Here’s a video tutorial for the Braid Stitch, which is also known as the Cable Plait Stitch. I used the stitch recently in the felt and floche piece I was stitching, and received a heap of questions about it – more so, I think, than any stitch I’ve ever shown here on Needle ‘n Thread! The pink line in the photo below is the braid stitch:
I think the braid (or cable plait) stitch is a really pretty stitch, and it’s not too complicated once you get the hang of the movements involved in it. The video tutorial will hopefully make it a little easier to learn.
The stitch can be worked successfully on curves and lines. It makes terrific vines, borders, and outlines. In the video, I’m working the stitch with a #5 perle cotton, and the stitch is about 1/2″ wide, but I think it looks best when worked with a slightly finer thread (like floche or cotton a broder, or even a few strands of regular floss, though I like it best with a twisted single thread), on a narrower line. When the stitch is a bit more compact, the results are more braid-like.
Here’s the video:
You can find quite a few more videos on hand embroidery stitches here on Needle ‘n Thread, so check those out if you’re looking for particular stitches to learn!
