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Short pile stitch icon
Short pile stitch

Short pile stitch main image

This canvaswork stitch consists of two buttonhole stitches worked in opposite directions into the weft of the fabric. One of the buttonhole stitches leaves a loop which can either be cut to form a piled surface or left as a loop.  The nature of the stitch means that each stitch is secure and so it is easy to change threads.

For alternate methods of working this stitch, see short pile stitch (variation 1) and short pile stitch (variation 2).

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Looped Piled Embellishment Filling Shading Canvaswork Rug-making Turkey rug knot Short pile stitch (variation 1) Short pile stitch (variation 2) Single knotted stitch Plush stitch Velvet stitch Surrey stitch

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Method

Each stitch spans a square of canvas two holes wide and two holes high; this should be centred over an uppermost horizontal thread of the canvas. If worked in this way each row will automatically be offset from the previous row.
Look closely at the canvas before starting in order to identify the prominent horizontal thread of the canvas.
Each stitch will be worked on the canvas thread that runs over rather than under, each row will then naturally be worked offset with the row adjacent.
Colours can be changed mid line as each stitch is self securing.
Use a thick needle or narrow ruler as a gauge to keep a consistent loop length.

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1
Short pile stitch method stage 1 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Working from left to right along one horizontal thread of canvas, take the needle down above the canvas thread, leaving a tail on the surface.

2
Short pile stitch method stage 2 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Bring it back up in the hole below, left of the tail.

3
Short pile stitch method stage 3 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Take the needle down one canvas thread to the right, leaving a loop on the surface.

4
Short pile stitch method stage 4 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Bring the needle back up one canvas thread above and through the loop.  Tighten by pulling towards you.

5
Short pile stitch method stage 5 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

Lay the gauge below the line of stitching.  Wrap the base of the working thread over and then back under the gauge to control the length of the pile.

6
Short pile stitch method stage 6 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

Starting one thread to the right, repeat the steps 1-4 .

7
Short pile stitch method stage 7 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 7 photograph
7

The gauge will keep the pile length even.

8
Short pile stitch method stage 8 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 8 photograph
8

Remove the gauge to reveal the short pile loops and start the next row.

9
Short pile stitch method stage 9 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 9 photograph
9

Every row should be worked in the same direction (left to right). The starting stitch should be offset by one canvas thread from the previous row.

10
Short pile stitch method stage 10 illustration
Short pile stitch method stage 10 photograph
10

The loops can be left or cut depending on the texture required.

11
Short pile stitch method stage 11 photograph
11

The reverse side of short pile stitch.

Short pile stitch

Structure of stitch

Looped Piled

Common uses

Embellishment Filling Shading

Embroidery Techniques

Canvaswork Rug-making

Variant Stitches

Turkey rug knot Short pile stitch (variation 1) Short pile stitch (variation 2) Single knotted stitch Plush stitch Velvet stitch Surrey stitch

Related Stitches

Up and down blanket stitch

Identifying Short pile stitch

From the front most plush stitches show either loops or a cut pile but are difficult to distinguish between one another.
When short pile stitch is viewed from the reverse it shows evenly spaced tiny vertical stitches.

References

  • Davide C Minter, Modern needlecraft (1934) , p.226