Limet pattern

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread-count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: bars of 6 Satin stitches over 1 square in the width and Four-Sided stitches
center = intersection of withdrawn-thread lines (in other shapes or motifs: longitudinal axis = withdrawn-thread line)
one pattern segment = 12 fabric threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only.
First, work a Limet grid by alternately withdrawing 1 and leaving 3 threads both horizontally and vertically.
In the established Limet grid, work a grid of Satin stitches. Work, in a stair-step manner, Satin stitch bars over one square (3 threads) in the width and over 2 squares (6 stitches) in the length. In the center remains a square of 2 X 2 squares.

Work the Satin stitch grid over the entire shape.

Then, from the back of the fabric, work Four-Sided stitches in the remaining squares. Each side stitch bundles 6 fabric threads.

Secure the working thread very well and bring it up in the middle of a bottom edge of a 2 X 2 square.

It is important to choose the opposite side for starting the Four-Sided stitch to get the corner holes clean and open and the stitch centered.

*Start on the top of the square, inserting the needle in the top right hole and bringing it up in the top left hole.

Travel to the bottom, insert the needle in the bottom right hole and bring it up in the bottom left hole. With this stitch the thread can be tightened a little bit more to pull together the threads of the center square.

Insert the needle in the top right hole again, but bring it up in the bottom right hole.

Insert the needle in the top left hole and bring it up in the bottom left hole.* In this way and always tightening the working thread, a prominent center is established on the front.

But this stitch will turn out much more prominent, working the Four-Sided stitch twice. This also enables one to better tighten the working thread and so to establish a more even structure of the complete pattern. So repeat the four steps (*) once.

Then bring the working thread straight up to the next square.

From the front it looks like this:

Work one Four-Sided stitch two times in the established way in each section center of the Satin stitch grid.

After shrinking in the laundry the bundled fabric will look even more prominent.

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: half Rose stitches/half Rose stitch variation and Diagonal Cross stitches
center: intersecton of withdrawn thread lines
one pattern segment = 25 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish a Limet grid by alternately cutting 1, leaving 3, vertically and horizontally.

Bring needle up one square above the center,

*cross over 2 (!) fabric threads to the left, insert needle there and bring it up again in the first hole.

Cross over 3 fabric threads to top, insert needle there and bring it up again in the first hole.

Cross over 3 fabric threads to the right, insert needle there and bring it up again in the first hole.

Cross over 2 (!) fabric threads to bottom, insert needle there and bring it up again in the first hole.
The first half Rose stitch with a half Rose stitch variation has formed.

Cross over the last stitch, insert needle and bring it up one square diagonally up to the left.*

This is the center of the next half Rose stitch with a half Rose stitch variation. From here always repeat the steps (*)

until the end of the row.

Turn the work 180° and embroider a row next to it in the established way,

so that the four remaining threads form a square.

Without turning the work, embroider Diagonal Cross stitches from bottom to top and

back from top to bottom next to the Rose stitches. First on one side, then also

on the opposite side.

By constantly alternating double rows of half Rose stitches with half Rose stitch variations and Diagonal Cross stitches, a diagonal striped pattern is formed.

I discovered this pattern in Fumie Suzuki’s contribution to the Global Schwalm Sampler.

Here it was worked on 16 tpc linen.

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Cross stitches
center axises: four thread columns
one pattern segment = 5 threads

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

First, establish a Limet grid by alternately cutting 1, leaving 4, vertically and horizontally.

Bring needle up at the bottom of a square between the third and fourth threads from the right,

crosses the square upwards and pick up the two middle fabric threads there.

Always repeat this step up to the top of the row.

Once there, don’t turn the work, but

embroider downwards in the same way. Rectangular crosses are formed.

Further rows are embroidered in the established way next to it, always starting with the stitches leading upwards and

with the downward leading finishing the rows.

This way embroider row by row

until the entire area is filled.

Now turn the work by 90° and embroider crossing stitches in the established way

first again from bottom to top,

then from top to bottom.

This creates double crosses

that seem very prominent.

I discovered this filling pattern on the Schwalm tablecloth from “brubi”.

Here it was embroidered on 16/cm thread count linen.

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Satin and Honeycomb Darning stitches
center: longitudinal axis = withdrawn thread line
one pattern segment = 18 threads

An unusual stripe pattern requires an uneven thread withdrawing.

The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.

Withdraw the thread along the central longitudinal axis. Starting from there, leave 4 threads on each side, withdraw one and from there alternately 2 x every fourth thread and 2 x every fifth thread.

Vertically withdraw every fourth thread.

Beginning on the left of the middle, embroider Satin stitches over 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 3 threads (see picture) and repeat this stitch sequence continuously. It’s a good idea to say the sequence of numbers as you embroider so you don’t get confused.

When you reach the end of the row, turn the work and embroider the same sequence of stitches one square up. One fabric thread remains between the stitches of the first and second row.

Leave 2 x 3 fabric thread groups free and work over the 2 x 4 fabric thread groups Satin stitches in the established way .

You can – as seen in the picture – start all left sides of the double rows with the same stitch sequence, but you could also start one square up – then the left and right sides of opposite double rows run in mirror image. This results in a slightly different appearance of the pattern.

