16 Stitches To Learn: An Essential Step-By-Step Guide To Mastering 16 Embroidery Stitches To Enhance Your Sewing Projects
16 Stitches To Learn: An Essential Step-By-Step Guide To Mastering 16 Embroidery Stitches To Enhance Your Sewing Projects
16 Stitches To Learn: An Essential Step-By-Step Guide To Mastering 16 Embroidery Stitches To Enhance Your Sewing Projects
16 STITCHES
TO LEARN
1 3
1 Start stitching by bringing the needle 2 Gently pull the needle through the
up at 1, down at 2 and up at 3. Make sure fabric to form a loop. This completes
the thread is under your needle as your first stitch – you’ll find it easier to
shown in the diagram. You can angle make it even and neat if you hold the
this vertical stitch to follow the shape of thread flat on the fabric as you pull the
the leaves and petals. needle through.
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COUCHING STITCH SEED STITCH
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CLOUD STITCH STEM STITCH
B C
A
1 Make your first stitch. Bring the needle 2 Keep hold of the loop on the right so it
out through the fabric on your traced stays out of the way whilst you make the
line at A, and back down on the line at B. next stitch. Bring your needle up at
This will create a loop on the surface, point C, on the traced line and in the
which you need to lay and hold over to centre of your first stitch, and take the
the right of your line on the fabric. thread to the left of your stitch.
1 Work several rows of vertical straight 2 Bring your needle up again and slide
stitches, staggering each row. Using it from left to right through the first
different coloured thread, bring your straight stitch of the third row, then
needle up from the back the stitching. through the first straight stitch in the 3 Pull the thread through completely to 4 To make your next stitch, push your
Slide your needle from right to left row above. Repeat this technique, finish your first stem stitch. It’s best to needle in above the end of your first
through the first straight stitch, then alternating between the rows as you go. pull it slowly and gently so that the stitch, again on the line. It should be the
through the first straight stitch in the When you’re filling an area, you may stitch lies flat on the fabric without same length as your first stitch. Keep the
next row. Repeat, alternating rows, need to form partial rows at the edges puckering or distorting it. This will also loop on the right, and bring the needle
before taking your needle back down. to ensure the whole area is covered. keep the thread strands together. up at D at the end of your first stitch.
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SATIN STITCH WHIPPED RUNNING STITCH
1 Work a row of running stitches over 2 Repeat to make the next stitch, leaving
your traced lines. Bring your needle out a gap between this and your first stitch.
at the beginning of one traced line then The gaps between each stitch should be
push it back in 3mm (1⁄16in) away. Make the same length as the stitches. Work
this stitch long or short depending on several stitches in one go by pivoting
how open you want it to be. your needle in and out of the fabric.
2
3
1 Satin stitch is one of the most popular 2 Pull the needle slowly through the
embroidery stitches as it covers the fabric to make the stitch. Bring the
fabric well with a smooth, even surface. needle up again at 3 to start the next
It’s a versatile stitch which can be used stitch and continue working in this way. 3 Using a different colour thread, bring 4 Continue working the whipped
to fit any shaped area. The stitches can Make sure the stitches are touching so the needle up beside the first running stitches in the same way, always going
be worked in any direction you like for that you can’t see any of the fabric stitch. The whipped stitches are worked down through the running stitches from
a different effect. Bring the needle up at beneath. Use a thick thread to do this on the surface through the running top to bottom to give a twisted effect.
1 on one side of the shape then take it and keep your stitches close. Using stitches, not through the fabric. Run the Use different combinations of threads or
back down at 2 on the other side. a fine needle will help with accuracy. needle through from top to bottom. alternate the colours as we have done.
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SASHIKO STITCHING When stitch
ing
don’t pull th curves,
through com e thread
plete
a loop on th ly, leave
e ba
prevent puc ck to
kering.
1 Trace the design onto a sheet of tissue 2 Position the traced design on your
paper, using a dressmakers pencil. Blue fabric and tack in place. Keep the stitches
is always a good colour to use as it small and neat as this will prevent the
doesn’t have the dirty appearance that tissue from moving. For larger designs
a graphite pencil tends to have if any tack across the middle of the paper as
residue is picked up through stitching. well. Trim excess tissue paper if needed.
