I am on a stitch band jag, exploring their possibilities. Stitch bands are thin strips of needlework fabric: Aida, linen, and miscellaneous plainweaves. The bands are pre-finished on the long edges, making them easy to complete after working the embroidery. We see stitch bands as edgings on towels and pillowcases, as accents around baskets, candles, and other cylindrical things, and tied into bows.

They also make great bookmarks.

The bands come in a variety of widths, colors, and patterns, with a variety of edgings: crocheted, lace, scalloped, plain. You can stitch just about anything on them, except perhaps, a Teresa Wentzler masterpiece. Although you could stitch small elements from such a masterpiece–part of a border, the rabbit, the flower. In other words, stitch count (size) is the limiting factor.

Securing the narrow ends of the banding, and perhaps applying a backing, is the only finishing required. Short edges can be machine stitched, hand stitched, frayed, bound, or glued. I’ve been hemstitching mine because I like to hemstitch.

A stitch band bookmark can be inserted inside a book, or, as I prefer, can be attached to a shepherd’s hook or ribbon and allowed to hang outside the book.

Look for stitch bands at your favorite needlework shop to see the variety that is available. If you’re limited to the internet, Wichelt has good images of the ones they offer. Click on Products then MH Stitching Band for a page with tiny images then click on the tiny images to get big ones. You might think I could link directly to that page–that’s what I thought–but I can’t. Go figure.

You won’t be able to order from Wichelt, though, as they are a wholesale only, but you will start to see the possibilities. Contact your favorite shop (any one of our participating shops would be glad to help you), and see what they have.