The bullion stitch is a beautiful stitch which is perfect for making lavender and wheat. It is sometimes called a caterpillar or worm stitch, and it has a great deal of versatility. The stitch can be made straight as in the lavender above, or you can loop it around itself to make circles and semi circles. For the lavender we wrap thread around a needle 6 times, but you can wrap it as many as 12 times to make longer “worms”. This stitch can be tricky at first, but practice will make you a pro in no time. As since it is such a unique stitch, I think it’s well worth the effort!

1] Bring the needle up through the fabric where you want the bullion stitch to attach to.

2] Poke the needle through the fabric about 1/4″ away from where you came up. (Do not pull your needle all the way through.) This should be placed where you want the stitch to end. Bring your needle up through your original hole. Again, leave your needle woven in the fabric.

3] Wrap your thread around the needle 6 times. Keep it tight enough so it doesn’t slip around on the needle, but not so tight you cannot slide the threads. You will get the feel for it after a few stitches!

4] Hold the 6 wraps against your work the thumb of one hand, while you gently pull the needle through the wraps and the hole it is in. This is the hardest part of the stitch and something you’ll get more comfortable with after some practice. Gently work the thread until the wraps are laying flat on your fabric.

5] Pass the needle through the fabric close to the end of of bullion stitch. Your needle and thread will now be on the backside of your work, ready for the next stitch.