Updated December 12, 2020.
So many of us find stitching beards and hair difficult; I know I do. All too often, we find that we return to the same stitches to stitch the same areas. That might work if the items aren’t displayed together or even if the colors are different. But what if they are similar in color or displayed as a set? Then having some variety can be good.
Areas where we often pick the same stitches include hair and beards. I tend to pick the same stitches, Gobelin for beards, Encroached Gobelin for hair.
I wouldn’t say I like that, so I have collected ideas for stitching these items and I thought I’d share them with you. Many of these are really easy to do.
One key to making hair & beards look great is picking a thread that has some variety. Hair isn’t one color and it has texture. Some threads that will give you some variety and texture that are great for hair include Rainbow Tweed, the tweed versions of Burmilana (now distributed by Needle Works in Austin), overdyed wool, or using two different colors in the same needle. If you use a multi-colored thread, be sure it is subtle and does not contain ‘non-hair’ colors.
Throughout this article, you’ll see pictures of different pieces I’ve stitched with hair. The technique used is in the caption.
French Knots can be great choices for beards and hair. Avoid the ‘poodle perm’ look by using French Knots on a Stick for beards and Lazy Stitcher’s French Knots for hair. Lazy Stitcher’s Knots allow you to use fewer knots because you make Tent Stitch using a thinner thread before making knots. Then the knots can be spread more loosely, allowing each one to shine. You can make even more texture by changing the size of the knots.
Fuller and longer beards can look great in Encroached Gobelin.“Wicked,’ pictured earlier in the article, shows this stitch used for hair. I often use and recommend this stitch for hair and fur because it is easy to adjust. Encroached Gobelin can make very effective fur when stitched with a furry thread.
Lines of couching side-by-side would also be another possibility. Because you can shape both these stitches, they are great for wavy or slightly curled hair. The teacher’s hair at the top of this article uses this stitch.
If you wanted to do something easy, pick a thread that can be brushed heavily (wool) or a thread with a realistic hair-like texture (Peluche) and do Tent Stitch.
If you use Peluche (I did this with the King pictured here), stitch from a dirty hole to a clean hole to bring more of the pile to the front. Then it shouldn’t need brushing. Avoid furry threads, threads that have bits of shiny mylar in them; they often look artificial.
If you brush, make a shield to keep the stitching around the brushed area from snagging.
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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