Sewing 101: 14 Types of Embroidery Stitches

An embroidery stitch is a kind of stitch used in embroidery, which is a method for stitching designs onto fabric using a needle and thread. These stitches typically follow a pattern, with your working thread moving in and out from the back of the fabric to the front of the fabric. They can either be stitched by hand, or by machine. Sometimes, different embroidery stitches come together to make a design on a piece, and sometimes they are hidden on the inside of your fabric.

Whether you’re following an embroidery pattern or working freehand, here are a variety of different embroidery stitches that you can use to create any number of compelling designs. Some common types of stitches you can try in your next DIY embroidery project are:

1. 1. Straight stitches: Straight stitches—also known as running stitches—move through your fabric in a simple up-and-down motion, often in a straight line. This is one of the most common hand embroidery stitches and can be used to hold fabrics together or create thread designs.
2. 2. Stem stitches: A stem stitch is a type of backstitch, which means that each new stitch overlaps the previous stitch, forming a twisted rope-like pattern that creates a strong line of thread. Stem stitches are often used to create outlines and flower stems, which is where the name comes from.
3. 3. Split stitches: A split stitch involves bringing your needle up through the embroidery thread while passing through the fabric, piercing the stitch and “splitting” it. It is often used for fill stitching, when you may need to fill in a block of color in your embroidery design.
4. 4. Lazy daisy stitches: This specific type of stitch forms a chain of looped threads, which you can use to make flowers or other closed shapes.
5. 5. Blanket stitches: Blanket stitches are knotch-like decorative stitches commonly used to secure the edges of blankets. To form a blanket stitch, you sew through your fabric in a three-point L shape, looping underneath the last point of your stitch to fuse your next stitch to your previous one.
   
6. 6. Buttonhole stitches: A buttonhole stitch is commonly used to reinforce the edges of a buttonhole, preventing the fabric from fraying when the button slips in and out of its hole. Buttonhole stitches are similar to blanket stitches, but they usually move to the center of a project, rather than the outside of it as with blanket stitches.
7. 7. Feather stitches: Feather stitches create a feather-like shape with alternating open loop stitches extending from a central line or rib. These are most commonly used for securing appliques—decorative ornaments—to fabrics.
8. 8. Fly stitch: A fly stitch is similar to the feather stitch, except it makes a ‘Y’ shaped pattern that resembles a fly and its wings. A fly stitch is a singular line of threads, while the feather stitch has curved stitching which alternates between the left and right sides.
9. 9. Herringbone stitch: A herringbone stitch is a type of cross stitch, which is a category of stitches that have overlapping diagonal lines. With the herringbone stitch, the diagonal lines overlap toward their ends in an alternating fashion, making the familiar pattern of a herring’s bones.
10. 10. French knot stitch: The French knot stitch involves winding your thread around the needle several times before threading it back through the point of origin. The French knot looks like a tiny rose, and you can stitch many together to form other patterns.
11. 11. Colonial knot stitch: The Colonial knot stitch is similar to the French knot, except more of the thread is visible on the surface of your fabric. Colonial knots are generally bigger and slightly more rounded than French knots, and are also known for being sturdier.
12. 12. Bullion knot stitch: A bullion knot stitch, also known as a caterpillar stitch, is a stitch that involves tightly wrapping the thread around itself as you stitch across, making lines that resemble little caterpillars.
13. 13. Satin stitch: Satin stitches are often used as background filler on a fabric after you create an outline. These flat stitches can cover large areas of background fabric.
14. 14. Woven wheel stitch: A woven wheel stitch—sometimes referred to as a “woven rose stitch”—forms a circle of woven thread consisting of several stitches. If your wheel is woven tightly, it will sit high on your fabric and appear smaller. If your wheel is woven loosely, it will sit more flush against your fabric and appear larger.

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