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Square eyelet (pulled thread) icon
Square eyelet (pulled thread)

  • Detached Eyelet

This pulled work stitch is a square stitch consisting of an even number of stitches radiating out from a central hole.  It can be worked individually or rows of square eyelet can be combined with other pulled work stitches to form a filling pattern.

For other pulled work eyelets, see round eyelet (pulled thread) and small round eyelet (pulled thread).

Square eyelets date from at least the 17th century as they feature on a whitework swaddling band currently held by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.  They also feature on several 19th century Turkish pieces currently held by the V&A, some of them using metal thread.

This stitch has similarities with Algerian eye stitch: the difference is in the number of stitches radiating from the centre and how much tension is used to open the centre of the stitch.

Square eyelet (pulled thread) is generously sponsored by Alison Elliott

Method

Pull the thread tight each time in order to keep a neat hole in the centre.

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1

Bring the needle up and make a horizontal stitch four threads to the left (this is the position of the centre hole).

2

Bring the needle up one thread below the starting point and pull.

3

Take the needle down in the centre hole (four threads left and one up).

4

Follow the diagram for the placement of the stitches, and continue round the eyelet.

5

Pull the thread each time you bring the needle up through the fabric, to maintain a neat hole.

6

Pull the final stitch.

7

The finished eyelet.

Square eyelet (pulled thread)

Embroidery Techniques

References