20 Easy Embroidery Stitches Every Embroiderer Should Master

Friday, February 24, 2017

Embroidery is yet another old-school hobby that's been making a strong resurgence over the past few years. Similar to knitting and crochet, we're seeing more exquisite modern embroidery examples on sites like Instagram and Pinterest every day.

Learning to embroider is not as challenging as you might think and it's actually a really inexpensive hobby to start. With a little time and patience, you'll be sewing up a storm in no time flat.

Like knitting and crochet, embroidery also offers health benefits such as improving concentration, eye-hand coordination, mindfulness, lowering blood pressure and reducing stress. It's also just a nice way to disconnect from technology and relax after a long day.

We've found 20 great tutorials to get you started including the basic stitches that every beginner to embroidery should learn, as well as some variations of well-known embroidery stitches that will help give you a better variety of stitches to work with. All you need to get started is a hoop, some material, needles, embroidery floss and a pair of scissors. Check out our 20 easy embroidery stitches below now.

Running Stitch

Also known as the straight stitch. This stitch is done by running the needle and thread up and down the cloth at a regular distance.

Via YouTube: Mary Corbet

Back Stitch

The back stitch is a great embroidery stitch for beginners because many patterns can be done entirely in back stitch, but it is also a good stitch for many other small hand-sewn projects.

Via Tuts+

Split Stitch

This is a great raised decorative stitch. The motion is very similar to a backstitch, and it can be used when you want things to have a little bit of texture.

Via Instructables

Whip Stitch

The whip stitch is one of the easiest stitch to learn and the most common first step for beginners -even kids can pick up on this one!

Via YouTube: Lauren Fairweather

Whipped Fly Stitch

This is a simple version of how a row of fly stitch can be decorated using a contrasting colored thread.

Via Sarah’s Hand Embroidery

Ermine Stitch

Ermine stitch is made up of a series of straight stitches which form what appears to look like ermine tails when stitched in black thread on white fabric. What's an ermine? Well if you don't know, it's a cute animal, similar to a weasel that's all white with a black tip on its tail. The ermine stitch was often used in Blackwork embroidery as a filling stitch.

Via Arty Fibre

Braided Chain Stitch

The braided chain stitch is worked almost the same way as the heavy chain stitch. There is only a slight difference in the way the needle is taken under the existing loops, thus giving it a totally different and embossed look. It follows a reverse pattern like the reverse chain stitch and so we work it from top to bottom.

Via Sarah’s Hand Embroidery

Satin Stitch

The satin stitch is great for adding big splashes of color to your embroideries… filling in letters and shapes and all kinds of things!

Via Instructables

Lazy Daisy Stitch

This is often used to give petal designs and small floral patterns. It consists of a single loop of chain than the continuous pattern. Lazy daisy is one of the extremely easy stitches. This stitch need not be limited to just petals and leaves but can be used for more complicated designs too.

Via Handmade With Love

Feathered Chain Stitch

The feathered chain stitch is a beautiful variation of the feather stitch. It can be used as a border stitch or to embroider stitch.

Via Indian Parents Forum

Long and Short Stitch

Although it's a proper stitch in its own right, the long and short stitch is also a great alternative to satin stitch. When your shape is a little too big and you feel that satin stitches would be too long – resulting in puckered stitches or loose stitches that don't stay in place – long-and-short stitch saves the day!

Via And Stitches

Zigzag Stitch

The zigzag stitch is a wide line stitch or filling stitch. It can be worked on evenweave or plain weave fabrics in a variety of threads. The stitch creates a rather nice decorative filling as it forms a lattice pattern.

Via Arty Fibres

Heavy Chain Stitch

As the name suggests, this is a heavy or thick looking chain stitch. It gives out a rich feeling, depending on the thread used to stitch. Like the reverse chain stitch, this also follows a reverse direction.

Via Sarah’s Hand Embroidery

Fern Stitch

Fern stitch as its name suggests creates the impression of fern-like foliage. It can be worked as a single motif or follow a line either straight or curved to form a branch. Fern stitch is a really easy stitch to work as it is just a series of straight stitches

Via Arty Fibre

The French Knot

A french knot is an embroidery technique that creates small tight knots that, in groupings, can form nice centers of flowers and other accents in a dainty piece of handwork. When you finish sewing, crocheting, or knitting something, you'll be able to decorate it with little “dots.”

Via Sublime Stitching

Pistil Stitch

This is a decorative stitch. It is a motif stitch which can be used for the purpose of making flower pistils or similar looking patterns. There is not much hassle in doing the pistil stitch and is just a variation of the french knot.

Via Sarah’s Hand Embroidery

Ladder Stitch

Ladder Stitch is a decorative stitch that you guessed it looks like a ladder! It can be straight or curved and often used for fancy stems. However it makes a very nice border! Ladder stitch can be worked on both evenweave and plain weave fabrics.

Via Arty Fibres

Tulip Stitch

The stitch is called tulip stitch – it’s a slipped, detached chain stitch, and while it can be worked singly, as a detached, lonely stitch, it also works up well into a line stitch.

Via Needle’n Thread

Whipped Spider Web

True to its name, this stitch does look like a spider web, but it also makes wonderful flower shapes.

Via Mollie Makes

Raised Stem Stitch

Raised stem stitch is a great way to create thick, textured ribbons, bands, ropes, tree trunks, caterpillars… lots of possibilities with this technique!

Via Needle’n Thread