Pulled Wave Stitch

Each line on this grid represents a fabric thread.

To begin this stitch at the right side of your embroidery:

• bring the threaded needle up at 1 in the fabric thread intersection a. I have marked these fabric thread intersections to emphasis the fact that we use them repeatedly for this stitch, they will be enlarged as you pull the working thread. If you feel uncertain about making them uniform use an awl to open the fabric thread intersection before you make the stitch and your stitches will be almost exactly the same size throughout,

• take the threaded needle down at 2,

• bring it back up at a for stitch 3 and pull. I always pull my Pulled Thread stitches on top of my embroidery as this will lock the stitches and keep the fabric fibers open. I pull this stitch tightly to open a spot in the embroidery for Julia's Antique Sampler .

• take the threaded needle down at 4,

• bring it up at the fabric thread intersection b for stitch 5 and pull,

• take the needle down at 6 and,

• bring it up at the fabric thread interction b for stitch 7 and pull,

• take the needle down at fabric thread intersection a for stitch 8,

• bring the needle up at fabric thread intersection c for stitch 9 and pull,

• take the needle down at fabric thread intersection a for stitch 10

• continue in sequence pulling the working thread whenever it emerges at the top of the fabric.

You can flip the chart upside down to use it as a diagram for stitching left to right if you ever need to do that. You can also do this stitch without pulling it and it will make a nice lattice work background that can be embellished further. ©2002, Linda Fontenot, www.OvertheMoonDesigns and www.AmericanFolkArts.com  Permission is granted to copy and distribute but please give me credit!