Kelim Embroidery

Embroidery takes on several looks, depending on which technique you use. The Kelim Embroidery technique gives your work a "knitted" look. Patterns for Kelim are rare today however you can use charts from counted cross stitch, knitting or other needleworks to create your masterpiece. The first step is to select a relatively small, easy design for your first project. Draw a simple design on a piece of graph paper and use this for your pattern. The second step to this technique is to select the canvas. The canvas determines the size of the stitch that you wish to achieve. If you want a small stitch, then select a canvas with a greater number of threads per inch. The third step is to determine what colors you will use. Embroidery thread is acceptable for the smaller works but for the first project, you may want to go with a bigger canvas and a fingering yarn. Now we can begin to work the pattern. The first thing you will do is outline the pattern onto the canvas using a back and front diagonal stitch. Note how the stitch creates a diagonal cross. This is what the outline stitch will look like. The next stitch is the actual Kelim stitch. The herringbone effect is shown below and what you want to keep in mind is that all v's should have a consistant color. In other words, use only one color for a "v" but you can change colors when you need to do so. Each "v" is considered one stitch when using cross stitch or knitting patterns for your design.

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You can use this embroidery technique for placemats, wall hangings, mats or chair covers. It is a durable form of embroidery that you will enjoy for years to come.

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