Chain Gang

Everybody, male and female, should be able to string a few stitches together. It's not difficult and it's a handy skill to have.

If you are a juvenile delinquent of the Blackboard Jungle variety you will need your chosen nom de guerre or club name stitched on to your jacket in order to let other ruffians know how to correctly taunt you. If you are a disillusioned diner employee waiting on the assorted night owls and losers in your caffeine-enriched demi-monde you'll need your moniker stitched onto your waitress dress so as to ease breakfast orders and lewd propositions. If you are a King or Queen of the well-oiled lanes of ten-pin glory you will most certainly require your title stitched on to your bowling shirt in preparation for the photo-shoot when you finally bowl that elusive 300.

So how to go about it. Well, as you're far too old/ proud/ hateful to ask your mum, you'll have to do it yourself.

Thus, I present this handy guide to chain stitching. Just write your name on your chosen garment with chalk or pencil, choose your stitch, and away you go. No, really. It's that simple. Even I can manage it. You'll need embroidery thread , a needle and 10 minutes.

Chain Stitch

Bring the thread out at top of line and hold down with left thumb. Insert the needle where it last emerged and bring the point out a short distance away. Pull the thread through, keep working the thread under the needle point.

Daisy Stitch (also known as Detached Chain Stitch)

Work in the same way as Chain Stich (A), but fasten each loop at the foot with a small stitch (B). This stitch may be worked singly or in groups to form flower petals.

Twisted Chain Stitch

Commence as for ordinary Chain Stitch, but instead of inserting the needle into the place from where it emerged, insert it close to the last loop and take a small slanting stitch coming out on the line of the design. Pull the thread through. The loop sof the stitch should be worked closely together to have the correct effect.

Open Chain Stitch

This stitch is shown worked in two parallel lines, but it may be used for shapes which vary in width. Bring the thread through at (A) and, holding the thread down with the left thumb, insert the needle at (B). Bring the needle through at (C), the required depth of the stitch. Leave the loop thus formed slightly loose. Insert the needle at (D) and, with the thread under the needle point bring it through in readiness for the next stitch. Secure the very last loop with a small stitch at each side.

Zig-Zag Chain Stitch

Bring the thread through at (A) and hold it down with the left thumb. Insert the needle at (A) and bring it through at (B), the required length of the stitch. The second stitch is worked in exactly the same way at right angles to the first stitch, but the needle, as it enters the fabric (C), pierces the end of the first loop, thus ensuring that each loop is held in position.

Heavy Chain Stitch

Bring the thread through at (A) and take a small vertical stitch. Bring the thread through again at (B) and pass the needle under the vertical stitch, without piercing the fabric, and insert it again at (B). Bring the needle through at (C) and again pass the needle under the vertical stitch and insert it at (C). The third and all following stitches are made in exactly the same way, except that the needle always passes under the two preceding loops.

Chequered Chain Stitch

This stitch is worked in the same way as Chain Stitch, but having two contrasting threads in the needle at the same time. When making the loops, pass one colour under the needle point and let the other colour lie on top. Pull through both threads. Work the next loop with the other colour under the needle point.

Cable Chain Stitch

Bring the thread through at (A) and hold it down with the left thumb. Pass the needle from right to left under the working thread, then twist the needle back over the working thread to the right and, still keeping the thread under the thumb, take a stitch of the required length. Pull thread through.

Zig-Zag Cable Chain Stitch

This stitch is a variation of ordinary Cable Chain Stitch, each stitch being taken at a right angle to the previous stitch. Pull the twisted thread firmly round the needle before drawing the needle through the fabric.