The Feather Stitch: How to Embroider the Feather Stitch

The feather stitch, also known as the Cretan stitch, is an embroidery technique made by looping stitches to the left and right of a central stem of thread. The chain of open stitches creates a zigzag pattern resembling a feather. The feather stitch is a simple embroidery stitch for beginners, and there are more complex variations of the stitch.

Follow this hand embroidery stitch tutorial to add a decorative stitch to your fabrics:

1. 1. Gather your materials. For hand embroidery stitching, you will need a cloth, pencil, ruler, embroidery floss, an embroidery needle, and an embroidery hoop. Work in a well-lit space to easily see the thread and needle.
2. 2. Create stitch lines. Using a ruler, draw four horizontal lines in pencil. The parallel lines should be six inches in length. Label these lines A, B, C, and D, with A at the top and D at the bottom. Write out the letters in pencil about half an inch apart on your cloth.
3. 3. Make your first stitch. From the back of your fabric, bring the needle up through the top of the A line, and put the needle down through C on the same plane as your stitch on A. Pull through, but do not close the loop. Bring your needle up through the B line, about a quarter-inch to the right, and thread the needle through the loop. Pull tight to create your first V shape.
4. 4. Make a second V. Put your needle through the D line at the same point where the stitch was made on B. Leave a loop, and pull your needle up through C a quarter-inch down your line. Pull your needle through the loop and give it a little tug to create your second V.
5. 5. Continue stitching in this pattern. Place your needle through A on the same plane where your stitch was just at on C. Leave a loop, and pull your needle up through B a quarter an inch down your line. Pull through the loop and tug. Keep going with this pattern, making new stitches until you reach the end of your line.
6. 6. Tuck your stitch. After you make your final V, put your needle through the base of the V from the top of your fabric going down. This helps secure the final stitch in place, and you can then snip the thread on the backside and weave in the end.

Learn some basic embroidery stitches to see which design you’d like to add to your fabrics:

1. 1. Chain stitch: This type of feather stitch features a series of tightly looped stitches that resemble a chain. You can do chain stitching in a straight line or on a curve.
2. 2. Chevron stitch: The chevron stitch is a series of wide M’s. The five points of the M shape feature a short, straight stitch.
3. 3. Closed feather stitch: The central zigzags of a closed feather stitch are bookended on the left and right side by a straight-line of thread acting as a border.
4. 4. Coral stitch: This stitch features small, tight knots spaced out along a tight stem. This stitch creates slight embellishments that resemble wispy, soft coral plants.
5. 5. Double feather stitch: A basic feather stitch has a single stem with loops on either side. In a double feather stitch, the left- or right-of-the-stem stitches become the start of a new feather stitch, creating a more ornate and complex design.
6. 6. Fishbone stitch: The fishbone stitch is a filling stitch that works well for making fish, leaves, feathers, or flower petal designs. Fishbone stitches are done top-down, working stitches on either side of a central line. The final shape rounds out from the base and comes to a point at the top.
7. 7. Fly stitch: A fly stitch makes a wide V shape, and the left and right lines of the thread resemble fly wings. The point at which lines meet looks like a small dot, or the body of an insect.
8. 8. Herringbone stitch: One of the simpler kinds of embroidery, the herringbone stitch is a kind of zigzag stitch that looks like a series of wide M’s. Each of the alternating stitches overlap.
9. 9. Lazy daisy stitch: The lazy daisy switch is a quick way to create a small flower design. The lazy daisy stitch typically features five loops or petals around a central point, though you can add more petals depending on your preference.
10. 10. Scroll stitch: The scroll stitch is similar to the chain stitch, except the loops are loosely bound, creating a loop-the-loop pattern.

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