About RSN Stitch Bank
Algerian eye stitch
- Square daisy stitch
- Star stitch
A square shaped stitch with eight stitches radiating out from one central hole.
For a subtly different version see Algerian eye stitch variation.
The Victoria and Albert Museum, London holds two 16th century pieces which feature this stitch: an Italian linen cover and an English pillow cover. It also features on several samplers in the including one which dates from the 17th century where the stitch is used to form the letters of the stitcher’s name.
This stitch is similar to square eyelets: the difference is in the number of stitches radiating from the centre and how open the centre of the stitched is pulled.
Pattern
Filling
Embellishment
Eyelet
Canvaswork
Counted Thread
Whitework
Hardanger
Wessex Stitchery
Pulled Thread
Elizabethan
Algerian eye stitch variation
Further Reading
Algerian eye stitch is generously sponsored by Mrs Annette Dyer-Steel
Method
Work four stitches diagonally from four corners of the square into the central hole.
Work a second set of four stitches horizontally and vertically in between the first four diagonal stitches.
The Algerian eye stitch is worked with just eight stitches going into the central hole.
Algerian eye stitch
Structure of stitch
Common uses
Embroidery Techniques
Variant Stitches
Related Stitches
References
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'16th century Italian linen cover', Victoria and Albert Museum (2001). Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O356139/cover-unknown/ (Accessed: 12 October 2021)
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'16th century pillow cover', Victoria and Albert Museum (2021). Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78804/pillow-cover-unknown/ (Accessed: 12 October 2021)
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'17th century sampler', Victoria and Albert Museum (2021). Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O359933/sampler/sampler-sarah-bigbrook/ (Accessed: 12 October 2021)