Woven trellis is part of the weave stitch family. Commonly used to create flowers, borders, and so much more, woven trellis is fun to stitch and simple to learn. The bold texture of this stitch makes a statement that adds dimension and flair to any embroidery project.
Woven Trellis Step-by-Step
The foundation for woven trellis is a series of three straight stitches. Start the stitches at a common point in the center and make them even in length. Alternately, make the middle stitch slightly longer to give the finished trellis a rounded look on the top.
After making the foundation stitches, bring the needle back out at the bottom and start weaving alternately under and over the stitches without going through the fabric.
Turn the needle and start weaving in the other direction, sliding the needle under and over the opposite stitches as the previous line. Carefully pull the thread tight at the end of each row. Don’t pull too tight or the trellis shape will become distorted.
As you weave, use the needle to push the thread down so the rows are tight together.
When you reach the top of the trellis, end the stitch by bringing the needle and thread down and into the fabric at the corner.
Woven Trellis Variations
There are several variations of the traditional three-stitch woven trellis which I have shared below.
Straight-Sided Woven Trellis
This variation is stitched the same as the method above, but the three foundation stitches are straight instead of diagonal.
The result is a rectangular shaped trellis.
Large Woven Trellis
Make a larger version of the three-stranded trellis by starting with additional foundation stitches. As long as you use an odd number of stitches, the weaving will be the same.
Woven Trellis Flowers
This stitch is often used to make flower petals. Arranged together to form a flower shape, the woven texture creates bold and interesting flowers. Creating woven trellis flowers is as simple as arranging the trellis shapes in a circle so the middle points line up and the top of the trellis (or petals) face outward.
It’s easy to jazz up the flowers by adding more petals, colors, and sizes. The image below is the template I used to stitch the above flower. Feel free to copy and use it to make or practice your own flowers!
OR, try out the Bountiful Cornucopia Pattern which features two woven trellis flowers intermingled with fall gourds and colorful leaves.
Leave a Reply