3 Sashiko needles and threads are 4 Continue working across the design in
available but we used white stranded a logical order. Finish threads by
cotton and a sharp crewel needle. weaving them through the back of your
Starting at the base of the design, follow stitches. Once complete, tear away the
the outline by weaving the needle in tissue paper – hold the stitches as you
and out of the fabric along the lines. do this to prevent them being pulled.
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CROSS STITCH SCALLOP STITCH
2
1 Each symbol on the chart represents 1 Draw on the design so you can clearly 2 Bring the needle up on the curve of
one cross stitch. Work the first part of see where the scallops are. Bring the the scallop, catching the loop of thread.
the stitch by making a diagonal stitch needle up through the fabric on one If you are working a partial or angled
from bottom left to top right. Bring the side of the scallop. Go back down on the scallop, the point where you bring the
needle up at 1 and back down at 2. other side of the scallop, leaving a loop needle up will determine the shape and
of thread on the surface. curve of the each stitch.
2 To finish the first cross stitch, work 3 Continue working all the stitches in 3 Pull the loop of thread taut, but not
another diagonal stitch but this time go the same way (with your stitches facing too tight. Leaving it looser will make
from the bottom right to the top left, the same way each time). To finish, pass a more gentle curve, rather than a point.
crossing over your previous stitch. Bring your needle through the back of your Go back down through the fabric,
the needle up at 3 and back down at 4, stitches a few times to secure it, then tacking the loop of thread in place.
so the stitch lies flat. snip the thread end.
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BULLION ROSE LAZY DAISY STITCH
5
1
2
4
3
1 Bring the needle up through the fabric 2 Wrap the thread around the needle as 1 Using two strands of cotton from your 2 Secure this loop by pushing the
where you want the knot to start. Take to make a wrapped coil that is as long as cut length, thread your embroidery needle into the fabric at 4. This is one
the needle down through the fabric the knot you are forming, keeping the needle with one end and knot the other. complete lazy daisy stitch. To make
a short distance away then bring it back thread smooth. To make a bullion knot Bring the needle up at 1 and down at 2, another stitch next to it, repeat this
up again near where the thread first with a curve, the wrapping should be without pulling the needle all the way method, starting at 5 to work the next
emerged, leaving the needle in place. longer than the stitch gap. through the fabric. Bring the needle up stitch. Tip! Start them at the same point
again at 3, with the thread under the each time but angle the stitches slightly
needle, and pull gently to form a loop. as you go to form a flower motif.
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FRENCH KNOTS COLONIAL KNOTS
1
1 First, secure your thread on the back of 2 Next, take the thread over and under
your work through a few backstitches, the needle in a figure of eight. Follow
close to where you want your first knot the thread path on the diagram to see
to be. Now bring the needle up at 1 and exactly how this is done. With practice
loop the thread over it. you will get very quick at doing this.
1 Bring your thread up where you want 2 Pull the needle through to the back of
your French knot to be. Holding the the fabric, keeping the thread taut so
thread, twist the needle around the the thread stays twisted around the 3 Now push the needle back down at 2,
thread twice (don’t twist the thread needle. Your first French knot should close to where it first emerged. Before
around the needle). Insert just the point now be sitting on the surface of the you pull it all the way through, tighten
of the needle back into the fabric, close fabric. Practice this until you get neat the loops around the needle and hold
to where it emerged, and slide the knot knots. Make larger knots by increasing them in place. Finally, pull the needle
down the needle to rest on the fabric. the number of needle twists. through to form a neat knot.
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CHAIN & SPLIT STITCH Use more or
less s
of thread to trands
cr
thicker and eate
CHAIN STITCH thin
stitched outl ner
ines.
1
3 2
1 Bring your needle out just above the 2 Pull the needle through the fabric
traced line at 1. Push the needle back in slowly to form a neat loop – don’t pull too
again at 2 just below the line (as close to tightly or the chain effect will be lost.
where it emerged, but not in the same Continue stitching from right to left in
hole). Bring the needle up at 3, making this way, making sure all the chains are
sure the thread is under the needle. the same size as you go.
SPLIT STITCH
1 2 3
1 Make a small straight stitch on your 2 Push the point of the needle into the
traced line by bringing your needle up first stitch you made, one quarter of the
at 1 and down at 2. Bring the needle up way from the end. If your thread has one
again at 3 the same distance away from strand then simply pierce the centre. If
the first stitch as the length of the stitch you have two strands or more, push the
(to keep your stitched line neat). needle between the strands.
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