Are you looking for an easy way to vary your stitches? Would you like to make it easy to highlight individual items, the different sides of leaves, or clothing? Changing needlepoint stitch direction can do all that without needing to learn new stitches, change threads, or master new techniques.
You may know some sets of reversed stitches, but you have probably never considered just how powerful this little change can be. The majority of stitches can be changed, but not all. Stitches that have units that are the same but go in both directions, for example T Stitch, cannot be reversed.
These small changes pack a big impact because light reflects off thread going in different directions differently. This, in turn, can make the color different or just create shadows in a different direction, highlighting the change.
Today we’ll look at how to change direction on many types of stitches.
Straight Stitches
Straight Stitches are either vertical or horizontal, sometimes with both types occurring in the same pattern. To change the direction of a Straight Stitch, change the verticals to horizontals and the horizontals to verticals.
Hungarian and Vertical Hungarian, both below, show this nicely.
Bargello can be changed this way also. Consider making a Bargello background with horizontal Bargello as I did for the background of the Bradley trout seen at the top of the article.
Diagonal Stitches
The normal slant of a needlepoint stitch is from lower left to upper right. If you want to reverse diagonal stitches, make them slant from lower right to upper left. I love this kind of reversal. You can use it be reflections for symmetric items, such as pants legs or the sides of a coat. You can also use it to create variety when you have several of the same things, such as flower petals.
A clever way to use this is when you have a collar on a coat. Reverse the stitch direction on the collar. Two versions of Cashmere with reverse directions are shown below.
I’m sure you can think of plenty of great ways to use reversed sets of diagonal stitches.
Cross Stitches
If you have done Cross Stitch, then you know how a mistake in stitch direction can ruin the piece. That’s because of the light reflection. Individual random reversed stitches seem to pick up and concentrate the light, making them all the more noticeable.
Reversing a Cross Stich, not all crosses can be reversed effectively, means changing the order of the stitches. Take Smyrna Cross, below, for example. If the Upright Cross is on top, the reversed version of the stitch puts the regular Cross Stitch on top.
Stitches in Two Directions
There are plenty of stitches that have parts of them going in each direction. These can be a bit more complicated to reverse. Some, such as Fuji Tent, below, are simple. To reverse this stitch, the small units are Tent and the large ones are Reverse Tent.
Others, such as Serendipity, below, are more challenging. To reverse this stitch pick one of the two units. Reverse the slant of that unit, place it in your area and then continue to stitch. By focusing on just one of the units, the direction will be clearer.
I’m using both directions of this stitch on a current project. It was driving me nuts until I figured out this trick.
Using Reversed Stitches to Make Patterns
If you know stitches such as Alternating Mosaic, below, then you already know how to uses reversed stitches to make patterns.
Alternating direction creates a subtle check when done in one color. Additional colors can be used to make diamond patterns. You can also frame groups of these alternating stitches, to make other patterns.
Alternating direction in columns creates lovely striped patterns, such as Alternating Diagonal Gobelin, below.
Remember most needlepoint stitches you know can be reversed.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
C. Sheppard says
It is unclear of how to reverse the Serendipity stitch. Is it possible to illustrate one AND the other, side by side? Unless you only mean to actually reverse ALL of the stitches? (Reverse one unit first, and then the reverse the other?)
Janet M Perry says
I can’t remember and the piece with this isn’t accessible at the moment. I hope to be able to get to it later this week. When I can I’ll diagram both stitches and post them.
Keep stitching,
Janet