This stitch is a version of twisted chain stitch, with three notable differences: both ‘legs’ of the stitch sit inside the loops; it is stitched in the opposite direction from the modern version; and the chains are worked across two stitches, rather than just the previous one.  The effect, especially when worked in a metal thread, is of a braid stitch, although the working method is relatively simple.

Historically, the stitch is used as both a surface stitch and also as an edging stitch.

Elizabethan twisted chain stitch (worked into the previous stitch rather than across two stitches) will feature in a future RSN Stitchbank release.

We are indebted to Jacqui Carey for her work in identifying this stitch in extant Elizabethan pieces, and diligent documenting of the working method.  See the References sections for details of her books which describe this and many other Elizabethan stitches.  N.B. the names used are descriptive names assigned by Jacqui Carey as historic records do not give us the names by which they were known.

This stitch evidently pre-dates the Elizabethan era as it has been documented on a headdress from Dokkum, Netherlands dating from the medieval period.