Hand stitching tool and method for using the same

A hand-held stitching tool for working a yarn, the hand-held stitching tool comprising:

• an elongated handle terminating in a first end region and a second end region, said elongated handle being substantially flattened so as to be bounded by top and bottom surfaces for engaging with a thumb and an index finger and a complimentary finger of the user, the elongated handle being used for gripping the stitching tool in a user's hand;
• and
• a stitching needle having a proximal end region and a distal end region,
• said distal end region having an eye passage therethrough and residing therein, providing a flattened section of said distal end region end formed by planar surfaces, said distal end region terminating in a blunt terminating surface, said distal end region of said needle is being expanded and said planar surfaces being substantially parallel to said top and bottom surfaces of said handle,
• said eye passage being configured to engage the yarn when passed therethrough so as to pass the yarn through a material with said distal end region as said distal end region of said stitching needle is inserted through the material, and
• said proximal end region extending from and affixed to said first end region of said elongated handle.

A method of generating a decorative stitch with a yarn on a finished side of a mesh material using a needle through which the yarn is threaded, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. securing the yarn to a predetermined cross member on the mesh;
• b. passing the threaded needle from the finished side of the material through a mesh opening and under a cross member of the mesh material adjacent the predetermined cross member on the mesh material and thereafter returning the needle to the finished side of the material;
• c. extending the needle a predetermined distance beyond the cross member so as to create a base loop having a base loop standing portion and a base loop running portion;
• d. grasping the base loop standing portion with the hand not holding the needle;
• e. withdrawing the threaded needle from the mesh material while maintaining a grasp on the base loop standing portion;
• f. inserting the threaded needle through the base loop while maintaining the needle above the material, generating a finish loop having a finish loop standing portion and a finish loop running portion;
• g. releasing the grasp on the base loop and grasping the finish loop standing portion;
• h. withdrawing the threaded needle from the mesh material while maintaining a grasp on the finish loop standing portion so as to maintain the finish loop above the mesh.

A method of filling a designated region of a mesh material with a stabilized open loop stitch which resides on a finished side of the mesh, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. selecting a cross member on the mesh within the designated region;
• b. passing the threaded needle from the finished side of the material through a mesh opening bounded by the selected cross member and under the cross member, and thereafter returning the needle to the finished side of the mesh material;
• c. extending the needle a predetermined distance beyond the cross member so as to create a base loop having a base loop standing portion and a base loop running portion;
• d. grasping the base loop standing portion with the hand not holding the needle;
• e. withdrawing the threaded needle from the mesh material while maintaining a grasp on the base loop standing portion;
• f. inserting the threaded needle through the base loop while maintaining the needle above the material, generating a finish loop having a finish loop standing portion and a finish loop running portion;
• g. releasing the grasp on the base loop and grasping the finish loop standing portion;
• h. withdrawing the threaded needle from the mesh material while maintaining a grasp on the finish loop standing portion so as to maintain the finish loop above the mesh;
• l. applying tension to the base loop to stabilize the yarn and draw the base loop tight, generating a loop knot securing the finish loop to the cross member;
• and
• j. progressively advancing to adjacent cross members in the designated region and repeating steps b. through l. with respect to each subsequent cross member until such time as the designated region is filled.