Learn hand embroidery stitches through our organized stitch families. Each family groups together stitches that use similar embroidery techniques, making it easier for beginners to learn and explore.
Click on any stitch family below to discover step-by-step embroidery stitch tutorials, helpful tips, and video guides. Whether you’re learning basic embroidery stitches or expanding your skills, you’ll find plenty of inspiration and techniques to try.
If you want to find ALL the stitches in one place,
Select stitches in Alphabetic Order.
Choose a stitch family and start stitching!
We have a dedicated Hand Embroidery Book with a picture dictionary and step-by-step guides to 300+ stitches. Buy now and start stitching!
Sarah has been researching and sharing hand embroidery lessons for over 18 years, making it accessible to everyone around the globe.
I love crocheting amigurumis and to me embroidery goes hand in hand with crochet 🙂↔️ I’ve learned quite a bit about embroidery from this amazing sight so grateful for the amazing patterns of amigurumis as well just about to crochet the mom n daughter bunny keychains daughter has the cutest type of skirt I’m anxious to get started it is so cute🩰
Hi Ernestine,
It is so lovely to hear from you. I hope you enjoy hand embroidery.
Love,
Sarah
For the past few weeks I’ve been devouring every single word and photo on this site, and I’ve loved it!
The tutorials are absolutely brilliant. Clear, concise and understandable to a complete novice like me. I especially enjoyed reading the histories and applications that introduce each one. It certainly has whet my appetite in learning to embroider.
This week I finally took the plunge and found myself having a go. I found an image of a geometric velociraptor on Google and printed it (in draft mode) onto Stick and Stitch and got started. It’s not brilliant, nor anywhere near perfect, but I learned an awful lot doing it! I learned that metallic threads are a bugger to work with, but oh so pretty!
Anyways, thank you for putting together such an incredible resource.
Cate xx
Dear Cate,
It is so lovely to read your comments. I love the geometric pattern you have stitched! Thank you for sharing it here. I am happy that you love our pages. Most of our learning comes when we experience stitching. So, keep making more hand embroidery pieces, sharing them here whenever possible, and learning.
Much love,
Sarah
I use this for my textiles class. super helpful 🙂
Happy to know that our page helped you. 🙂
I was fortunate enough to attend a group where the lady who ran the group was teaching us new stitches. Due to COVID she decided to stop as she cares for an elderly family member. I was so very disappointed until I stumbled on your blog. I love it and look forward to following your posts
Thank you, Valerie. I am happy that you like our website and I hope you enjoy learning from our pages.
I’m thinking of practicing on an older pair of jeans … that way, I have fancy jeans and fun learning new stitches.
I taught myself to embroider when I was a preteen – had to hide the events because my mom thought needlearts a waste of time and money.
Oh, that’s a cool idea! A stitch speckled jeans. ❤️
Yes, I get when you say that you had to hide your stitching practices. I’ve seen a lot of parents who think stitching gains you nothing in life. I had a young student who was punished by her parent for stitching instead of digging into science books. Good news…of late, I am seeing young parents being more open to this art and wanting their kids to try it out. 🙂
Your tutorial is the best!
I love it, thank you
Thank you, Tania. Enjoy stitching.
Sarah,
Thank you for creating the most helpful site for embroidery. I reference your page ALWAYS when crafting!
Hey Casey! I am almost a year late. Ask about how busy you can get. Thank you very much for your comment. It is always a pleasure to know that you are enjoying learning from our pages.
i just wanted to take a moment to thank you for this incredible database of stitch tutorials — wowza! i’m just starting to learn hand embroidery, literally 75 minutes ago i started my first sampler, and i already can see how much this site will help. amazing. thanks so much!
Cool site
I came across this site in search of the various stitches and how to do them because it was given as an assignment as a beginner i found this really interesting and the expalnation so simple.but finding the knot stitches difficult.
Hai sarah,
I love your work very much. Plz teach me your stitches and all that. I am very fond of studying this and looking for starting this as a career. I want to contact u so plz
this is FANTASTIC! i came across this while doing research on medieval needle manufacturing and sewing techniques (since i’m beginning to craft my own clothes). after looking though your, should i say VERY organized, catalogue of stitches, i’ve managed to find varieties i can both assemble AND decorate my clothing with. your skill and knowledge is a big help and inspiration.
may your needles stay sharp and your threads never break.
Thanks a lot Oncoming storm. 🙂
Hope you enjoy the tutorials here, and the many more to come!
Thank You . Very useful.
Am Working as a Fashion Lecture and Training Center Admin officer.Best Notes For HAND embroidery . (TOTALLY CLEAR.)
thanks A lot
Happy to know Vaisagh.
help me out with round cretan stitch
How to charge for kashida work?
I have some linen napkins with an edging that is coming undone and I can’t figure out how to repair them. On one side the edge looks like the closed blanket stitch, but on the other side it looks like just a basic blanket stitch. What stitch should I use to achieve this look?
Thanks,
Danna
Love this website ! I never leave these but this is amazing ! I have to make something now ! I like the more simple the embroidery is the better , so I will use this all the time !thanks again !
Thanks a lot for this wonderful tutorial. Ineed more simple way for haringbone &cretan stich. will u pse teach me. Pse do reply
Hi Sara,
Thnk u so much for this wonderful resource. am a fashion school student who is a house wife. am finding very comfort n relax after learning ur “course”. cos its seems to be very easy n helpful to any beginner. keep rocking…may god bless u n ur family dear.
regards
shybi