Basque Stitch


Basque Stitch is also known as

Twisted daisy border stitch [EN], Punto de vasca [ES], Point basque [FR], Basque-Stich [DE],  Punto basque [IT], Ponto basque [PT].


How to do the Basque Stitch

This stitch originated from the Basque provinces of northern Spain. Basque Stitch has been found in old embroideries from these areas of Spain, southern France, and Portugal as well. This stitch was used along with Basque Knot (of the Palestrina Family of stitches). Traditionally, Basque Stitch was done with a red thread over green fabric or white thread on a blue-green background.

For this lesson, I have used a curved stitch line from where the stitch will originate. I have also drawn a parallel line below it, to keep each basque stitch in equal length with each other. This stitch follows easy curves and gives a complicated look.

Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A. Take it in through B and bring it out through C without pulling it out completely.Fig 2: Now, follow the illustration above to wrap the thread around the needle in a sort of half ‘8’ shape or an inverse ‘S’ shape.
Fig 3: Pull out the needle to get a twisted daisy chain. Take the needle in through a point just outside the chain, near C to finish it. Bring the needle out through the point D as shown above. Note that D lies between A-B and it lays the start for the next twisted chain.Fig 4: Now continue the procedure with the next point as E.
Fig 5: A completed line of the Basque Stitch will look like this.

Related Projects

Do you want to know where and how to use this stitch? Check out the projects below and know more!

Flowers

34 Responses

  1. J
    Jacqueline Burton says:

    This is an amazing find for me – it will help me so much!!

  2. R
    Reshma says:

    Dear Sarah,
    Your website is of such a great help ,especially for beginners. I have learnt pretty much everything I know from your tutorials. I am so grateful for your efforts in creating this space. Thank you and God bless you 😊

  3. m
    mukta kulkarni says:

    Its really nice work….. simply beautiful stitches… and in the way how to do it… lots of thanks………..

  4. l
    latha says:

    this is my kutch work in a saree. finished the work last month…..
    here is the link

  5. l
    latha says:

    Dear Sarah, love your amazing work.already did basque stitch and eskimo laced edging in my saree blouse. thanks a ton. You have made embroidery so easy and interesting……..will upload fotos soon.

    love, latha.

  6. A
    AaronAngulo29 says:

    thanks sarah!!! all of your stitches really helped me in my home economics class!!!

  7. N
    Navneet says:

    Dear Sarah! It would be of great help if you can let me know what kind of thread is used here(gradient colored) and where can i find it in Pune ?

    • sarah says:

      Dear Navneet,

      I have used a multicolored anchor embroidery thread. You can check out the clover center in MG Road in Pune. I forgot the name of the shop, but it is a good one for all kind of embroidery things.

  8. S
    Serina says:

    Thank u.Ur stitches r very useful & also very creative. u r doing a great job.

  9. S
    Sunu Varghese says:

    very intersting…………

  10. J
    Jo says:

    These are wonderful guides, and so clearly illustrated. Thank you very much

  11. a
    alexa says:

    Me facinan tus trabajos.

  12. S
    Shami Immanuel says:

    Hi sara,
    My trial of basque stitch along with mirror work is given in the following link.
    http://www.shamiatcraft.blogspot.in/2012/06/mirror-work-outlined-with-basque-stitch.html

    have a look.

  13. sarah says:

    Dear Rizna, Tanjia and Dana,

    Thanks. 🙂 Do share samples of your embroidery with us. Best wishes.

  14. Dana Rhea says:

    This one is pretty ! I am looking at examples of embroidery, because I am making a crazy quilt and want to use embroidery on the seams…..

  15. T
    Tanjia says:

    WOW!!!! It’s amazing… Thank you so much for uploading these….

  16. A
    Anne Mann says:

    I’m a crazy quilter, and came upon your website from Pinterest. Thank you SO MUCH for your WONDERFUL tutorials. They are SO detailed. I’ve shared this link with the ladies that are on a round robin with me, on the Crazy Quilt International List. I’m going to make a sampler of all of your stitches. Thank you again! Hugs to you.

    • sarah says:

      Dear Anne,

      Thank you and it is nice of you to be sharing our link. 🙂
      Please do share a picture ofthe sampler you will be working on. It will be of great inspiration to the others as well. You can upload the picture using the function just below the comment box.

      • t
        tamar says:

        I would love to see a working sampler, too! What a gorgeous stitch. My family has Basque ancestry, so now I have a double reason to learn this one!

  17. r
    rizna says:

    Hi shara.its Awsome.and very nice…..

  18. swarna rao says:

    very very useful website. lots of stiches we are learning from your tutorials. thank you so much.

  19. k
    kavi says:

    this website is really helpful thank u thanks a lot.

  20. a
    alka says:

    Awsome..its really beautiful

  21. m
    madiha says:

    am doing this one on my shirt…n these tutorials are easy to get and are quite helpful
    i appreciate your efforts

  22. sarah says:

    Dear marlin, cleo and smeetah,

    Thanks! 🙂

  23. s
    smeetah says:

    Dear Sarah,really u have done a greattttttt job

    Tutorials are really very helpful & useful.
    Thanks

  24. c
    cleo says:

    Thank you so much for these wonderful tutorials. I cant wait to try these out!!

  25. M
    Marlin Binoy says:

    hmm….interesting one!

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