stop with the needle down in the left-
hand inner spiral when pivoting, as
this lessens the amount the stitching
overlaps and minimises the build-up
of thread. After a few rotations, the
coil will become easier to handle.
Step 3
Continue sewing around in a fl at
coil until the coaster is your desired
diameter. Cassandra fi nished her
coasters with a loop. To do this, cut
the end of the rope at a 45-degree
angle. Fold it back along inside the
spiral, choosing how long and high
you want the loop to be. Pin through
the unstitched rope, raw end and the
edge of the coaster to hold it fi rmly
in place. Stitch over this section,
bringing the three layers together
where they meet. Stitch along to
the end of the loop to attach it to
the edge of the coaster and reverse
to fi nish it securely. Trim the thread
ends neatly.
Step 3 Finishing loop detail
Step 2 Beginning the stitching
THREADS AND
STITCHES TIP
Experiment with various types
and colours of threads – metallic,
embroidery and variegated, for
example – to give dif erent ef ects.
You needn’t stick to plain zigzag
stitch either – you can try out
other fancy stitches that go back
and forth, from left to right. Cut
a couple of lengths of the rope
and test out dif erent threads and
stitches in a straight line first.