Bayeux Stitch

The Bayeux Stitch is used extensively on the famous Bayeux Tapestry created in
1077 depicting the story of William the Conqueror’s rise to power in 1066. The stitch
is useful in covering large areas of fabric with embroidery to create solid shapes.
Materials used to create this version of the Bayeux Stitch vary a great deal from the
original embroidery of the 11th century. The background fabric is a thick boiled wool
(not linen), the thread is pearl cotton size 8 (not wool), and no hoop is used to hold
the fabric taut. Here’s how to make the Bayeux Stitch.

1. Stitch Stem Stitches to outline the shape to be filled with the Bayeux Stitch.
2. Bring the needle up next to the Stem Stitches on one side of the shape. Insert the
needle on the other side of the shape next to the Stem Stitches and draw the needle
and thread through the fabric to make the first long stitch. (In this case, I began in the
center of the shape. Note that the running stitches that anchor the thread will be
covered with the top threads.) Do not pull the thread too hard or the shape will curl.

3. Bring the needle up again as close as possible to the place where it went down,
not across the back of the fabric. (This saves on thread.) Insert the needle at the other
side of the shape and draw the thread through the fabric. Keep the stitches so close
that no fabric shows between them. Continue across the fabric to fill in the shape.
4. When the shape is filled in with long stitches, bring a second color of thread up on
the side of the shape next to the Stem Stitches. Lay the thread across the background
stitches, insert the needle next to the Stem Stitches, and draw the thread through the
fabric. Using that same thread, Couch or hold down the long stitch with small stab
stitches at regular intervals.

5. Continue to add lines of thread across the background threads. Alternate the stab
stitches used to couch the cross threads to create a brick pattern.
 Stem or Outline Stitch
Sometimes you just want to draw a line from here to there on the surface of fabric.
That’s where the Stem or Outline Stitch comes to the rescue. Think of the Stem Stitch
or Outline Stitch as a line drawn with needle and thread.

Here’s how to make Stem or Outline Stitches: Bring the needle and thread up at point
A. Insert the needle tip at point B about 1/4″ from point A. Bring the needle tip up about
half way back to A at point C. Draw the needle and thread through the fabric.

Repeat the steps above with what was point C now becoming point A.
 Couching
Couching is a method of securing thick threads, like the yellow Size 3 pearl cotton
thread above, to the surface of fabric. The heavy thread lays on the fabric and a finer,
easier to handle thread, like a Size 8 pearl thread, is stitched over it to fasten it to the
fabric.

Here’s how to add Couching to your fabric:

Come up at point A with the Size 3 thread using a Size 1 embroidery needle. Come
up at B, about 1/4’’ from A, with a lighter weight thread like a Size 8 or Size 12 pearl
cotton using a Size 3 or Size 5 embroidery needle respectively.
Stitch the big needle into the fabric to hold it out of the way. Bring the smaller needle,
used with the finer thread, over the thick thread and insert the needle back into B.
Draw the thread through the fabric. The finer thread traps the heavy thread into place.

Bring the small needle up at C about 1/4’’ from B. Insert the small needle on the other
side of the thick thread and back into C. Draw the thread through the fabric.

Continue to couch down the thicker thread to make shapes, draw lines, or outline
shapes. To end the stitching, bring both threads to the back of the fabric and tie them
off.