A looped embroidery stitch used in crewel work that can be worked with a needle or a hook, held by hand or, for larger pieces, over a frame .
The thread is brought up at the beginning of the stitch and taken back down through the same hole, leaving a small loop on the surface. The needle is then brought back up a small distance in front and just inside the loop at whatever size you want it to be. The placement of this stitch determines the size of the stitch. The next chain stitch holds this loop in place.
If the stitch is worked with a hook, or ari over a tambour or otter frame and typical of the embroidery techniques of Uzbeck and Gujarat, and Suzani, the thread is held below the fabric, then hooked from above and pulled through to create a loop; this loop is then secured with the next loop, pulled through in the same manner.