Traditional Hand Embroidery

This section will introduce you to the different traditional embroideries and give a step-by-step guide to those embroideries. Every culture around the world had developed the art of needlework unique to themselves and laden with historical information. There had also been an exchange of the art of embroidery between cultures and countries over the ages and every time, it evolved into something newer!

The art with thread and needle has been an ongoing and evolving process. While many hand embroidery forms must already be extinct, many others have managed to pull through. Hand embroidery is now evolving with modern expressions. In short, hand embroidery has moved from being a mere necessity to being a form of art as well.

If you are absolutely new to the art of Hand Embroidery, then I recommend you to check the For Hand Embroidery Beginners section first.

Which traditional hand embroidery would you like to explore today?

 

212 Responses

  1. A
    Audrey says:

    Dearest Sarah,

    I am in absolute awe of your knowledge and ability to communicate your extremely high level of skill through simple explanations, pictures and diagrams. Your stitch library and personal advice/explanations/help is unparalleled. All I really want to say is thank you! You have my deepest appreciation and respect, thank you for so willingly and generously sharing and imparting your wide breath of knowledge with inspired strangers on the internet.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you!
    -Audrey

    • Sarah says:

      Dear Audrey,

      Thank you so much for your lovely comments. Words like these make us happy and motivate us to make more quality tutorials. Enjoy learning more from our pages.

      Much love,
      Sarah

  2. I am trying to also identify this stitch. Is this a form of a brick stitch?



    • Sarah says:

      Hi Patricia,
      I am looking at the front and the reverse of these pieces and my first impression is that it is the Cable Stitch. When placed close to each other, they do throw out a brick-like formation. The reverse of the Cable Stitch looks like the Back Stitch, which is what I observe in these photos. I will try to look more into it and let you know if I get more or different information about this.
      Beautiful works!

      • Thank you so much for your observation and insight.

      • I have been trying to figure out how it is sewn, because it sure is not side to side and I think I found a photo to help explain and further your idea of a cable stitch On the table lying inside out is a fabric with a red and green diamond zigzag. The cable stitch looks good




      • This form of a cable stitch also has an element of the counted stitch to achieve such detailed geometrics?

        • I am just not seeing the brick/cable stitch when I look at the back or inside of the bag. There must be another. I see I already attached the bag (top two images) outside and inside. This is some sort of counting stitch or how is this design so geometric?

          • Sarah says:

            Hi Patricia,
            The Cable Stitch/ Brick Stitch is on the good side of the bag. The wrong side must show Back Stitches. What I infer is that it is applied as a counting stitch. Check the Tent Stitch, as it is called in Needlepoint. It is definitely a great stitch to create geometric patterns. I am sure going through the Tent Stitch will make more sense to you.

  3. G
    Golda Mayer says:

    Hey Sarah, you’re doing a great job with your picture dictionary but I cannot find one of my stitch there. it would be great if you tell me what my stitch is. i have attached it below. I’m sorry about the clarity of the image:(

    • Sarah says:

      Hi Golda! Thank you for contacting me. This stitch looks like the Weaving Stitch or the Weave Stitch done with 6 strands of the embroidery floss.

      Please check this link for the tutorial: https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/stitch/weaving-stitch/weaving-stitch/

      In the tutorial, the threads are placed at a distance to make the lesson clearer (probably the reason why you were not able to find it in the dictionary). Follow the technique, with the stitches placed closer to each other. I hope you enjoy it. 🙂

      regards,
      Sarah

  4. N
    Neela chakrapani says:

    Hai.
    I am very happy to see your embroidery stitches. They are very easy to learn. I want to know the stitch you are used in your hand embroidery home page. That is in the box required for hand embroidery box. Will you please tell the stich name

  5. n
    neelima says:

    Fantastic job Sarah……plz help me out with jali work of chikankari. I desperately want to learn iit😊

  6. p
    priyanka says:

    Hi sarah,

    i am very much interested in doing hand embroidery. But i know only few basic stitches.After seeing your site, i learned many stitches.You have done a great job.

  7. R
    Ranjini says:

    Hi Sarah,

    I am very much interested to learn embroidery . I was looking for tutorial to learn hand embroidery. I do not have any basic idea of embroidery. So i wanted to check with you that do you take any weekend classes?

    • sarah says:

      Dear Ranjini,
      I am planning for embroidery classes and workshops. But, i might avoid most weekends.
      Anyway, if you could email me your inquiry, I might be able to respond with more details ans work on a time that is most comfortable for both of us.

      Sarah

      • B
        Bhargavi says:

        Hi, I’m interested in learning embroidery. I haven’t tried my hand with stitching. So,wanted to check with you if you could teach me. Let me know a comfortable time for you . Thanks, have a good day

  1. May 17, 2016

    […] Sarah’s hand embroidery tutorials are also a great resource, there is even a pictorial dictionary of stitches to help you figure out how to create a particular stitch or texture you want to make. […]

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