The Gilded Edge: Couching Page 3

Couching Technique

Couching to solidly fill an area

Straight line, regular shapes

a. Without turns. Rows of metal threads can be couched side by side with the ends cut at the end of each row. One inch tails are left on each end and these must be plunged to the back and whip stitched under the area couched. This method is most often used when larger sizes of metal threads are couched as they can be more difficult to turn 180° without damage.

b. With 180° turns. Following the procedure above "d, 'U' turns", row upon row is laid to solidly fill the shape.

c. With one strand to appear as a pair. Using only one strand of gold and two threaded needles you can fill an area to look like it was filled with a couched pair. This method is often called "To and Fro".

1. First start two needles with silk sewing thread. Anchor one on each side of the area to be filled.

2. Make a couching stitch (stitch #1) over the one strand of gold, secure with a back stitch in the area to be couched; and bring the needle up one gold thread width away from the previous stitch and park it*.

3. Now unspool the gold all the way across the area and, using the other needle that you started on this side, made a couching stitch over the strand (stitch #2).

4. Turn the strand to a right angle and make a turning stitch catching the metal thread (stitch #3).

5. Bring the strand the rest of the way around and couch over the doubled strand and stitch #2 (stitch #4). Secure with a back stitch and park* it.

6. Take the strand to the other end of the area, back over to stitch #1; and pick up the first needle and make a couching stitch over both strands and stitch #1 (stitch #6 in the diagram).

7. Now couch across the doubled metal thread.

8. You now have both needles on the same side of the area to be couched. It will be necessary for you to return the couching thread back to the other side. If the distance is more than 3 or 4 inches end the thread with 2 back stitches and start it again on the far side. If the area is less than 3 or 4 inches you can travel across the back of the foundation with the couching thread making a small straight stitch every inch in an area that will be covered by the embroidery.

9. The next doubled row is formed as the first was with the addition of a turning stitch to bring the thread into position 2 above. To make this stitch bring the metal thread around to 90° away from the previous stitching and make the turning stitch at a right angle to stitch #6.

10. Repeat the process from "2" above.

* When parking needles make sure that they are pinned to an area that is not in your path of sewing and that they are in an area that will be covered by embroidery or by the finishing. The needle holes may not disappear after withdrawing the needle.

Couching curved areas

Try to start with the outline of the area first. This helps to establish a good shape. The first row is started in the usual manner and as you couch successive rows with the brick stitches you will notice that the stitches are becoming closer or farther apart. On inward curves the stitches become closer and on outward curves the stitches become farther apart. You will have to compensate for this in your bricking by adding or deleting stitches as necessary. Stitch intervals should not become more than 3 thread wraps apart before adding a bricking stitch or 1 1/4 thread wraps before deleting a stitch.

Circles solidly couched

Inward spiral

When couching a circle from the outside in, the outer edge should have a tapered beginning. Start one strand of the metal thread for three or four couching stitches before adding the second strand. Brick stitch the pair deleting stitches as necessary. As you approach the center you will need to drop one strand, however, you should continue to couch over 2 strands of metal by borrowing the strand from the previous stitching. See "couching a pair and a half" above.

Outward spiral

To start a circle from the inside out, you will need to start with only one strand of gold that has been sunk in the center of the circle area. Start the couching thread and immediately whip the end of the metal thread to the back. Using very close stitches couch the metal thread in a tight spiral clockwise (this helps keep the twist of the paper on the silk core). Couch until the diameter becomes 3 to 4 mm (1/8- 1/4") and then add the second strand of metal thread. Brick couch the spiraling stitches adding bricking stitches as needed to control the curves as mentioned in "couching curved areas" above. As you approach the outermost line of the circle, it will be necessary to drop one strand of the gold and taper to a smooth finish. When doing this remember to continue over two strands as in "couching a pair and a half".

Couching to fill an irregular shape

One pair of metal threads is continuously couched to follow the outline of the shape. This is often called "Box couching." Starting as in "couching pairs of metal threads" above and following the suggestions for curved areas and turning corners the design area can be solidly filled with Japanese gold. As you approach the center remember not to couch a single strand alone. Refer to "couching a pair and a half" above.

One should try to keep in mind the angles that will form as the threads are turned within the areas. These turns will contribute to the design lines within the figure which can enhance the image or create difficulties in design and technique.

Solidly couching to contour a shape

In creating some designs you may want to add contour to a solidly couched shape. For example, if you wished to couch an animal, you might want to suggest the flow of the muscles or the fur. These contour lines are as dominant as the outline of the shape and break up the flow of the couching for emphasis. You must first decide how you want the movement or rhythm to develop within the shape and to transfer these lines on to the foundation.

After couching the dominant outline of the area, you couch the contour lines within the shape. You can fill the area between the outline and the contour lines by couching as in "successive rows" or by "box" couching, working toward the center of each area outlined by the contours.

At all times you must try to keep the brick couching effect, compensating as necessary with adding or deleting stitches.

Couching with surface embroidery stitches

In addition to the couching stitches mentioned above that are functional and unobtrusive, you can use many different embroidery stitches that will attach the metal while introducing contrast with the addition of texture and/or color. From simple diagonal couching and cross stitches to more elaborate Cretan and Coral Knot Zigzag, there are endless stitch patterns that can be created while couching the metal threads.

In choosing the surface embroidery thread and stitches, take into consideration the following:

How will these stitches contribute to the overall design?
Should the stitch blend or contrast with the gold in color, size, or texture?
Should the thread blend or contrast with the gold in color, size, or texture?
If you are planning to fill an entire area with couched rows, will you be able to work one row close to the next? Some of these stitches will cause spaces in couching row to row.

Crossing metal threads

It is not customary to couch any Japanese metal thread across another. This is particularly true of larger diameter threads. In filling patterns, when using smaller diameter threads (#1 and maybe #2) this can be done. Otherwise, they should be plunged to the back and a new thread(s) started if the design warrants a continuation of the same metal thread on the other side.

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