Types of Swedish Weaving Stitches

Create embroidered pillowcases and hand towels with four-ply yarn and Swedish weaving stitches.

Swedish weaving, also referred to as huck embroidery, gained popularity in the late 1940s, when homemakers used the technique to create elaborate borders for kitchen and hand towels, according to Avery Hill's informational page on the technique. The needle craft's name is deceiving, for although practitioners create their designs on woven cloth, the process they use is more akin to embroidery. When choosing yarn and thread to work Swedish weaving stitches, look for bodkin needles and four-ply yarn (double knitting weight) that will stand up to mild abrasion.

Darning Stitch

According to the Embroidery Methods website, one of the most commonly used Swedish weaving stitches is the simple to master darning stitch. Use darning stitches to secure the embroidery yarn in place. When you need to work a darning stitch, pass your needle and yarn under vertical floats, which are the gatherings of four threads that run across the length of the huck cloth toweling usually used for Swedish weaving. You usually work a darning stitch into every other vertical float.

Split Stitch

This variation of the darning stitch creates loops throughout a Swedish weaving project. Though the split stitch bears many similarities to the darning stitch, it differs in one significant way: When you pass your needle and yarn under a vertical float, catch the yarn under only two of the four strands of thread. According to Embroidery Methods, passing yarn under the vertical float situated two rows above the split float then passing your needle and yarn under the remaining two threads of the split float creates a tiny loop.

Loopidy Loop

A more visible option than the basic darning stitch, the loopidy loop creates bolder designs in Swedish weaving, according to Embroidery Methods. When you get to a float into which you want to work a loopidy loop, pass your needle and thread under the float as usual, but instead of continuing on to the next darning stitch, bring your needle and thread back over the front of the float and pass it under once more. When you work a loopidy loop, pass the needle and yarn from the same side of the float both times, concealing the float with yarn.

References

• Embroidery Methods: Swedish Huck Weaving Stitches
• Avery Hill: FAQ and Instructions