Tailor's buttonhole stitch

It's been a while since we had a tutorial for a new stitch here, right? I thought it's time to revive this tradition and add some new names to the Stitch Library of this blog :)

I sort of relaxed with the stitches' lessons since all the basic and most widely spread ones have already been covered. But there are so many fun stitches still left to explore, and frankly speaking, I haven't tried them myself yet, so it will be the first time for me too.

The stitch we are going to look at today, is also something new for me.

Not like it never appeared in my browser history... but I've never really had any need and crave to learn it, saving it for “later” each time. But now that I found a way to apply many stitches in a type of patterned boho designs, the interest in all these fun and lesser-known techniques peaked again :)

RELATED: 

Buttonhole stitch basics

Buttonhole stitch variations

Buttonhole stitch as a filler

Tailor's buttonhole stitch tutorial

Tailor's buttonhole stitch looks just like the regular buttonhole stitch except it has tiny “knots” at the upper part.

What's interesting, though, is that the order of work is quite literally opposite from how you work buttonhole stitch!

The tutorial below shows you TWO ways of working Tailor's buttonhole stitch. 

The first one is the loose one when you place the stitches at least one fabric hole away from each other. The second one is when you place your stitches densely and it allows you to create a braided effect on the top.

1. Any buttonhole stitch consists of two levels: the top one and the bottom one. When working Tailor's buttonhole stitch, bring your thread at the starting point of the top level, then insert the needle close to that point on the same level, and bring it out again at the bottom line, with your needle lying on a vertical line. The second and third points are placed right opposite each other.

(If you compare to the regular buttonhole stitch, you will see that there we insert the needle at the bottom and bring it out at the top).

2. Next, tuck your thread behind the needle from both sides.

3. Pull the needle through gently letting it form a knot at the top level.

4. Repeat the previous steps while stitching a border.

5. You can start every next stitch INSIDE the loop of the knot and place the stitches very densely.

6. It will create the braided effect on top, very pretty!

That's basically it!

***

The thing is, there is another version of tailors' buttonhole stitch that also pops up when you search for it, and frankly speaking, I am still confused about how it is worked, oops.

I think there had to be some confusion with names, because this one is worked absolutely differently from what I described above.

So, as I understood, you need to work it like a regular buttonhole, but wrap the thread around the needle before pulling it through. I tried it, and this is what I got?

Totally not saying that this is correct... more like, I'm pretty sure I got something wrong. That's why I prefer pictures over diagrams, haha. But if you like the way it looks, then go ahead and have fun with it :)

See you next time!