How to get 2 plies of fiber to lay flat without a laying tool (Railroading Technique)

Learn how to master the railroading technique for smooth, even stitches in your needlepoint projects! 🧵 In this tutorial, we will show you how to keep your threads laying perfectly side by side—without needing a laying tool. This simple trick, is perfect for long stitches using two strands of fiber. Watch the full video to see it in action and take your needlepoint to the next level! ✨ 

Coco the Chicken Canvas: https://woolfloss.com/products/coco-the-chicken

TRANSCRIPT:

Today, we're here to talk about something called the railroading technique. On this particular canvas, these long stitches go over four threads and consist of two plies of our Soy Luster thread in 4-1-2 Envy—that’s our background choice. In order to avoid using a laying tool in this situation (although there’s nothing wrong with that), I utilize something called the railroading technique. You would bury your thread just like you normally would. You’re going to go over four canvas threads—one, two, three, four. Instead of going straight down… actually, let’s go straight down here and see what happens. It didn’t look too bad, but sometimes the threads don’t line up perfectly. The railroading technique enables you to come up, pull your threads so they lay neatly next to each other, and then go over your four canvas threads. Instead of placing the needle straight down, you actually insert it between the two strands. This forces the threads to lay smoothly side by side. I’ll show you that one more time. This is something that Robin King taught me years ago, and I’ve used it often—anytime I’m stitching over four canvas threads with two strands of fiber. And voilà—no laying tool needed!