How to do the Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole Stitch - Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials

About the Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole Stitch

The Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole Stitch is an interesting stitch that combines Blanket Stitch and Feather Stitch properties. Using the Feather Stitch technique, Blanket Stitches are mirrored on alternate sides, eventually creating a leaf-like pattern. It can be used wonderfully over borders, edgings, and fillings. I will work between three parallel stitch lines.

How to do the Up and Down Feathered Buttonhole Stitch


Fig 1: Start by making a slanted Blanket Stitch between the 2nd and 3rd stitch lines, as shown.	Fig 2: Now, you would work another Blanket Stitch between the same stitch lines, but the other way around. Go in through the 2nd line, come out from the 3rd line, and loop the thread around.

Fig 3: Now, here is the tricky part-pull the needle out and as you pull the thread out, guide the loop towards the 2nd stitch line, or the centre.	Fig 4: The loop will settle in the centre holding down both the stitches towards the side.

Fig 5: Do this on the other side. Keep up with the same process of making pairs of stitches on both sides.	Fig 6: A finished portion will look like this.