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Step-by-step Embroidery Stitches To Refresh Your Wardrobe

Exploring your creative side can be very empowering and rewarding. Learning basic embroidery techniques such as back or blanket stitch, can also be helpful when an item of clothing becomes worn or ripped – meaning you don’t necessarily need to throw it away. Backstitch for example, is a simple embroidery stitch that can be both decorative and mending, as it creates a strong continuous seam. This stitch is achieved by making a running stitch, worked by passing the needle in and out of the fabric at a regular distance. It is finished by repeating back on itself to join the all stitches together, this is an effective stitch for refreshing dull clothing and suitable for most fabrics.

 

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Chainstitch

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​Chain stitch is a sewing and embroidery technique in which a series of looped stitches form a chain-like pattern.​ What you'll need for chainsticth: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. Draw shape or text with a fabric pen or pencil, optional.

  3. Coming from the back of the fabric, create a loop on the surface.

  4. Repeat to secure the loop, keeping loops the same size.

  5. Once stitch is completed, knot the fabric at the back to secure its placement.

Satin Stitch

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​A satin stitch is a series of flat stitches that together fill a shape. What you'll need for satin stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. If you are creating a satin stitched flower, start from the middle and work out.

  3. Repeat stitch to build up satin surface.

  4. If needed, tidy up surface with a few extra stitches.

  5. Knot back of fabric, to secure embroidery.

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Lazy Daisy Stitch

​A lazy daisy stitch is very similar to a chainstitch, the daisy shape is created using loops held in place with a second stitch. What you'll need for a lazy daisy stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. To begin, draw a star shaped outline for your daisy to follow.

  3. Working from the centre, create a loop on top of the fabric. Secure loop to a point of the star shape, using a a small straight stitch.

  4. Repeat stitch around all points of the star shape, to create petals.

  5. Finish daisy with a french knot in the middle.

Cable Chain

​A cable chain stitch is a variation of chain stitch, it is slightly different because each chain is linked with a 'cable'. What you'll need for a cable chain stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. To begin, draw the shape you want to embroidery in pencil/fabric pen .

  3. Lay the base of the stitch by creating a chain stitch loop. 

  4. Bring the needle towards the right side of the base and wrap is around once (this will create the cable link).

  5. Keeping the thread secured around the needle, start a new stitch by threading in and out of the fabric.

  6. bring the thread from the right to the left of the needle, to create second chain stitch. Repeat.

​A blanket stitch is a decorative stitch use to strengthen and finish an edge. What you'll need for a blanket  stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

 

  1. Begin​ by threading needle and knotting thread.

  2. If you are sewing two edges together, start between fabrics to hide the knot.

  3. Create a base for the blanket stitch, by looping the thread around the edge of fabric twice. Catch the second loop so that your thread lays at the edge of fabric.

  4. Now that your base in complete, you can start your blanket stitch. Thread a new stitch (here my stitches are about 1mm apart).

  5. Catch the loop of each new loop (see video). Keeping  stitches a regular length apart.

Long and Short Stitch

​Long and short stitch is a decorative stitched used to fill shapes and patterns, it is useful when an area is too big for satin stitch. What you'll need for long and short stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

 

  1. Begin​ by threading needle and knotting thread.

  2. Starting with your needle at the back of the fabric; create a series of long and short stitches to form the base for your fill.

  3. Building on from the base, follow all stitches by a straight stitch (keeping all stitches the same length).

  4. Continue to build up fill surface.

  5. Finish the stitch with a series of long and short stitches, this should give you a straight end.

Coral Stich

​A coral stitch is a decorative stitch that creates a knotted line and can be used for fill. What you'll need for a coral stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

 

  1. Begin​ by threading needle and knotting thread. Draw a line (optional).

  2. Start by taking the working thread across the line and pick up fabric.

  3. Loop the thread around the needle and pull through to create a knot.

  4. Repeat to build up the knotted line.

  5. Finish knotting thread at the back of the fabric.

Backstitch

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​Backstitch is a series of straight stitches that together create a continuous line or shape. What you'll need for backstitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. Draw shape or text with a fabric pen or pencil.

  3. Create a running stitch, by threading in and out of fabric - keeping the stitches at a regular length.

  4. Repeat back onto the running stitch, joining all stitches together.

  5. Once stitch is completed, knot the fabric at the back to secure its placement.

French Knot

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​A French knot is a decorative stitch. It is created by wounding thread around a needle and passing it through the point at which the knot is desired. What you'll need for French knots: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. Coming from the back of fabric, start knot by looping around the needle three times.

  3. Bring the needle back to the point where it entered and pull it through (this may need a tug). Experiment with out many times you loop you needle for different sized knots.

  4. Repeat to build up texture.

  5. When finished, knot thread at the back of fabric.

Whipped Backstitch

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​A whipped backstitch is a backstitch that includes a second thread, to creates a whipped effect. What you'll need for whipped backstitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. To begin, you'll need to create a backstitch.

  3. Using another thread, begin a new stitch from the top of backstitch.

  4. Bring thread under each backstitch, to create whipped effect. Keeping the thread tight against backstitch.

  5. Knot back of fabric, to secure embroidery.

Woven Wheel

​A woven wheel or spider web stitch is a decorative stitch, that is created by weaving a thread through a star shape (used to represent flowers such as roses). What you'll need for a woven wheel stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.​

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  1. Fit your embroidery hoop onto fabric or garment, making sure the fabric is flat and tightly placed. Thread needle and knot embroidery thread.

  2. To begin, draw a star shaped outline for your thread to be woven through, it is important to have an odd number of points for the woven pattern to be created - here I've used 5.

  3. With more thread than you'd usually use (I've used about 60cm) work from the centre out, to create the star outline. 

  4. once star is completed, start back at the centre and weave your thread in and out of the star - following the shape around.

  5. Finish by tucking in thread behind the completed wheel shape.

Blanket Stitch

​A feather stitch is a decorative stitch that forms a branch/vine effect, it is created by moving the thread from left to right whilst catching the loop. What you'll need for a feather stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

 

  1. Begin​ by threading needle and knotting thread.

  2. Starting from the back of the fabric, create a stitch to either the left or right of the centre, to form a loop. Catch the loop with a new stitch below.

  3. Repeat, alternating left to right to build up vine effect.

  4. Finish by closing the loop on the last stitch.

Feather Stitching 

Couching is a decorative stitch created by stitching over laid thread. What you'll need for long and short stitch: embroidery hoop, scrap fabric or item of clothing, pencil/fabric pen, embroidery thread, scissors & embroidery needle.

 

  1. Begin​ by threading needle and knotting thread.

  2. Start by securing the thread in place with pins or large stitches for straight lines. Here I've used long stitches.

  3. Building on from the base, follow all stitches by a straight stitch (keeping all stitches the same length).

  4. Take a second thread, knot and thread it.

  5. Begin couching by sewing a series of straight stitches over the laid thread.

  6. Repeat, keeping all stitches tat a regular distance.

  7. Finish by knotting threads at the back of the fabric.

Couching

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