leaves; clusters of raised texture; Brazilian embroidery

Thread

Pearl cotton in size 8 or size 5 works for this stitch. Size 8 is about as thick as three strands of six-strand floss. Other threads work too. A thin thread may be more likely to curl, so try more strands for a longer stitch. Brazilian embroidery is worked in rayon thread.

Needle

A milliner (straw) needle. Its eye and shaft are the same width, so the needle slides through the loops, and a long one has room for many loops. The size depends on the weight of the thread. A size 5 takes size 8 pearl cotton.

Tips

• Use a milliner (straw) needle. Its eye is the same width as its shaft, so it passes through the loops easily.
• Put the fabric in a hoop or frame. Making the loops takes both hands.
• Keep the loops snug on the needle but not tight, and space them evenly.
• The number of loops sets the shape. A row as long as the distance from A to B lies flat. A longer row arches, and the more loops you add, the sharper the curve.
• For an arched flower petal, try enough loops to cover about twice the distance between the two ends.
• You can still move the loops after the needle is through. Nudge them into place with your fingers.

When it goes wrong

The needle will not pull through the loops

Use a milliner needle and keep the loops snug, not tight. Most embroidery needles have an eye wider than the shaft, and the loops tighten on it as you pull.

The thread twists up while you cast on

Let go of the thread between loops so it can untwist, and smooth it out. If it keeps twisting, try the stitch with the needle pointing the other way and make the loops with your other hand.

The finished stitch curls or twists

Some curl is normal. A thin thread and a long stitch may both make it worse, so try more strands or a shorter stitch. You can also straighten the loops with your fingers.

The stitch will not stay where you put it

There may be too few loops on the needle. A fuller stitch is easier to move into a position where it will hold.

Left-handed

Mirror the diagrams: put B to the left of A, point the needle the other way and make the loops on a finger of your other hand.

Variations

• Double cast-on stitch. The thread is doubled in the needle and the two threads are split to either side. Loops are cast on from each side in turn, one hand and then the other. It makes a flatter stitch that is usually used for flower petals.
• Drizzle stitch. The needle is taken off the thread and stood in the fabric right beside it. Loops are cast on, the needle is threaded again and pulled down through them. The stitch stands free of the fabric except at its base.
• Beaded cast-on stitch. A bead is put on the needle after each loop, so beads and loops alternate. The row starts and ends with a loop.
• Bullion knot. A similar stitch. The thread is wrapped around the needle, not looped onto it. Bullion knots can take the place of cast-on stitches in a flower for a slightly different look.