Stem Stitch Family

About the Stem Stitch Family
The stitches in this family are usually used to make outlines for a design or pattern.

The Stem stitch family can be called the cousins of the Back Stitch Family. This is because the stem stitch family follows a pattern where you put the needle in and take a backward motion to bring the needle out and make a single stitch. The interesting thing to note is that the reverse side/ underside of a stem stitch family will produce a backstitch!


Stem Stitch Family in Embroidery

We have to note that, the outline stitch resembles in procedure and looks like the stem stitch. The difference between both is subtle. Visually, in the stem stitch, the gap between each stitch is evident slightly, while it is not in an outline stitch. When it comes to the procedure, the stem stitch follows a pattern where the needle comes out from the right side of the top of the previous stitch, while in an outline stitch, it comes out from the left or bottom of the previous stitch. When we incorporate both stem and outline stitch procedures alternately, we get a new stitch called cable stitch. I felt the need to describe this difference here so that the learners can pay attention to the logic of these stitches that make them unique.


Stem Stitch Family

Double Lock Stitch

Learn 306 stitches categorized in 20 Stitch Families from our 600-page eBook. 

5 Responses

  1. C
    Cate says:

    I’m so sorry, the Double Lock stitch link doesn’t work. It’s so beautiful and I imagine it’s done in a similar way but I’d love to see your tutorial for it xx

    • Sarah says:

      Hi Cate,
      As I had mentioned earlier, the links that do not work are the ones with the tutorials yet to be uploaded. They are all, however, available in our 2nd edition of hand embroidery ebook!
      Sarah

  2. S
    Shanthi Sivakumar says:

    Nice teaching .

  3. M
    Maria says:

    Nice tutorials

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