When all double rows over the groups of four threads have been completed, work Honeycomb Darning stitches in the remaining areas – see picture.

In this way, a striking stripe pattern is achieved, which only unfolds its full effect after shrinking in the laundry.

If you want to make the double rows a bit wider and thus even more striking, you have to leave 5 fabric sthreads and work a stitch sequence of 3, 4, 5, 6, 5, and 4 – see picture.

You can change the number of rows of Honeycomb Darning stitches to achieve different patterns.

Also the size of the area in which the pattern is embroidered,

and the fineness of the fabric matters.

A word on my own behalf:
As you will surely have noticed, I have lost my English editor. Thank you Joey for years of professional support and great cooperation. Now I have to manage on my own. Nevertheless, I really hope that my texts are somewhat understandable.

Filling Pattern – No. 564

category: Limet-Filling pattern
linen used: 13.5/cm thread count
threads used: coton à broder No. 20
stitches used: Rose and Cable stitches
center: intersection of withdrawn thread lines (in other shapes or motifs: longitudinal axis = withdrawn thread line)
one pattern segment = 48 threads

In Schwalm whitework, it is common to embroider opposite or diagonally opposite motifs with the same filling pattern. However, experienced embroiderers, who have a very large treasure trove of patterns at their disposal, also like to use different but similar filling patterns.

The two following photos show two opposite corners of a tablecloth. One main tulip was decorated with Filling Pattern No. 563,

the opposite one with filling pattern No. 564 shown in the following. This pattern is similar, but with a segment width of 48 fabric threads a little more spacious.

Further examples for the different arrangement of the same or similar filling patterns can be found here:
Variety of Schwalm Whitework
Pretty Contemporary Schwalm Table Cloth
A Framed Schwalm Sampler (images 3 and 4)
Transition from Early to Later Schwalm Whitework (1) (image 1)
Early Schwalm Whitework – A Gorgeous Table Runner (image 1)
Traditional Schwalm Bodice (B) (image 1)

But now to the pattern itself.
The filling pattern shown here is a practice exercise only. You can see it used in a shape at the end of this article.
First, establish a Limet grid with an intersection of withdrawn thread lines as center by alternately cutting 1, leaving 3, vertically and horizontally.

Bring needle up 1 square above the center and work a Rose stitch from there. Three more Rose stitches, each equally spaced, are worked around the center point.

After completing the fourth Rose stitch, the needle remains on the back.

The work is turned. From the last Rose stitch, cross 1 square to the right, insert

and rotate the work 45° clockwise.

The next stitches are embroidered from the back.
Now work 20 Cable stitches around the Rose stitches – five on each side. To do this, you cross 1 square diagonally to the left and bring needle up.

From the emerging point, move the needle diagonally to the top right, insert in the next hole and bring it up in the next one to the left. It is important that you also catch the working thread that runs from one stitch to the next. Always take care to keep the holes between the stitches well defined and open. As a result, the pattern appears clear and sharply defined in the end.

From the emerging point, move the needle diagonally to the bottom right, insert in the next hole and bring it up in the next one to the left.

From the emerging point, move the needle diagonally to the top right, insert in the next hole and bring it up in the next one to the left.

From the emerging point, move the needle diagonally to the bottom right, insert in the next hole and bring it up in the next one to the left.

The 5 Cable stitches of the first side are finished. The three remaining sides are processed in a similar way. However, since you have to insert directly at the last emerging point, the working thread must be passed under the existing stitches (the thread that runs from the penultimate to the last Cable stitch and a leg of a Rose stitch) so that the holes remain open.

You can then return to the last emerging point and embroider 5 Cable stitches from there in the established way. It makes sense to turn the work so that you can move the needle always horizontally from right to left.

After completing the twentieth Cable stitch, the round is closed. From the emerging point, move the needle diagonally down to the right, insert the next hole there,

turn the work and continue embroidering on the front side again. The current emeriging point is the center of the first Rose stitch

A total of 16 Rose stitches are worked around the Cable stitch rhombus.

With the center section complete, it now makes sense to create the Rose stitch grid for the entire pattern.
From the center of the last Rose stitch, move the needle 1 square to the left, bring it up and from here work a diagonal row of Rose stitches to the edge. These stitches intertwine into the Rose stitches of the middle section.

Parallel to this and at a distance of 9 free holes – seen on a horizontal line – between the centers of the Rose stitches of both rows, another Rose stitch row is embroidered along the middle part.

Two further rows of Rose stitches are worked crosswise.

One further Rose stitch row is embroidered next to the existing ones outwards.

The grid is completed with double rows of Rose stitches across the entire shape.

The cross formations of the 4 Rose stitches in the middle are first embroidered in the remaining spaces, then the Cable stitches from the back and the remaining Rose stitches from the front again.

If all remaining spaces of the grid are filled, the following picture is presented:

I don’t think the Cable stitches are prominent enough.

So I worked two rounds of Cable stitches instead of one when filling the tulip motif.

After laundry, the contrast between the flat Rose stitches and the raised Cable stitches is clear.