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Couching · Easy

Trellis stitch

Trellis stitch fills a shape with a grid of long straight stitches, then holds every crossing down with a small stitch. It covers a large area quickly and leaves an open lattice pattern.

How to work it

  1. Come up on the edge of the shape

    A square drawn as a dotted outline. The needle comes up at point A on the lower edge, near the left side.

    Draw the shape. Bring the needle up at A, on the outline at one side of the shape.

  2. Lay a long stitch across the shape

    The needle goes down at point B on the upper edge, straight above A, laying one long stitch across the square.

    Take the needle down at B, on the outline straight across from A. Pull until the thread lies flat and straight, with no slack.

  3. Lay the rest of the first set

    The first long stitch lies from A to B. The needle comes up at C on the upper edge, one space to the right of B, ready to lay the next stitch down to D on the lower edge.

    Come up at C, one space along the same edge, and go down at D on the far edge. Keep going until evenly spaced parallel stitches cover the shape.

  4. Lay the second set across the first

    Four upright long stitches fill the square. A second set is being laid across them from side to side. Two are in place, and the needle goes down on the right edge to finish the second.

    Now lay long stitches the other way, the same distance apart. They lie on top of the first set and cross it at right angles. Do not weave them.

  5. Tie down a crossing

    The square is covered with a grid of long stitches. At the top left crossing, the thread comes up at E, just below and left of the crossing, and the needle goes down at F, just above and right of it, making a small slanting stitch over the crossing.

    Bring the needle up at E, close beside a crossing, and take it down at F on the opposite side. This small slanting stitch pins both long threads to the fabric.

  6. Tie every crossing

    The finished trellis: a square grid of long stitches with a small slanting stitch holding down every crossing.

    Work along the rows until every crossing has a small stitch over it, all slanting the same way. You can use a second color for these stitches.

At a glance

Also called
lattice stitch, trellis couching, square laid filling, Jacobean couching
Used for
filling large shapes quickly; leaves and backgrounds; flower centers; open fillings in crewel work
Thread
Three strands of six-strand floss is a good place to start for the grid. The tying stitches can be in the same thread or in a second color.
Needle
An embroidery (crewel) needle. A size 7 suits three strands of floss. For wool or other thick thread, a chenille needle has a longer eye and a sharp point.

Tips

  • For even spacing, lay the first thread across the middle or the widest part of the shape and work out to each side.
  • Come up on the same edge you just went down on, one space along, so that only a short stitch crosses the back.
  • Outline the shape afterward with a line stitch to hide the drawn outline.

When it goes wrong

The lines are not parallel
Lay the first thread across the middle of the shape and work out to each side, keeping each new thread parallel to the last and evenly spaced.
The long threads sag or shift
Tie down every crossing. The small stitches are what hold the grid in place.
The edge of the shape looks ragged
End every long stitch exactly on the outline, then cover the outline with a line stitch.

Left-handed

Nothing about the stitch changes. Lay the threads and tie the crossings in whichever direction is comfortable.

Variations

  • Diagonal trellis. Both sets of long stitches are laid on the slant, so the squares of the grid sit on their points.
  • Cross bar filling trellis. Each crossing is held with a small cross stitch instead of one slanting stitch. Some stitchers use a small upright stitch.
  • Cross bar with link trellis. A straight stitch is worked over each crossing, and a detached chain stitch is worked in some of the squares.
  • Battlement couching. Several grids are laid one over another, each shifted a little to one side, and only the top grid is tied down.

Patterns that use it

7 patterns use this stitch: all hand embroidery patterns

Questions

Is trellis stitch the same as lattice stitch?
Yes. Trellis, lattice stitch, trellis couching and square laid filling are all names used for a grid of long laid stitches tied down where they cross. An unrelated stitch is also called trellis stitch: a knotted needle lace filling used in Elizabethan embroidery.
What is trellis stitch used for?
It fills large areas quickly, such as leaves, backgrounds and flower centers. It dates from Jacobean crewel work, where it was used to fill large parts of a design.
Do I have to tie down every crossing?
Yes. The long threads are only attached at their ends. The small stitch at each crossing is what secures the grid.

Where to go next

Stitches

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