Embroidery Stitches
Discover stitches which will bring your embroidery to life!
Running Stitch
The most basic embroidery stitch, perfect for basic outlines, basting, quilting, creating dotted lines, and foundation for laced running stitch
technique
Create even straight stitches with equal spaces between them by bringing needle up and down through fabric. Work from right to left.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Basic outlines, basting, quilting, dotted lines
Backstitch
Creates continuous solid lines with no gaps, essential for precise outlines, lettering, stems, and any work requiring unbroken lines
technique
Bring needle up at starting point, insert back behind to create first stitch, come up ahead, then insert at end of previous stitch.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Continuous solid outlines, lettering, stems, precise lines
Split Stitch
Creates smooth, precise outlines by splitting previous stitches, excellent for curved lines and padding under satin stitch
technique
Make straight stitch, then bring needle up through middle of previous stitch, splitting the thread. Continue splitting each stitch.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Smooth outlines, padding for satin stitch, detailed curved lines
Chain Stitch
Versatile looped stitch creating chain-like appearance, perfect for outlines, borders, filling shapes, and textured lines
technique
Bring needle up and immediately down through same hole, leaving loop. Bring needle up at desired stitch length inside the loop.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Outlines, borders, filling shapes, textured lines
Blanket Stitch
Essential edging stitch creating decorative scalloped edges, perfect for appliqué work, borders, and finishing raw edges
technique
Bring needle up on outside edge, insert on inside edge leaving loop, bring needle up on outside edge through the loop. Space evenly.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Edging, decorative borders, appliqué work, scalloped edges
Stem Stitch
Creates rope-like twisted line perfect for flower stems, curved outlines, and any work requiring organic flowing lines
technique
Make straight stitch leaving slightly loose, bring needle up halfway along stitch while holding thread to right. Creates twisted rope appearance.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Flower stems, outlines, lettering, curved lines, rope-like effects
Satin Stitch
Solid filling stitch creating smooth, lustrous surface perfect for monograms, petals, leaves, and any shape needing solid color coverage
technique
Create split stitch outline for neat edges, then work parallel straight stitches close together from center outward.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Filling shapes with solid color, monograms, petals, leaves
Cross Stitch
Classic counted thread technique creating X-shaped stitches, foundation of traditional samplers and folk embroidery worldwide
technique
Work on evenweave fabric, create diagonal from bottom left to top right, cross with diagonal from bottom right to top left. All top stitches go same direction.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Counted thread embroidery, samplers, filling areas, folk embroidery
French Knot
Essential decorative knot creating dimensional dots and texture, perfect for flower centers, hair texture, and filling areas with varied density
technique
Bring needle up, wrap thread around needle 2-3 times close to fabric, insert needle close to original hole while keeping thread taut.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Flower centers, textural filling, decorative dots, hair texture
Lazy Daisy
Detached chain stitch forming petal shapes, essential for simple floral motifs and perfect for beginners learning dimensional stitching
technique
Come up at center, go back down in same hole leaving loop, come up at petal tip with thread looped around needle, anchor with small stitch.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Flower petals, leaves, simple floral motifs
Colonial Knot
More secure alternative to French knots, creates stable dimensional dots perfect for candlewicking and textural filling work
technique
Similar to French knot but wrap thread in figure-8 pattern around needle. Creates more stable knot than French knot.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Alternative to French knots, candlewicking, textural filling
Spider Web Stitch
Creates dimensional circular flowers like roses and daisies through weaving technique, adds beautiful raised elements to any design
technique
Create 5 or 7 straight spokes from center, weave thread over and under spokes alternately without piercing fabric until desired fullness.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Dimensional flowers (roses, daisies), circular decorative elements
Feather Stitch
Creates beautiful fern-like branching patterns, essential for crazy quilt seaming and decorative borders with organic flowing movement
technique
Work alternating V shapes along a line, creating interconnected blanket stitch-like pattern with needle alternating sides.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Decorative borders, crazy quilt seaming, fern-like patterns
Fly Stitch
Versatile V or Y-shaped stitch perfect for creating grass textures, bird shapes, tree branches, and scattered natural elements
technique
Create V, Y, or U-shaped stitches by bringing needle up at two points, creating loop, then anchoring with small stitch.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Grass textures, bird shapes, tree branches, scattered elements
Herringbone Stitch
Creates attractive overlapping X-patterns resembling fishbone, excellent for decorative borders and filling leaf shapes with structure
technique
Work overlapping diagonal stitches between two parallel lines, creating X-pattern resembling fishbone pattern.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Decorative borders, filling leaf shapes, plaited effects
Long and Short Stitch
The king of filling stitches for realistic shading and color blending, essential for thread painting and needle painting techniques
technique
First row alternates long and short stitches. Subsequent rows pierce previous stitches creating staggered blending effect.
difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced
best for
Large areas, color blending, realistic shading, needle painting
Seed Stitch
Simple scattered straight stitches creating light textural filling, perfect for backgrounds and areas needing subtle texture variation
technique
Small straight stitches worked randomly or systematically across area. Vary size and density for different effects.
