Bullion picot buttonhole edging stitch tutorial

The textile bag which I started earlier is now complete! I'm really happy with the result. It turned out just like I thought it would be. And more than that, I ended up adding some unexpected touches – like the buttonhole edging with bullion picot, which has a lovely “lacy” look. And today I'm sharing a how-to on this stitch.

Previously I thought that the baggy would be used for the materials and tools I usually keep together at hand when working on some piece. But somehow it didn't really fit for that purpose. The baggy is a little too deep, so all the stuff gets lost and shuffled there. As a whole, it wasn't that handy.

However, I still found a purpose for it – now it serves as a storage for my beads jars.

The embroidery in the facade of the baggy is the one that I showed back here. Floral motif with fly stitched leaves and stem stitched stems. Then I added few buttonhole hearts and a number of french knots. First I was a bit wary that the embroidery will be too heavy with this amount of elements, but the knots balanced it out. And the bright palette, I guess, is a sort of consolation for me while I'm anticipating the coming of warm season with its radiant colors of flowers and greenery.

Actually, while I was sewing it, I realized how much I lack in this skill. I need to seriously catch up, so I hope this challenge will help me to get more practice and hone my accuracy and ability to manipulate the sewing machine. I set myself a goal to make at least 10 sewed thingies using the fabric scraps that take too much place in my drawers.

When I finished the baggy I felt the urge to add some edging to the top of it, so I opted for a buttonhole edging stitch with bullion picot – it has such a fun, lovely look!

To work this stitch, you need to:

1. Start with a regular buttonhole edging. Bring the needle up and pierce through the fabric below on a small distance. Then bring the needle back up inside the loop.
2. Make as many stitches as you like (I made 5, but if you want the bullion arcs to be placed more closely, then you can make 2 or even 1). And then, instead of making another stitch, pull the needle under the previously made stitch. You don't need to pierce the fabric when you do it – pulling the needle under the thread will be enough.
3. Then wind the thread around the needle, making around 10 loops. Hold them with your fingers while you pull the needle through.
4. After the bullion arc is complete, make a new buttonhole stitch and repeat the steps from the start. To keep your edging consistent make sure you make the same number of loops for the buttonhole and the same number of buttonhole stitches between the picot arcs.

Following these steps will help to make the buttonhole stitching invisible from the outside and let the lace effect really stand out! This stitch is so versatile and will fit a lot of projects, so I hope you will also find a use for it :)