Straight stitches · Beginner
Upright gobelin stitch
Upright stitches side by side over two or more canvas threads, in neat horizontal rows.
How to work it
Come up at the bottom of the row
Bring the needle up at the bottom of the row, at its left end.
Go down two threads above
Go down directly above, over two canvas threads. The stitch can be made longer, up to about six threads.
Repeat along the row
Come up in the next hole to the right at the bottom and repeat.
Work the next row below
Work the next row directly below, sharing holes with the row above. Go down into the shared hole rather than coming up through it.
At a glance
- Also called
- straight Gobelin
- Used for
- borders; ribbed bands; backgrounds; filling large or small areas
- Coverage
- Full, with a thread a little thicker than for tent stitch
- Direction
- Upright
- Stitch length
- Over 2 canvas threads
Upright stitches lie between the vertical canvas threads rather than across intersections, so they need a slightly thicker thread than tent stitch to cover. Add a strand, or use a fuller thread, if canvas shows between stitches.
Upright Gobelin is the plainest of the straight stitches and the root of several others. Offset each row by half a stitch and you have the brick family, and one teacher calls it the basis of bargello. One stitch reference also records the name tapestry stitch.
Worked in rows it gives a neat, slightly raised, ribbed surface. One stitch reference calls it good for small striped areas and lists it for grass. Teachers use it for sand and for the trunk of a tree. One makes the stitch taller to bring an area forward. Rows can run across the canvas or up and down.
Tips
- Lay a long thread along the row and stitch over it (tramé) for extra padding and coverage.
When it goes wrong
- The strands twist and cover unevenly.
- With more than one strand in the needle, use a laying tool so the strands lie smoothly on the canvas.
- Long stitches catch.
- Keep to six threads or fewer. One guide to canvas stitches gives six as the most a satin stitch should cover before the thread is apt to snag.
Variations
- Encroaching straight Gobelin. Each row reaches one thread up into the row before, which gives a smooth, even surface.
- Gobelin filling. Long upright stitches with each row offset by half a stitch length.
Questions
- Why is it called Gobelin?
- After the Gobelins tapestry works in Paris. One stitch reference says it is unclear whether the stitch is connected with the factory or only looks like woven tapestry.