Reverse Chain Stitch and Twisted Chain Stitch

The first two stitches done in gold work are stitches that I am familiar with but I have never worked them in a metallic thread so I decided to practice on a doodle cloth before doing them on the sampler. I chose a piece of linen similar to the linen used for the sampler. It seemed a bit decadent to use good quality linen for a doodle cloth but then a thought that spoiling the sampler fabric and all of my work so far could prove far more costly.

We were supplied with some imitation gold and silver threads and I decided to practice with these first. The imitation thread is quite fine and fairly flexible. It had a tendency to kink but, as long as I remembered to twizzle, both stitches worked well with this thread.

Next I practiced with the #371 gold wire. This is a heavier thread and less flexible. It did form a nice curve for each stitch if the wire was relaxed but it kinked and buckled if there was too much overtwist. I had to concentrate on maintaining a correct amount of twist at all times.

© Thistle Threads/Carol-Anne Conway

A short length of each stitch is worked into the spaces around the motifs using #371 gold wire.

Reverse Chain Stitch
© Thistle Threads/Carol-Anne Conway

Twisted Chain Stitch
© Thistle Threads/Carol-Anne Conway

Happy Stitching