Stitch Picture Dictionary

This Embroidery Stitch Picture Dictionary will help you to identify the stitches even if you don’t know the names! Dig through our embroidery stitch library of 300 stitches below—click over a picture and go directly to the stitch tutorial page.

When I started researching and documenting hand embroidery stitches way back in 2007, many stitches looked similar in their basic technique. To make identifying easier, I started categorizing them into different groups. I call each group a Stitch Family. This categorization should help you in easy reference, and for identifying and selecting the stitches. The Stitch Families are placed in alphabetical order. 🙂 Hover over the images for the alternate names in different popular languages.

Hand Embroidery Stitch Book for Beginners and Advanced Learners
We have a dedicated Hand Embroidery Book with the picture dictionary and step-by-step guides to each of these 306 stitches. Buy now and start stitching!


Back Stitch Family


Blanket Stitch Family

Raised Blanket Stitch

Knotted Blanket

Chain Stitch Family


Chevron Stitch Family


Couching Stitch Family

Honeycomb Filling

Cretan Stitch Family

Plaited Insertion

Cross Stitch Family


Fishbone Stitch Family


Feather Stitch Family


Fly Stitch Family

Crown Stitch

Reversed Fly

Whipped Reversed

Threaded Reversed

Anklet Stitch

Herringbone Stitch Family

Laced Herringbone

Indian H’bone

Closed H’bone

Otomi

Shadow Stitch

Maltese Cross

Double Maltese

Interlaced Maltese

Int’ced d’ble Maltese

Persian Star

Ermine

Vertical H’bone

Vandyke

H’bone Ladder

Half Herringbone

Raised Herringbone

Knot Stitch Family


Palestrina Stitch Family

Mountmellick

Eastern Stitch

Running Stitch Family


Satin Stitch Family

Surface Satin

Back Stitched Satin

Trailing Stitch

Double Satin

Stem Stitch Family

Double Lock Stitch

Straight Stitch Family

 


Weave Stitch Family

Stripped Woven Band

Raised Needle Wea

Broad Woven Picot

Portuguese Border

Knit Stitch Family


Learn all these stitches and plenty more from our 600-page eBook. 

323 Responses

  1. M
    Mary Eckstein says:

    I have to replicate this stitch on a quilt I am restoring. Having trouble figuring out what the heck it is…..

  2. I
    Ian Layton says:

    Can someone kindly identify these embroidery stitches and techniques used by my mother Esme in the early 1930s, on a silk runner edged with lace?

  3. P
    Parita Rupareliya says:

    Your shared knowledge really helped me in a constant way.
    Thankyou for the guidance ma’am❣️

    • Sarah says:

      Hi Parita. Thank you for sharing this beautiful sampler with us. Such a nice pattern to practice the stitches! Lovely attempt. 😍

  4. Cherice Evans says:

    Thank you for the wonderful book. It gave me courage to try things that I would not have done before.

    • Cherice Evans says:

      I would not have attempted this without your website and stitch guide.

      • Sarah says:

        Dear Cherice,

        What a beautiful piece of work! I am so proud you referred to our eBook to guide you through this work. Love it! Thank you so much for sharing this with us. ❤️

      • K
        KC says:

        Where did you get this pattern? This is awesome!
        I’d like to use it if you have the pattern, if I may.

  5. M
    Magali Barua says:

    I’ve become more and more interested with embroidery and it’s all thanks to you and this priceless guide to everything you can imagine!
    I live abroad and I’ve tried to reconnect with the embroidery of my country and your guide has become an indispensable help for me. Thank you so much.

    • Sarah says:

      Thak you so much, Magali, for dropping by. Your comment brought a big smile to our faces. We love it that our pages are helping you in your interest in this art.

  6. M
    MAHALAKSHMI CN says:

  7. B
    Bimla Devi says:

    U r just awesome ,I am also a embroidery instructor. But I am impressed with u. Do sweet of u mam



  8. N
    Noém says:

    Thanks a LOT 🙂
    Please never delete this page, it’s so useful <3

  9. S
    Sandra Delman says:

    This book is amazing and exciting.! If this is yours,I would definiitely love to buy one. I have no way to download this wonderful instruction book..thank you so much for sharing this incredible lesson in embroidery!
    Sandra

  10. S
    Susan B Farmer says:

    Ok. Lets try this … an example of stitching from the back for stitching on velvet.

  11. M
    Millie Schafer says:

    Hi Sarah!

    I’ve been using your stitch instructions and have become a lot more serious about embroidery. I wanted you to see a couple of pieces I did recently.

    Warm regards,
    Millie

    • Sarah says:

      Hi Millie,
      I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying hand embroidery. ❤️
      Of course, you can post your works here. We would love to see them. You can uoad the photo files in the comment section.

  12. B
    Beverly Colson says:

    There must be a trick to remove the map transfer. It is impossible to tear off without damaging the embroidered constellation map. Especially the stars. Any suggestions?

  13. M
    Mary-Jo Roberts says:

    I ordered and paid for this yesterday, but the remote server crashed and I have not been able to follow the download link as the page won’t reload. Can the book be emailed to me please??

    • Sarah says:

      Dear Mary-Jo,

      Thank you for purchasing our eBook. I have emailed you with a resolution. Please look for the email in your inbox. In case you do not find it there, check your spam folders too.

      Warm regards,
      Sarah

  14. J
    JoyAnn says:

    As a longtime crafter but newbie embroiderer, this guide has been so helpful and will continue to be as I try and learn different stitches. I traced my daughter’s drawing to make a present for Father’s Day and used the guide to also turn it into a bit of a sampler with at least 13 different types of stitches.

  15. A
    Abinaya says:

    You are just awesome… I learnt about embroidery. But I don’t know there are many many types of embroidery and this is very useful.. Hats off and thank you so much 🌹

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