difficulty
Beginner
best for
Light texture filling, background texture, shading effects
Brick Stitch
Creates woven-like texture through alternating stitch lengths, excellent alternative to satin stitch for large area coverage
technique
Alternating long and short stitches in brick-like pattern. Each row offsets to create staggered effect.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Large areas, woven-like texture, alternative to satin stitch
Cloud Filling Stitch
Two-step technique creating light, lacy patterns perfect for large areas requiring delicate filling with airy appearance
technique
Lay foundation grid of small vertical stitches in staggered rows, then weave contrasting thread through grid without piercing fabric.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Large areas, light lacy patterns, crewel work
Trellis Stitch
Quick lattice-work filling creating geometric grid patterns, efficient for covering large areas with decorative geometric structure
technique
Create lattice grid with long stitches, secure at intersections with small holding stitches. Works straight or diagonally.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Large areas, quick filling, decorative patterns
Fishbone Stitch
Perfect for leaf shapes with central vein effect, creates realistic botanical elements through crossing stitches at center
technique
Stitches cross each other at center of shape, working alternately from each side of outline to create central spine.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Leaf shapes, feathers, creates central vein effect
Outline Stitch
Similar to stem stitch but with different twist direction, excellent for tight curves and complicated linear designs requiring precision
technique
Similar to stem stitch but working thread stays above needle, creating different twist direction for smoother curves.
difficulty
Beginner to Intermediate
best for
Tight curves, complicated linear designs
Coral Stitch
Creates textured bumpy lines perfect for organic elements like twigs, branches, and any outline needing natural irregular texture
technique
Work right to left, hold thread across line, take needle down above and up below line, wrap thread under needle forming knot.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Textured stems, decorative outlines, bumpy lines, twigs
Couching Stitch
Two-thread technique perfect for bold outlines, metallic threads, and decorative lines requiring surface thread application
technique
Lay one thread on surface, use second thread to tack it down with small stitches. Perfect for threads too thick to pull through.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Bold outlines, metallic threads, decorative lines, lettering
Whipped Back Stitch
Creates bold, raised rope-like outlines through two-step process, perfect for emphasizing important design elements
technique
First work foundation of back stitches, then whip second thread around each stitch without piercing fabric.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Bold outlines, creates raised rope-like effect
Bullion Knot
Advanced dimensional stitch creating coiled knots, essential for Brazilian embroidery and realistic flower petals requiring raised elements
technique
Make straight stitch but don't pull through. Wrap working thread around needle many times, then pull needle through wraps creating coiled knot.
difficulty
Advanced
best for
Dimensional flower petals, rose centers, textural elements
Portuguese Knotted Stem Stitch
Creates heavy textured rope-like outlines through complex knotting, essential for Mountmellick embroidery and dimensional linear work
technique
Based on stem stitch foundation with two wrapping motions around each stitch, creating characteristic knotted texture.
difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced
best for
Heavy-textured outlines, Mountmellick embroidery, rope-like effects
Pekinese Stitch
Traditional Chinese decorative stitch creating scalloped borders through composite weaving technique, adds elegant finishing touches
technique
Composite stitch requiring backstitch foundation, then second thread looped through in specific weaving pattern creating scallops.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Decorative borders with scalloped appearance, traditional Chinese embroidery
Cretan Stitch
Traditional Mediterranean stitch creating central plait effect, essential for Jacobean crewelwork and sophisticated border treatments
technique
Alternating side-to-side stitch with characteristic central plait. Needle always points inward creating interlocking effect.
difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced
best for
Jacobean crewelwork, border work, leaf filling with central plait effect
Vandyke Stitch
Creates variable-width bands with raised central plait, perfect for leaf filling and decorative elements requiring structured appearance
technique
Creates distinctive central raised plait through crossing stitches. Worked between parallel lines with needle sliding under previous crosses.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Variable-width decorative bands, leaf filling with central vein effect
Cast-On Stitch
Advanced dimensional stitch using knitting technique, essential for Brazilian embroidery and creating realistic 3D flower petals
technique
Dimensional stitch using knitting-like casting technique. Thread wound around needle multiple times while partially inserted in fabric.
difficulty
Advanced
best for
Dimensional flower petals in Brazilian embroidery, 3D embroidery applications
Woven Wheel
Alternative name for spider web stitch, creates perfectly round dimensional flowers through systematic weaving over spoke foundation
technique
Create odd number of spokes (5-7), then weave over and under without piercing fabric until spokes are covered.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Round dimensional flowers, textural circular elements
Sashiko
Traditional Japanese running stitch technique creating geometric patterns, originally for mending but now celebrated for minimalist aesthetic
technique
Simple running stitches creating geometric patterns, traditionally white on indigo with precise mathematical spacing.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Geometric patterns, reinforcement, minimalist aesthetic
Phulkari
Traditional Punjabi flower work embroidery using darning technique, creates vibrant patterns with silk on cotton base fabric
technique
Simple darning stitch worked from reverse using bright silk on cotton, building up dense colorful patterns.
difficulty
Intermediate to Advanced
best for
Vibrant decorative work on shawls and garments
Kogin
Japanese counted-thread technique creating mathematical geometric designs, originally for reinforcement but valued for precise patterns
technique
Precise counted-thread technique creating complex geometric designs through systematic thread counting on evenweave fabric.
difficulty
Intermediate
best for
Mathematical geometric patterns, structural reinforcement