Double buttonhole stitch

Double blanket stitch
Dovetail buttonhole

This stitch consists of two facing rows of buttonhole stitch where the ‘legs’ of the stitch interlock.

See double buttonhole bars for a related version of this stitch.

Examples of the use of double buttonhole stitch exist in both historic and contemporary embroidery: the Victoria and Albert Museum, London holds an early 18th century whitework fichu (neckerchief) which features the stitch; embroidery worked by the nomadic Rabari peoples of north-western India have traditionally used double buttonhole stitch; and Wallachian embroidery, popular towards the end of the 19th century in the US, features double buttonhole stitch (sometimes known as dovetail buttonholing) as one of its core stitches.

For more background see the entry for buttonhole stitch.

Buttonhole

Border

Surface

Counted Thread

Double buttonhole stitch is generously sponsored by Therese Melbar

Method

In the example below, the second row is worked from right to left. However, you could simply turn the fabric around and work the second row from left to right if you find it easier.

The spacing between each buttonhole stitch and between the two rows can be varied to create different effects. If you are using an evenweave fabric and want an even space around the ‘legs’ of your buttonhole, space your stitches an even number of threads apart.

Photo
Illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 1 illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 1 photograph

Work a row of blanket stitches from left to right.

Photo
Illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 2 illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 2 photograph

Work a second row of blanket stitches from right to left. Make sure that the vertical stitches fit into the spaces between the blanket stitches in the first row.

Photo
Illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 3 illustration

Double buttonhole stitch method stage 3 photograph

Continue as required.

Double buttonhole stitch

References

Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches (1934) , p.23
'Whitework fichu', Victoria and Albert Museum (2021). Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O360210/fichu-unknown/ (Accessed: 12 October 2021)
Judy Frater. (1999) 'When parrots transform to bikes: social change reflected in Rabari embroidery motifs', Nomadic Peoples pp.31-49 (19 pages). Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/43123556