How to Stitch a Penny Rug; The "3 stack" with a "personal backing"

Order a pre-cut kit, including threads and needles, and make a penny rug; Penny Rug Kits

Figure 1. THE BACKSTITCH; Use a backstitch to begin. I use enough thread to completely stitch around both the 1 inch and the 1 1/2 inch combined, you will have to measure a few pieces of thread and stitch, in order to find the length that is right for your stitch sizes. You can do this first back stitch in either the first or second penny of the stack, your preference. I begin here with the 1 1/2 inch penny.

Figure 2. THE BACKSTITCH IS COMPLETED

Figure 3. ATTACH THE ONE INCH; begin your blanket stitch around (I stitch to the right) I brought the thread up through the larger penny to begin attaching the smaller one. My stitching preference with loose stacks is to stitch to the right, if I were attaching these pennies to a large piece of backing, I would stitch to the left...that's just my way.


Figure 4. FINISHING THE FIRST ROUND; I complete the last stitch next to the first. Estimate your last few stitches and equal out the spacing as you near the end of the round.

Figure 5. FINISH THE LAST STITCH; Send the needle thru/over the top of the first stitch and bring needle out the back.
Figure 6. ADD THE NEXT PENNY (2 1/4 inch); Take a stitch in the front of the 2 1/4 inch and out again at the point where you want to begin this round (again ...I'm stitching to the right)
Figure 7. THE BACK OF THE 2 1/4 INCH; This illustrates the in and out stitch to begin (here I have used enough thread to stitch around the 1 1/2 inch and the 1 inch, so I don't have to do a backstitch to begin attaching my “two stack” to this third penny.

Figure 8. STITCHING AROUND THE 1 1/2 INCH; I have stitched around the 1 1/2 inch penny, thus attaching it to the 2 1/4 inch penny. Figure 9. FINISHING THE ROUND; Here we go again, closing in on the first stitch.


Figure 10. FINISHING THE ROUND; here's the needle going over the first stitch and through to the back of the largest penny.
Figure 11. THE BACK OF THE 2 1/4 INCH; back stitch to end off your thread.



Figure 12. THE BACK OF THE 2 1/4 INCH AGAIN; Finishing the back stitch

Figure 13. A NEW THREAD TO ATTACH THE PERSONAL BACKING; Another back stitch for a new thread (measure this thread based on your practiced stitch length, you will then not need to stop and re-thread before the round is completed.)



Figure 14. MORE ON THAT BACKSTITCH; securing your backstitch; take one or two stitches to hold the thread snug.
Figure 14a. THE BACKSTITCH SECURED; starting a new thread to join the “personal backing” or 4th penny (same size as the third)


Figure 15. HOLDING THE THREAD TO ATTACH THE “PERSONAL BACKING”; hold the thread
Figure 16. HOLD THE THREAD AND TURN THE PENNY STACK; this will bring the thread up between the “personal backing” or 4th penny and your 3 stack.

Figure 17. BEGIN TO STITCH YOUR PERSONAL BACKING 2 1/4 INCH; hold the thread up and start your round (reminder...I stitch to the right) (stometimes I go left, but not for these photos) This “personal backing” penny is the self backing penny that hides all the stitches of your thread stack and makes a nice finished ”personal backed stack“.

Figure 17a. PROCEEDING AROUND THE 2 1/4 INCH PENNIES


Figure 18. FINISHING THE ROUND OF ATTACHING THE PERSONAL BACKING; pass your thread from the last stitch through the first top loop of the first stitch.
Figure 19. FINISHING AND SECURING YOUR THREAD; you passed through the loop, now send the needle into the middle of the stack.


Figure 20. SECURING THE THREAD; pull the needle through and out

Figure 21. SECURING THE THREAD SOME MORE; send the needle back through the same exact hole and into some wool in the inside of the stack...you want to grab into some of the inside wool.


Figure 22. SECURING THE THREAD MORE AND MORE; Pull the needle through, this is important to repeat several times...you are making a hidden backstitch INSIDE the stacks.
Figure 23. SECURING THE THREAD; Do it again in the opposite direction, or towards from whence you came, this creates some backstitching



Figure 24. SECURING THE THREAD AND SNIPPING IT; you have made several backstitches I hope, now it's time to pull the thread taught and snip it. The cut end will disappear into the stack

Figure 25. SECURED THREAD AND FINISHED BACKING; the thread disappeared as promised into the stack. This is a great method to eliminate visable knots.

Figure 26. COMPLETED 3 STACK WITH A PERSONAL BACKING

Order a pre-cut kit, including thread and needles, and make a penny rug; Penny Rug Kits

or order my Epattern from my Etsy shop and learn how to put your stacks together.