Rope Stitch? Any Tutorials Out There

[Brad Johnson]

Hi Y'all!

Can anyone describe how to do a rope stitch?

Thanks in advance,

Brad

[Sylvia]

Hi Y'all!

Can anyone describe how to do a rope stitch?

Thanks in advance,

Brad

I've never heard of rope stitch in anything other than embroidery. Do you have a picture?

[bruce johnson]

I have heard a backhand called a rope stitch by some people. Basically you use a single needled thread. Go forward two holes and down, then back up one hole and up, forward two and down, and back one hole and up.... One side looks like a normal saddle stitch. The other side is an alternating every two hole stitch that sort of looks like a rope if you keep passing on the same side of the thread each stitch. It is easier than it sounds. I used to play around with it some for the decorative effect. Big thread looks kind of cool.

[Jazznow]

Good Description mr. Johnson For These who ever sewed fabrice by Hand: its the Same apart from the fact, that you have your holes prepunched. Greetings Jonathan

[TrojanRabbit]

I had to look that one up myself. That is a really cool stitch! I'm going to have to give that one a shot on my next project.

Ken

[ramrod]

o.k......now i gotta see some pics. i think i know what it looks like, but anyone got any pictures of it?

[Sylvia]

o.k......now i gotta see some pics. i think i know what it looks like, but anyone got any pictures of it?

I did this following Bruce's instructions.... It's not that great because I don't have a proper piercing awl and the photo is rather blurry.

I think when you go about doing this stitch it's important that when you go back and up one stitch, you have to do the same thing every time for it to look right. Also I think larger thread or lace would improve the look. Otherwise the distance between stitches should be closer than I have here.

Anyway... the picture

Edited March 1, 2012 by Sylvia

[Sylvia]

o.k......now i gotta see some pics. i think i know what it looks like, but anyone got any pictures of it?

After posting the previous picture last night I felt like it wasn't quite right.... so I took the stitches out and had another run at it.

Here's what I discovered.

Start on the wrong side, go up through the first hole.

skip the next (2nd) hole and go down through the 3rd hole.

come back up through the hole you skipped on one side or the other of the long stitch you just did.

Now, skip the next hole (it has a stitch in it) and go down through the next empty hole

Come back up next to the previous down stitch.

It helps to hold the loop on the front side as you pull on the down stitch Move the loop up or down out of the way....then do your up stitch. That way you can consistently come up on the same side of the loop, then pull it snug.

What I was doing in the previous picture was actually skipping 2 empty holes, so it didn't look quite right. Here is the improved version.

Edited March 1, 2012 by Sylvia

[ramrod]

yup. i've seen that before. evry time i see it i say "oh yeah, i know how to do that" then i forget.

thank you for the pictures sylvia. nice job.

question: how do you terminate it? can you backstitch somehow to lock it in? i can't see how.

[Sylvia]

yup. i've seen that before. evry time i see it i say "oh yeah, i know how to do that" then i forget.

thank you for the pictures sylvia. nice job.

question: how do you terminate it? can you backstitch somehow to lock it in? i can't see how.

Thanks!

I captured the first "tail" under the next two stiches. The end I just slipped the needle under the stitches on the back and did a couple half hitches that way.

I have no idea if that is the "proper" way, but it seems to work.

[Don Ayres]

I have been doing this stitch for a while now, I originally found it in Bruce Grants "Leather Braiding" book, It is Plate # 69 on page 146, It is called a "Stairstep Applique of One Thong" it is a very easy braid and looks pretty cool, front side looks like a rope and back looks like a Buck Stitch, Hope this helps