Portuguese Stem Stitch


Portuguese Stem Stitch is also known as

Portuguese knotted stem stitch[EN], Puntada de tallo portugués / Nudo portugués [ES], Point de tige portugais [FR], Portugiesischer stielstich [DE], Ponto de haste português [PT].


How to do the Portuguese Stem Stitch

This stem stitch looks sophisticated after being completed. It follows a simple Stem Stitch technique with a little extra looping between each stitch. I will work on a slightly curved stitch line to demonstrate this stitch to you. You need to know the stem stitch to be able to do this stitch.

Fig 1: We start with a single Stem Stitch. Bring the needle out through A, take it in through B and out through C.Fig 2: Now, take the needle under the stitch A-B without plucking the fabric beneath. Make sure the needle comes out from the left side of the point C, as shown. This makes a loop around the stitch A-B.
Fig 3: Make another similar loop around the stitch A-B, keeping it towards the left of the previous loop. So, we get two loops.Fig 4: Now, make the next stem stitch. After making both loops, continue to take the needle in through D and bring it out through E. Then, make the two loops. Make sure the loops encircle both A-B and C-D.
Fig 5: Halfway through, our Portuguese stem Stitch would look like this. It gives out a complicated look.Fig 6: A full curved stitch line would look like this. Observe how the stitch shows up at the two curves.

25 Responses

  1. H
    Heeral says:

    Hello ! Where this stitch can be used? Thanks !

  2. S
    Siddi Nandkishore says:

    All of your stitch tournaments are great and easy to understand. Thank you very much. These tournaments really helped me with my homework. Now I can pass my assignment!

  3. D
    Diane knight says:

    I have been doing embroidery for a long time ans love to learn more stitches. It is very difficult to find books to help one to learn new stitches. Love your demonstrations.
    Thank you
    Diane

  4. A
    Anna says:

    Dear Sarah

    I want to thank you for having taking the time to
    explain us all so much.

    You know a lot and you explain it very well!

    Greetings from Mexico.

  5. j
    jisha says:

    I really liked the tutorials …and thank u very much for sharing the knowledge

  6. T
    Tânia Terezinha Tournier Dias says:

    lindos, já fiz alguns pontos.

  7. s
    shereen says:

    This was bit confuse. bt after few time i did it nicely. looks lovely. tx sarah

  8. V
    Val Lovelace says:

    I love this stitch! Have to try it on my next project!

  9. P
    Priya says:

    is this site operated in uae only as my sister in India .. but she is not able to excess ..can u please guide

  10. P
    Pearl Thomas says:

    Thank you very much for the clear instructions. I found it most useful in finishing a piece of work.

  11. s
    sara says:

    you are so great~!

  12. a
    amrita says:

    hi…ur work is exceptional awesome ..do you have some stuff on stumpwork…which is not a raised stitch.
    regards amrita

  13. n
    nikita says:

    It is nice and good stiches which is for the beginners to learn.

  14. s
    shalini says:

    hiii sarah..i’m a fashion design student.. thanks a lotttt fr dis easiest tutorial.i’ve done my embroidery prj wrk..i’ve done all other stitches bt i couldn’t do d portugese stem stitch..and evn i’ve seen d video of portuguese stem stitch bt i don undrstand it clearly..aftr seein dis tutorial,i’ve done it vry easily..thnx once again:)

  15. z
    zahira banu says:

    Fantastic nise tutorial verry yousful i am from srilanka but iam living U.A.E .i am learning emroidary from a-z i like ribbon emroidary also if yo have any cutch emroiday disign send me.thangs

    • sarah says:

      Thanks a lot Zahira. I will be postign kutch embroidery lessons in time. Once I touch upon the basic stitches used in this type of embrodiery, I will be putting up teh lessons for the Kutch embroidery too, which might take a little while. 🙂

      • z
        zahira banu says:

        Thangs lots of yo reply.yo all emroidaries very nice arranging and clear but i cant see yo A letters stitchs where pleas let me know how i w go from a-z. thangs lots

  16. S
    Shazeenah says:

    This is a lovely stitch!! I worked a pattern on a shawl with portugese stem stitch and herringbone stitch. Turned out nicely. Thx a lot. 🙂

    • sarah says:

      Dear Shazeenah,

      I would love to see the pattern you have stitched. Maybe you can mail us a picture of the pattern when you have time.

      PS: Appologies for being late to reply, as we were on a long travel till now.

  17. S
    Shazeenah says:

    This is a lovely stitch!! I worked a pattern on a shawl with portugese stem stitch and herringbone stitch. Turned out nicely. Thx

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Upload your Stitches and Embroideries

You can include embroidery images in your comment by selecting them below. Select the file, and post your comment!