Braided (also known as ‘Hungarian’) Chain Stitch creates thick, textured lines.
I like to stitch it from top to bottom.
For this tutorial, I used 2 strands of thread out of 6.
- Braided Chain Stitch starts similarly to Reverse Chain Stitch: begin with a tiny anchor stitch (just a couple of millimetres long).
- Move down the line a stitch length (between 0.5cm - 1cm); then pass your needle under your tiny anchor stitch, staying at the front of the fabric.
- Go back down the same hole that you came up from. This creates your first link in the chain.
- Bring your needle back up another stitch length down; then pass it under your anchor stitch again (just like the first one).
- Go back down the previous hole; but leave your thread loose! Use your fingers or needle to create a loose circle shape.
- Bring your needle up another stitch length away; then pass it halfway underneath the link in your chain. Your needle should rest on top of your loose circle thread, and under the chain link thread.
- Leave your needle halfway underneath the chain link, then take your thread and pull it tight. This is the second link in your chain.
- Finally, pull your needle all the way through.
- Repeat: go back down in the last hole you came up through. Again, leave the thread loose and create a circle. Bring your needle back up a stitch length away; then pass your needle halfway through the last link in your chain. With your needle lying in place, take the loose thread and pull it tight; then pass your needle all the way through.
- Continue like this down the line. Sometimes your thread won’t want to lie flat in a circle shape - use your needle or a finger to hold it in place instead.
- To finish a line, make your last stitch length short (just a couple of millimetres). Go under your last chain link; tighten the thread, then go back down your last hole and pull the thread tight. Tie off and you’re done!
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