{Tutorial} Ready, set, sew:: How to stitch a lazy daisy

Here we are again with another "Ready, Set, Sew" Tutorial series- part of my basic stitches "how to's."

So far we have covered the Satin stitch and the Colonial knot. The "Lazy Daisy" stitch follows on from the Colonial knot, when you combine the two stitches you can sew gorgeous little flowers.

Helping me today is my other cat "Smudge." Brutus normally helps me with these tutorials, offering "advice" and helping by providing an extra "hand" for the photography- but, today he's off having a cup of tea with Mrs Possum who lives in the tree outside my house.

It sounds good to me as Smudge is usually a lot more agreeable. So, say hello Smudge...

"Thank you Smudge. Yes, you can be quite loveable...though not when you've been roaming through the long grass and we need to brush your hair!"

Let's get this tutorial started shall we?

You'll find that the lazy Daisy stitch is used quite often in my patterns. It's a great stitch for flower petals, for stitching leaves and as I mentioned, combining with the colonial knot to sew a flower.

Yes Smudge! The Lazy daisy is also called a detatched chain, but I like the name Lazy Daisy better. The Lazy Daisy is a loop stitch, you can work it in groups to make a chain stitch or it can also be used as a filler stitch.

So, firstly secure your thread at the back of the fabric and then insert the needle and bring the needle through to the front at the base of the loop. On my photos this is marked point "A."

Bring your needle back to point A, as close as you possible can to the original point. Insert your needle at point "A" again and then re-emerge the needle through at the tip of the stitch at point "B." This is where the rounded part of the petal might be.

Loop the thread in an anti-clockwise direction under the tip of the needle. Pull the thread through. I find it useful to place your left thumb over the loop whilst you're pulling just to keep it in place.

 

Yes, that's very helpful Smudge. Don't pull you're thread too tight. If you pull it too tight you will end up with a very tight, thin stitch that you won't be able to see the loop on. Keep it a little looser and you'll find that you'll get  a lovely round loop.

You'll need to secure the stitch now.  Take the thread so it is over the loop at point B and insert the needle very closely to the point where your needle emerged. Push your needle back through the fabric to the the back.

You have now completed one lazy daisy stitch, or detatched chain!

You're probably wondering how to stitch a flower using the Lazy Daisy Stitch.

A flower is just a series of lazy daisy stitches, sewn from a central point. In the photo below, you can see that point A is the centre. Each stitch should start from this point.

I'm going to show you how to stitch a 5 petal daisy.

Stitch one lazy daisy (B), then return to point A and bring the needle through and out to point C. Loop the thread under the needle tip and return it back through point A.

Pull thread through gently and then anchor the stitch.

Repeat with remaining 3 petals. Bring needle through to front at the centre point A. Make your loop, returning back through A and out at point D. Secure your loop.

Good point Smudge. Keep the loops loose....not too loose though, you still want some definition to them.

Stitch another Lazy Daisy stitch, you now should have 4 petals.

Stitch your 5th and last lazy daisy "petal."

 

What would be a post on flowers be without a quote from one of my favourite books...Alice in Wonderland?

Are you after a stitchery to practice your newly learnt embroidery skills? Here's a stitchery which combines the lots of lazy daisies and colonial knots.

Try my Butterfly stitchery. See the Lazy daisy stitch is used for the leaves?

Click to find your free butterfly stitchery pattern and instructions.

Comments

[Says Odette]

Muchas gracias... que linda de hacer este tutorial y que podamos seguir aprendiendo..
Saludos

Odette

[Says Melody]

Thank you again, Bronwyn, for a fabulous tutorial.

[Says ana isro iliani]

thank for your good idea. its usefull for us to incourage knowledge about sew.

[Says Monica Capela]

Hello, how are you? I put your button on my blog http://artecommonicacapela.blogspot.pt/!
Could you add me on facebook, I want to be always updated on their work, which I love very much, because it is a dream, please? https://www.facebook.com/artecommonicacapela
Thank you
kisses
Monica