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Roumanian couching, is a form of couching done as a fill stitch where a single stitch across the center of a laid stitch is couched across at an angle in the center.
This technique is a very similar technique to the Bokhara couching method and sometimes the names are even used interchangeably, but there are some subtle differences between the two.
Like the Bokhara couching method, the needle brings up a long thread from the left to the right and on the way back the thread is secured by a slanted stitch. However, this is where the similarities end!
Roumanian couching only has one couching stitch, which is typically placed in the center of the stitch. Bokhara couching on the other hand has several stitches.
Unlike Bokhara couching which forms a distinct pattern, the Roumanian couching technique is not supposed to be too noticeable or visible.
In Bokhara couching, the couching stitches are done to create a visible diagonal pattern across the laid work. In the Roumanian technique, the couching stitches are done in a way they are not visible.
Both stitch techniques are great choices for very large fill areas where your typical satin stitch would be too short to cover the entire area or would be too loose to really stay on place without a tacking stitch to keep it down.
How to Do the Romanian Couching Stitch
This stitch is worked with just one thread and one needle and will be worked from left to right.
If you look again at the illustration below, you will see the very subtle lines of the couching stitches – they are not nearly as visible as you would do with other couching techniques and they are done in the center in such a way that the slant is not noticeable.
This stitch is also more commonly worked from top to bottom, whereas in Bokhara you usually begin at the bottom and work your way up!
How to Do The Roumanian Couching Technique
To begin, thread your needle and draw up a long stitch from the bottom going left to right.
Bring your needle back to the left, coming up at a slanted angle to cross the stitch at a slanted angle with one stitch in the center.
You want to create these cross stitches so that they are not tight and are slightly slanted in the same direction of the laid thread so that they are not all that noticeable.
For the next row, repeat the same process, taking care to make your couching stitch blend in at an angle and slightly over more than the previous one so that it blends in with the line.
While this technique is not nearly as wide-spread as it once was, it’s still a great technique to have in your embroidery and textile arsenal, especially if you need to fill large areas quickly!