This stitch follows a close technical similarity to the reversed palestrina stitch. And therefore, knotted pearl stitch is also often confused as being another name for the reversed palestrina stitch. But, my research led me to a different conclusion. Though there are technical similarities in the way the knot is tied, it is the first two steps that makes a difference between both. As a result, in reversed palestrina stitch, it is not possible for the vertical ‘legs’ to extend on either side of the knot, as it is possible in this stitch (see fig.6). This is the main visual difference.

Knotted pearl stitch, however, is most similar to the basque knot. The only difference lies, again, in the procedure of the first two steps (fig.1 and fig.2). Visually, these two stitches look painfully similar. I am not sure if it is fair to consider these two stitches as different, but I chose to for the sake of the slight difference, at least until further research could be made.

I will be working between two stitch lines to demonstrate this stitch. This stitch is worked from right to left.

	….
Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A, a point that lies between the two stitch lines. Then, take the needle in through B and bring out through C, as shown. Both these points lie right above and below A, and on the stitch lines.		Fig 2: Now, take the needle under the stitch A-B, without plucking the fabric underneath.
….
Fig 3: Then, take the needle under the stitch A-B again, as shown. This finishes the knot.		Fig 4: Continue this process by taking the needle in through D and bringing out through E, on both stitch lines.
….
Fig 5: Do the knotting process and keep with the procedure for the entire row.		Fig 6: A finished row of knotted pearl stitch would look like this.
….

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Tags: basque stitch, embrodiery tutorial, hand embroidery tutorial, knots family, knotted pearl stitch, palestrina stitch, reversed palestrina stitch

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• janaki.C said:

  Dear Sarah,You have done a wonderful job ,I really appreciate your patience and ability.Please let me know if you have it in book form ,if so the name of the book.the language is simple and understandable and the pictures just right please find time to reply I am eighty still embroider and knit

  janaki

• Aimee said:

  Do you have any plans to make this into a book? I printed out a bunch of pages as reference so I can work on some embroidery during a 6 hr road trip but I was thinking how much easier it’d be if I had a book full of these! Your pictures and instructions are very clear and wonderful and I’d happily purchase a book of them as is.

• Mrs. Jinnah said:

  Dear Sarah,
  I have one son and two daughters and I live in Negombo.
  I have found your tutorials extremely useful and am really grateful to you. They are clear and easy to understand.
  My daughter, Shazeenah, and I have learnt and successfully stitched many of the stitches.
  I hope and am wishing you success in expanding your knowledge on embroidery.
  Congratulations on ur lovely son.
  Im thanking u again.

• JessySihk said:

  You are amazing! =D I just picked up embroidery like a few hours ago on a whim because i had some floss lying around from previous weaving projects, and I LOVE IT! Your tutorials are extremely helpful and informative! You made embroidery very easy for me to learn in just a few minutes with your descriptive photos and everything, i thought i would not get into it if i could not find a way to learn it easy and effortless, but you really made it easy and fun! You are very appreciated! =]

• Roseanna said:

  Dear Sarah,

  I love your website. I have just started a quilting project that includes hand embroidery. Your tutorials are great….just like having a teacher in the room with me. I am left-handed so I appreciate seeing the stitches so clearly.
  Thank you, Teacher. Roseanna

• Nithya said:

  Hi Sarah… I m learning al your stiches quickly.. its quite easy also… Do you have any books with the same?
  If so please let me know where will that be available… I need it writtn by u only. Thanks!

• Neelima said:

  Hello Sarah

  I have no words to describe your effort to preserve the art of stitching. We live in Albany NY and organizing summer stitching classes to second generation American Indian kids and with your permission I would like to use your material as my syllabus and any thoughts to teach kids 9 and above is really appreciated. If you are interested we can correspond through mail.

  Thanks a ton
  Neelima.

• Mia said:

  Hej! Thank you for all your detailed lovely photos! I found you trew Pinterest.com. I just bought a pretty litle blouse for a friends newborn baby and now I will make an embrodery on it with this terriffic help. Thanks!

  Spring greetings from a sunny Stockholm, Sweden.
  Mia

• Catherine said:

  I am fascinated by your website, your knowledge, and your excellent instructions! I’m beginning hand embroidery and am so thrilled that this resource is available. Thank you for making it so and for creating and sharing.

  Happy Sewing!

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Tags: embroidery, hand embroidery, hand embroidery tutorial, reference

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This variation of stem stitch family looks like satin stitch. The technique used is that of outline stitch, the only difference being that every successive stitch is made within a short gap difference. The tutorial will make it clearer to you.

I will work on an open space to demonstrate this stitch. This stitch cannot be carried out like the other stem stitch varities, in a straight line. Japanese stitch can be used for simple fillings of geometrical nature. It is generally used to depict larger areas of landscape like, water.

		Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A. Now, put the needle in through B and bring it out through C.This process is similar to outline stitch. Only, make sure that C lies at a closer distance to A, and not exactly between A-B like it would in outline stitch.
		Fig 2: Continue this process of stitching.
		Fig 3: A finished series of this stitch would look like this. You will see that though it uses the outline stitch process, it looks like satin stitch.

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Tags: filling stitch, hand embroidery tutorial, landscape filling, outline stitch, satin stitch, stem stitch family

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For this lesson, I will be illustrating this stitch over a normal fabric between two parallel stitch lines. The purpose is to give an idea of its technical aspect. Once this is learnt, it is not difficult to produce the stitch on an even weave fabric.

Fig 1: Bring the needle out through A and take it diagonally across to B. Bring it back again through C, which lies vertically below A.		Fig 2: Now put the needle in through D, which lies vertically above B. You have made a single cross.
A row of crosses can be done in two ways: the traditional style, and the danish style. While the traditional way makes each cross at a time, the danish way follows a process where a row of diagonal stitches are done one way and the crosses are finished on the way back. The traditional way of making crosses is more secure,but the danish style is less confusing and can be done faster.
In modern day embroidery, a mix of both styles is used. The danish style is used to make rows of cross stitch and traditional stitch  to make isolated cross stitch. It is suggested to follow the danish style while making horizontal rows and follow the traditional style while making vertical rows. This is to ensure a neat reverse side. You can, however, use the styles that you personally find easier to follow.
Variation 1: Traditional style
Fig 3: Continue by putting the needle in through Eand bring it out through the previous point D.		Fig 4: Put the needle in through F to complete the second cross. Now, bring the needle out through the previous point E to begin for the third cross. Continue this process.
Fig 5: A row of cross stitch would appear like this. The same technique is followed for a vertical row.
Variation 2: Danish style
Fig 6: Make a row of diagonal stitches as shown.		Fig 7: On the return journey, complete the crosses by connecting the ends using diagonal stitches as shown. A vertical row can also be done using the same technique.

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Tags: embroidery, embroidery tutorial, filling stitch, hand embroidery, hand embroidery tutorial

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Cross stitch is probably one of the simplest and the oldest surviving stitches. This very popular stitch has given rise to many traditional embroidery styles across different cultures around the world. Usually, cross stitch is done over countable even counted fabric (aida fabric) to produce wonderful designs and patterns. Yet, we can manage to do it over normal fabric as well.

Cross stitch dates back to 5th century AD. It is believed that the popularity of ‘Black work’- another embroidery style of yester years- paved way to the development of cross stitch.

Cross stitch can be seen to used exclusively or as a part of traditional embroidery styles around the globe.

More information on cross stitch and pictures will be available later.

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Tags: embroidery, embroidery tutorial, filling stitch, hand embroidery, hand embroidery tutorial

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