Finally got my first Coptic stitch to look right after three tries

I mean, I've been messing with it on and off for a month, but last week I sat down with some scrap paper from my local print shop and just went for it. The first two attempts were a total mess, but the third one came out with even tension and a clean spine. Has anyone else found a good trick for keeping the kettle stitch knots from getting loose?

3 comments

3 Comments

owens.laura4d ago

Honestly I've never had a problem with kettle stitches coming loose, that's the whole point of them. Maybe your thread is too slick or you're not pulling it tight enough on the last pass. I use basic linen thread and give it a good hard tug.

jana5094d ago

Yeah same, I've never had one fail either. That final tug is everything, you really gotta put your back into it. If the thread's too slippery it just won't lock in right.

logan2713d ago

Feel you on the struggle, getting that first clean one is such a win. My early kettle stitches were a total joke, they'd just fall apart. What finally clicked for me was pulling the thread tight at a right angle to the spine, not just straight up. That extra twist in the motion seems to lock it in better. Also, if the thread is super waxy or slick, running it through a bit of beeswax can add just enough grip without making it stiff.