Stitched Sunday – the Bullion stitch

This would be one of my favourite stitches – not to do, but to admire. I spent years admiring them and perfecting them to look just as good as those in my Inspirations magazines (yes I have every issue!) I think they can be so delicate and soft and beautiful or bright and cheery depending on their application – but they are not easy to perfect so  I will give you as many tips as I can and then I have quite a challenge for you in your ‘page’ this week so you can really practise.

First and possibly most importantly you should use a different needle to get a good bullion – the straw or Milliner needle – this needle is long with a sharp point and a smaller eye but the important bit is that the eye and the shaft are the same width/size so that the wraps slide over the eye easily.

They come in many sizes – choose the size that fits your thread.

okay, to our hoop

The line represents the bullion stitch

Bring the threaded needle up at A

down at B and back up at A  - leave the needle in the fabric (both ends)

Hold the thread with your right hand and rest the hoop on the table or your lapplace your left finger under the needle lifting it up from the fabric

     and wrap the thread clockwise around the needle, slide each wrap past your  finger to the bottom of the needle close to the fabric (the finger stops the wraps from flying off and loosely tangling)You need enough wraps to cover the distance between A and B for a straight bullion (if you want a curved bullion you do too many wraps to fill this space) Slide all of the wraps close together evenly to the bottom of the needle then – with your left hand (thumb and finger) hold the wraps whilst you pull the needle through with the right hand.keep pulling all the way through, all the while holding those wraps.     You will not likely have perfect wraps once you pull through – see little loopies and uneven wraps – don't panic, we are not finished yet  hold the thread taut with the left hand and place the needle under the wraps. Whilst you pull the thread run the needle up and down along the underside of the wraps – they will even out and tighten up around the thread. You may need to use a finger nail to push them down to sit tightly and evenly togetheruntil they look like this – then you put the needle back down into the fabric at B to finish and anchor the stitch.

There are many ways you can use a bullion to represent flowers, animals etc etc. My favourite of course is the rose – you can see lots of these around my house and studio.

but the rose is not the easiest stitch to do…

so lets go through it step by step

You can stitch a rose in different shades to make it look more realistic and you can do one row of petals or two (or more if you wish). The number of wraps will depend on the type of thread you use and the size of your rose but I will tell you how many I used for this sample just to give you an idea.

Start by making two straight bullions side by side. 

Using Presencia Finca Perle #16 thread i used 7 wraps for the centre bullions.

Now we have to think of stitching a stem stitch around the centre but each stitch is a bullion. I like to start my first stitch around the top of my centre (you could use a different shade thread here) – i used 12 wraps. When you finish and anchor your first bullion see that the needle comes up to start my next bullion half way along the last bullion (as in stem stitch)Continue around the centre tucking the last bullion inside your first stitch. I try and do five bullions for the first row of petals (four can sometimes make it look squarish)    Now you could change colours again and do another row of petals – use approx 15-18 wraps this time and about 7 wraps to get around.

Todays ‘page’ is not so much a design but a sampler of different uses of Bullions. It might be a challenge and will take quite some time but you will be experts by the time you finish.

The circle outline is stitched in chain stitch with a running stitch outline. I have placed some running stitch filler into the grass area.

The lavender is stitched with a feather stitch with bullion flowers. about 6 wraps each. these flowers are bullion circles – points A and B are at the same point (just take a one thread stitch) – you do lots of wraps – up to 30 until it lays down in a circle – you may need to couch the top edge down into place. Put a french or colonial knot in the centre and backstitch the stems. These flowers have a satin stitched centre, bullion petals – two bullions with points A and B being the same for both – about 12-15 wraps. The stems are backstitch with the leaves being stitched the same as the petals – about 18 wraps so the curve slightly. These flowers have bullion petals – 12 wraps, french knot centres, stem stitch stems and fly stitched leaves. aww cute little butterflies, bullion bodies with lazy daisy wings. and dont forget the little bunny hiding in the stems… bullion body and head, french knot tail and lazy daisy ears.. The rose has a chain stitch stem, lazy daisy leaves and bullion flowers and buds.

for more ideas and inspiration check out my pinboard. If you are an overachiever check out the pear!

You can download this weeks page here…. Download Bullionstitch

Only a couple more stitch lessons to go and then we will start our stitch book cover with everything you have learnt. I do hope you are still enjoying it

until next week- happy stitching.

Helen

Comments

[Denella Sawtell]

Wow! Your work is gorgeous. Thans so much for the tutorial. Just beautiful. D. :=)

[Vanilla]

What a beautiful post!!!
The tutorial is really wonderful and the embroideries you posted are awesome!! thanks

[Sequana]

I've been having SUCH a difficult time learning this stitch! When I look around the web on method, I find quite a few different ones, and that doesn't help.

I'm gonna stick with this now until I'm finished with your sample page and see if I can finally settle in.

It's a beautiful stitch once it's done properly.

[Heleen Groot]

I am still really enjoying the lessons. I am still working on the last one (being a real novice at this). I've had to remove the stitches so many times I was starting to worry that the fabric would disintegrate! Maybe this time I will use a trial piece of fabric! Thank you and have a beautiful sunday!

[Chrissie]

Thanks for the lesson, I have always put off doing bullions but now must have a go and practice, just have to reverse everything (lefthanded lol)

[Sharon]

Thanks Helen - while I have tried bullion stitch to are more or less satisfied degree I am always anxious (holding the breath) with the part of the process when you pull the thread through and 'tidy up' the wraps - I always do it as quick as I can so I get it over and done with... I feel I can breathe now... Love the step by step tutorial... I am going to go and find some material and have a practice...

[Paulette Doyle]

Wow!! You made that look easy!! Can't wait to try that one!! Thanks so much for the lesson!
Have a wonderful Sunday!
P