NOW I LAY MY THREADS AND RIBBONS....LAYING TOOL VIDEO DEMOS

A laying tool is a device that is used to assist the stitcher in managing their threads to lay flat and smooth.

Laying tools can have many shapes and may be made of many materials.  They can be simple and practical or beautifully ornate.

Materials and Uses:

Wooden laying tools are very popular.  A sharp wooden laying tool can be used as a stiletto or awl to expand a hole in your canvas for working an eyelet stitch or for stitching with wider ribbon.  Working with silk ribbons will send you seeking a more rounded tip.

Metal laying tools are usually smoother than a wooden device and therefore really effective with silk threads.   Some metal tools are worn on the thumb or forefinger of the non-dominant hand, called a trolley needle.

Bone laying tools date back many centuries when all parts of the animals caught and killed for food were used for other purposes.  When not in use in my stitching I can wear the bone one as a shawl pin – who knew!

Glass laying tools are very smooth, and many are truly works of art.  My “go to” laying tool is glass and rarely leaves the house.

When no tool is at hand you can use a second needle, a knitting needle, a stitch holder, a quill and even a dental tool.

Plastic laying tools often have a seam from the molding process but are effective with most threads.

Keep your laying tool flat with the tip protected.  I use a manufactured plastic laying tool when I travel because the tip is blunt and I can manage to get it through security at the airport.

Process

Bring the thread to the top of the canvas.  With the laying tool in your non-dominant hand, smooth the threads so they are flat and without twists and turns.  Using the laying tool, step the threads to the ending point of the stitch.   Well-laid threads have a neater appearance, and are a critical step if you are entering a piece of needlepoint to be judged.

The most practiced are the most proficient!  Enjoy!