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Knots · Intermediate

Turkey work

Turkey work is a row of thread loops, each one locked in place by a small tight stitch. The loops can be left as they are or cut and trimmed into a soft, fluffy pile like the surface of a rug.

How to work it

  1. Go down from the front, leave a tail

    The thread has gone down through the fabric at point A from the front, leaving a short tail lying on the surface under a thumb. The needle comes up at point B, a short stitch to the left.

    Start with no knot. Push the needle down at A from the front and pull until a short tail is left on top. Hold the tail, and bring the needle up at B, a short stitch to the left.

  2. Make a small stitch over the tail

    The needle goes down at point C, a short stitch to the right of A, making a small straight stitch from B to C that crosses over the tail at A.

    Go down at C, the same distance to the right of A, and pull tight. This small stitch from B to C pins the tail down.

  3. Come up in the middle again

    The small stitch from B to C holds the tail. The needle comes up again at point A, in the middle of the small stitch and just below it, beside the tail.

    Bring the needle up at A again, beside the tail and just below the small stitch. Every loop will start from the middle of a small stitch like this.

  4. Go down and leave a loop

    The needle goes down at point D, a short stitch to the right of C. The thread from A is not pulled tight: it hangs in a long loop, held by a thumb.

    Go down at D, a short stitch to the right of C, but do not pull tight. Leave a loop as long as you want the pile to be and hold it down with your thumb.

  5. Lock the loop with a small stitch

    The loop hangs from A to D. The thread has come up at C and the needle goes down at point E, making a second small straight stitch from C to E that crosses over the end of the loop at D.

    Come up at C, at the end of the last small stitch, and go down at E. Pull this stitch tight over the end of the loop. Then come up at D, below the stitch, ready for the next loop.

  6. Fill the row, then cut the loops

    A finished row of turkey work. On the left, three loops hang from a line of small holding stitches. On the right, the loops have been cut, leaving tufts of thread ends.

    Keep going: a loop, then a small tight stitch. For a pile, snip every loop, trim the ends level and fluff them with the needle.

At a glance

Also called
Ghiordes knot, turkey stitch, Turkey rug stitch, Turkey rug knot, single knot tufting
Used for
bumblebees and thistle tops; plush, velvety fillings; fringed, rug-like edgings; stumpwork and other raised embroidery
Thread
Any kind of thread works. All six strands of six-strand floss separate into a thick, fluffy pile when the cut loops are fluffed.
Needle
A chenille needle, which has a large eye and a sharp tip. A size 20 suits about three threads. If you use an embroidery (crewel) needle for all six strands of floss, try a size 3.

Tips

  • The pattern is simple once it clicks: loop, lock, loop, lock. The loop is left loose and the lock is pulled tight.
  • Keep the working thread below the line when you make a loop and bring the needle up below each small stitch, so all the loops fall the same way.
  • To fill a shape, start with the bottom row and work each new row directly above the last, up to the top of the shape.
  • Make the stitches small and the rows close together. The closer the loop ends are packed, the thicker the pile.
  • Try to keep the loops the same length as you go. Trimming afterward tidies the shape.
  • Cut all the loops only after the whole area is stitched, then trim a little at a time with small sharp scissors.

When it goes wrong

The loops pull out when I tug them
The small stitches are too loose or do not cross the loop ends. Each small stitch must lie over the end of a loop and be pulled tight.
Fabric shows through the pile
Work smaller stitches and place the rows closer together. Using more strands also thickens the pile.
The loops are different lengths
Try to make every loop the same length as you go. If the loops will be cut, trimming evens them out.
The cut pile looks stringy
Fluff the cut ends by running the needle through them, or use a small brush or comb, then trim again.

Left-handed

Work from right to left and mirror the diagrams. A row can be worked in either direction. Everything else is the same: a loop, then a small tight stitch over its end.

Variations

  • Uncut turkey work. The loops are left whole, for a looped texture.
  • Cut pile. The loops are snipped and trimmed short, so the thread ends stand up as a dense, velvety surface that can be trimmed to shape with scissors.
  • Fringe. A single row worked along the edge of the fabric, with the loops cut or uncut, makes a rug-like edging.

Patterns that use it

Questions

What is turkey work in embroidery?
It is a stitch that makes loops or tufts standing up from the fabric. Each loop is held by a small tight stitch, so the loops can be cut and trimmed into a pile without coming out. It is named after the knot used in Turkish rugs.
Is turkey work the same as the Ghiordes knot?
Yes. Turkey work, turkey stitch, Turkey rug stitch and Ghiordes knot all describe the same looped stitch.
How do you keep turkey work loops from pulling out?
Pull every small holding stitch tight, and make sure it lies across the end of the loop before it. That small stitch is what anchors the loop.
Do you have to cut the loops?
No. The loops are usually cut and trimmed into a pile, but they can be left as loops for a looped texture or a looped edging.

Where to go next

Stitches

Guides