Chain stitch

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[edit] Uses

In sewing and embroidery, a chain stitch is a series of looped stitches that form a chain. It can be used decoratively or constructively. The chain stitch is also used with rope as a method of storage (it can even be used to shorten a long line when sailing). The chain stitch has three benefits when used in this manner:

  • It shortens the rope by a considerable amount, making it easier to store
  • It prevents the rope from tangling
  • It can be untied very quickly

[edit] Tying

A chain stitch is actually rather simple to tie and extremely useful if you have a lot of extra rope.

1. Create a loop in the rope as far down as you can (you want your working/free end to be as long as possible).

2. Bend the working end of the rope into a U-shape and slip this U through the previous loop.

3. With one hand, pull on the working and the standing ends of the rope. With the other, pull on the U-shaped length. A new loop will form and your previous loop will become a new stitch.

4. Repeat steps 2-3 until you are satisfied that the rope has been sufficiently shortened.

5. Slip the working end of the rope through your final loop and pull it tight.

To untie: remove the working end of the rope from the loop at the end. Pull on the working end; assuming the knot was tied neatly, all of the stitches will come undone.

Note: the method shown here starts at the standing end of the rope and works up. It is perfectly fine to start at the working end of the rope and work down. You simply make your first loop at the working end of the rope and then form subsequent loops with the standing end of the rope. The only issue is tying the rope off when you are finished; since the point of tying it around something is to prevent the final loop from being pulled out, you can put anything that won't slip through the final loop and pull it tight. You can actually use the working end of the rope (assuming you left a little slack) and your rope will end up being one big chain-stitch loop.

Compare lockstitch.

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