Crathorne Bug - needle lace wings

Using DMC Col.680 with two strands in the needle, work a stitch from left to right, at the top end of the wing, then bring the needle up next to the block shading, on the the right hand side, ready to start the blanket stitch

Take the needle around the bar, bringing it up in a loop of thread

Work a blanket stitch bar, working right to left

Work approximately 4-5 blanket stitches on the first row, working towards the left, then take the needle back into the fabric

Again, throw a bar from left to right

Work another blanket stitch bar, catching both the loop of the last row of each stitch, and the bar of thread

Continue to work each row in this way, throwing the bar left to right, but working the blanket stitch right to left catching both the loop of the stitch on the last row, and the bar of thread thrown across.  As the width of the wing widens, gradually increase the number of stitches to accommodate the shape, and reduce as it narrows.

Tip - At the end of each row, work a tiny stitch in the fabric, which will stop the bar or the last stitch pulling upwards, and will help keep the tension of your work.

The next post will explain how many rows of this colour to use, and how to complete the wings.