Nobuko Needlepoint Border Free Pattern

This week’s border combines a great Tent Stitch variation with a stitch you may not have considered for a border to make a great design.

Many of the stitches we use as textured stitches can create great wide borders, The key to boing this is to be sure the borders are wide enough to show off the stitch. That means three rows of the stitch. This is enough to set up the pattern visually, critical when using a textured stitch.

You can, however, make them much wider than this.

Stitching this kind of border is one of my favorite techniques. You can have the stitch flow all around the focal point, miter the corners which turns the stitch around, or add corner blocks. I’ve used all three methods to great effect.

To stitch this border you will need the metallic thread and the overdye. Because both stitches are overall stitches, you will not need to center this border. Begin to stitch at one edge of the last border and stitch to the other edge.

The top and bottom rows are stitched in Oblique Continental, below, using the metallic. This stitch is an elongated version of Tent Stitch, going over 2×1 threads instead of 1×1. It creates a stronger texture than Tent Stitch. It’s a great alternative for single-thread borders because it stands out a bit. I also like to use it for ropes.

Under this is Nobuko stitched using your overdye. The band has two full rows of Nobuko and two partial rows. The stitch alternates long diagonal stitches over three threads with short Tent Stitches.

Although an easy stitch to make, it often confuses stitchers. It is much easier to stitch if you begin at the top or bottom of an area with a partial row that sets up the pattern correctly. This row is diagrammed below.

Once this is stitched, make two rows of Nobuko. The second row is diagrammed below. Make two of these rows.

Finish up the Nobuko with a partial row, below.

Finish the border with another row of Oblique Continental.

Come back next week for the next border in this sampler.