Embroidery Stitches - Stitch Perfect - Types Of Embroidery Needles

First embroidery stitches

It is difficult to determine when the first embroidery stitches were sewn onto a blanket or piece of clothing. What is known is that the human race love to decorate their environment as well as themselves. Flowers, jewellery, painting and sewing have all been used for decoration and works of art throughout the centuries and indeed, continue to be used today in the very same decorative way.

Free embroidery

Crewel work

There are many different types of embroidery using different threads, canvas and linen or cotton cloth. Crewel work is free embroidery that is worked on the surface of the fabric giving a raised or embossed effect. The pattern is either drawn lightly onto the surface of the canvas or cloth with a pencil or ironed onto the material from a transfer.

Types of embroidery stitch

Counted thread

Counted thread embroidery is often referred to as needlepoint or cross stitch it relies on creating a pattern of stitches over a fixed number of threads. It is a simple matter to create your own pattern using squared or graph paper. Each square represents one stitch and can be coloured with the predetermined colours so that it is easy to follow when sewing. It is also possible to buy pre printed counted cross stitch kits, cross stitch kits and needlepoint kits.

How to embroider canvas

Canvas work is where the entire surface of the canvas is covered with stitching but you can also embroider your own canvas name tag. It is also classed as counted thread embroidery and is particularly good for figurative work.

Whitework embroidery

Drawn thread work or cutwork is the precursor to needle lace it involves close stitching around areas which are then cut out. The work is often sewn white on white and may be referred to as whitework.

Machine embroidery

Industrial sewing embroidery has really taken over from hand embroidery, machines can be computer programmed to complete the same pattern, perfectly, time after time. It is cost effective and appropriate for items such as embroidery patches, logos, fashion clothes, monograms and school badges that it would be impossible to hand embroider.

Free embroidery

Machine embroidery is also used as a form of ‘free’ embroidery, by dropping the ‘feed dogs’ on your embroidery machine and letting the fabric run freely under the needle it is possible to create a masterpiece. Numerous textile artists combine various materials in their sewing kits like paper, thin foils, paint, soluble silks and threads to create wonderful machine sewn works of art.

Sewing thread for embroidery

Embroidery threads are specifically made for the purpose, the most usual is a cotton six stranded thread that can be used in its entirety or in one or more strands. It comes in a whole host of colours including pearlised threads, gold, silver, bronze and other metallic colours. It is also manufactured in silk and rayon. It is the most usual thread for cross stitch and has also been used for crewel work, though two stranded wool is more commonly used. Tapestry wool is used for canvas work and is a four ply wool that comes in a multitude of glorious colors to adorn your sewing box.

Stitches

When you start to embroider, the first stitch to get to grips with is the simple running stitch. It is not so simple to get each stitch the same length with the same spacing between, but plenty of practice on a piece of waste fabric and it will become easier.

The back stitch

The next stitch to learn is back stitch which is similar to running stitch only it is a continuous stitch with no spaces. These stitches are great for edging images or areas that will be filled. Stem stitch is also great for picking out single lines in a pattern and flower stems.

The chain stitch

Chain stitch is another edging stitch and as the name suggests it looks like a chain. It comes in various forms ‘open chain stitch’ ’twisted chain stitch’ and ‘broad chain stitch’.

By practicing, the running stitch, back stitch and the chain stitch you will have a good foundation of embroidery stitches and stitching.

Satin stitch

Satin stitch is a good stitch for filling areas; it stretches from one side of an area to the other. Each stitch is laid very close beside the one before so that there are no visible gaps. It can be couched or raised up by filling the area underneath and then covering it with satin stitch. Long and short stitch is another filler stitch and is simpler than satin stitch. Beside each long stitch is a short one and then it is reversed on the next row. Seeding is a collection of small stitches randomly placed to fill an area.

Blanket stitch

Buttonhole

Buttonhole or blanket stitch can be used around cut areas within the material or around the outside edge of a piece of fabric. Herringbone stitch can be used to hem a piece of fabric but can also be used as a decorative stitch. French knots may be used as a filler stitch or can be used casually dotted around the piece.

There are many other embroidery stitches that can be learned as you get better at the skill, enjoy your time and experiment with different color fabric and threads.