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Rope stitch icon
Rope stitch

  • Point de Cable Stitch
  • Point de cote
Rope stitch main image

This surface stitch consists of slanted stitches angled together to form a line which resembles a rope.  It has similarities with stem stitch and a narrow slanted satin stitch.

There is a variation of rope stitch which resembles slanted satin stitch with one edge raised.

Rope stitch seems to have been first documented in the 1880s, but it was used on American samplers from the 17th century.

add_circleMy Stitches
Parallel Solid-line Outline Leaf veins Stems Surface

Rope stitch is generously sponsored by Alice Cheung for her mother Mei Fung Cheung Lau’s birthday, for showing Alice the wonderful world of embroidery.

Method

To keep your stitches parallel take your needle down close to the previous stitch on the acute angle and bring it up slightly wider on the obtuse angle.

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Rope stitch method stage 1 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Draw a wide guideline.  Bring your needle up on the bottom edge of the guideline, a short distance from the end.

Rope stitch method stage 2 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Take your needle down at the end of the guideline, on the top edge.

Rope stitch method stage 3 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Bring your needle up on the bottom edge, just along from where the first stitch emerged.

Rope stitch method stage 4 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Take your thread down on the top edge just along from where the first stitch went down.

Rope stitch method stage 5 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

Continue in the same way.

Rope stitch method stage 6 illustration
Rope stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

The finished stitch.

Rope stitch

Structure of stitch

Parallel Solid-line

Common uses

Outline Leaf veins Stems

Embroidery Techniques

Surface

Related Stitches

Rope stitch (variation) Stem stitch Slanted satin stitch

References

  • S. F. A. Caulfeild, Blanche C. Saward, The Dictionary of Needlework (1882) , p.192
  • Ethel Stanwood Bolton, American samplers (1921) , p.396