How to Do the Straight Gobelin Needlepoint Stitch
When needlepoint stitching a project with areas that require background filling, a common background stitch is the basic “straight gobelin stitch.” Create gobelin stitches on the diagonal (the diagonal gobelin) or stitch them in an upright fashion (straight gobelin). One advantage of this filler stitch is the variety of lengths you can stitch it--make the stitches all the same length or different lengths. Straight gobelin stitch must span at least two canvas spaces for stability in your needlepoint.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Thread your needle with a 12-inch length of needlepoint yarn.
-
2
Insert the needle up through the needlepoint canvas in a mesh hole and pull the yarn through until approximately 1 inch of yarn remains on the bottom of the canvas. You will be working from left to right.
-
-
3
Place your thumb or index finger over this 1-inch tail on the underside of the canvas to hold it there and prevent it from pulling through as you begin stitching.
-
4
Determine how many meshes you desire your straight gobelin stitch to span. You can vary the length and make the stitches different lengths, or you can make them all the same length. Insert the needle back down through the canvas straight above the first point of the stitch at least two meshes away to create a straight stitch.
-
5
Position the yarn tail on the underside of the canvas under the yarn as you pull it over to the point where you will insert the needle back up through the canvas again. This will secure the yarn tail under the stitching yarn.
-
6
Insert the needle back up through the canvas in the next mesh to the immediate right of the first hole.
-
7
Insert the needle back down again to create another straight stitch, again making sure it spans at least two meshes.
-
8
Continue filling in the needlepoint canvas using these straight gobelin stitches, making the stitches as long or as varied as you desire (as long as each mesh spans at least two meshes).
-
9
Finish the stitches with the needle on the underside of the needlepoint canvas. Insert the needle through three to four stitches on the backside of the canvas to secure the yarn. Clip off the excess needlepoint yarn with the scissors.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Polka Dot/Getty Images
