Straight Stitch is also known as
Punto recto[ES], Point lance [FR], Spannstich [DE], Punto lanciato [IT], Ponto lançado [PT].
About the Straight Stitch
The Straight Stitch is the most basic of the stitches. To know how to bring the needle in and out through the fabric is perhaps the most essential necessity of learning how to stitch.
How to do the Straight Stitch
This is an easy tutorial for any novice. Straight stitch can be used in a variety of ways to create different effects.
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| Fig 1: Bring the needle out from the fabric, at a pint A. | Fig 2: Put the needle in through point B, as shown. This creates a single straight stitch. |
Learn to do Straight Stitch in 2 minutes!
Related Projects
Do you want to know where and how to use this stitch? Check out the projects below and learn more. Make something beautiful!
Use this stitch on a pattern
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More stitches from the Straight Stitch Family
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Learn the Straight Stitch along with 305 other stitches from our 600-page eBook.
Sarah has been researching and sharing hand embroidery lessons for over 17 years, making it accessible to everyone around the globe.
Hello
I have just purchased the embroidery for everyone book. How or where do I go to download?
Hi Jennifer,
Thank you for purchasing our eBook. You must have received an email with the invoice and the link to download the eBook. Please check your junk/ spam folder in case it is not found in the inbox. Please let me know if worked.
Regards,
Sarah
Sarah, I have been trying to figure out this stitch. It is on some work a great Aunt did. My Mother used it also. They are both gone so I can’t ask. Does it look familiar? It’s the short straight stitches in black. It looks like they have a twist in the. Firstpicture is the back. BTW, love your site!
Hi Sheila,
This looks like the Fly Stitch with a short tail to me. The stitches are placed in a horizontal row with enough spacing. Also, the stitch is kept straight rather than a ‘V’ shape.
Here is the link to the fly stitch: https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/stitch/fly-stitch/fly-stitch/
Love the way this stitch is used on this pattern!
I am attaching the front and back of my sample of the recreation of this stitch.
I hope this helps!
Hi. Sarah.
I love your work. I have to learn the correct way right from the beginning. You are my true teacher. good to redone from the very basic. What i have learn before don have the proper step. Jump about. Thank you Lord Jesus sent you to me. Amen.
Hi Sarah
Thank you so much. I am loving my new found interest and your site is a wonderful place for support along the way. When finished, I will of course share my first of many efforts!
Sarah. Using a straight stitch for a straight line (as a beginner) do you re-enter the pattern at the same point that you ended the previous stitch?
Hi Clive,
Thank you for writing. Are you trying to use the straight stitch to make a single continuous straight line? If so, there are stitches like the Holbein Stitch and the Back Stitch that are easy and better. Here are the links to these pages:
Holbein Stitch : https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/stitch/running-stitch/holbein-stitch/
Back Stitch : https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/stitch/back-stitch/back-stitch/
Straight Stitch is a single stitch used to make different patterns of stitches. If used on a straight line, you need to go into the fabric and come out at a point ahead in the line, and you end up making a row of Running Stitch.
Please let me know if I understood your query correctly and if my answer helped.
Sarah
Sarah. Many thanks for your kind and helpful advice. I am attempting a flower pattern and the guidance suggests a straight stitch for the unbroken stem. I think the back stitch that you suggest seems easier and just right. I am looking forward to developing my interest in embroidery with the help of your wonderful tutorials. Clive
Sarah. Please ignore my previous reply as, with a little more concentration, I am now making sense of the pattern (the stem is not a continuous line) and the stitching guidance. With the additional support of your tutorials, I will take my first steps! Many thanks again for your help and wonderful site. Clive.
Hi Clive,
Thanks.
I am glad you figured out the pattern. Enjoy learning and stitching. Once done, you are welcome to share your work here. I am sure it will inspire many new learners.
❤️ Sarah
Dear Sarah
I found your site just now and it is really amazing..Thank you so much ..
Thanks, Anitha. 😊
This is just an incredible site and I get lost in it every time I visit. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Thank you so much, Barbara. It’s always a joy to share.
I’ve been making samplers based on your tutorials! Here’s my sampler for this family!
This is awesome! How bright and beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Hi,
I am not good in drawing. Can u tell me how can i draw pattern in cloth. Need help plz. I will start styin differnt stichs frm u. I just find ur site now.
Thank you, ur site is very helpful.
Shameema, you don’t have to very good in drawing to create beautiful patterns. You can practice the stitches using straight lines and geometric shapes. Once you had enough of that, just make simple leaves and flowers. Try it, and let me know if it works.
The other way for you would be to print out patterns available on the internet and trace it using carbon sheet.
Enjoy!
I know this is an old comment, but….. a very fresh print from a laser printer can be ironed onto light coloured fabric. Another method is to tape the pattern to a window, tape the fabric over it, and trace the pattern with a pencil.
Hi,
I am not good in drawing. Can u tell me how can i draw pattern in clth.
Great site, great instructions. A question: what is the best way to finish the stitches on the reverse side? I’m just learning some of these for the first time. And thank you!
It is something which is better shown than to just explain, yet, I will try my best. When you finish with stitching, bring out the needle on the reverse side and pass it under the nearest stitch. Then, loop it around and pass the needle through the loop. This creates a knot. Repeat again. You stitch is super secure. Cut off the excess thread. That’s it!
Hi Sarah,
I am planning on following your website to learn embroidery. What is the name of the fabric that you have used in the pictures.
Looking forward for all your support.
Thank you
Hi Shruti,
I have used normal white cotton fabric for all my stitches.
do you do made to order?
No Roy. I only make tutorials as of now. 😊
Hi,
Your site is exteremely useful for novices. But
Some of the links in your site in “stitches” is not working…
The site is crashing. Kindly have a look into it.
Since there are around 200 stitches, could you mention one of the links which is not working? We checked them from our side, and the links seems to be working fine.
Thank you for letting me know. Now the website is redone. I hope you enjoy it!
thank you sarah
i am very much impressed with your works.
what type of embroidery is this ??
i am just a Beginner in embroidery so please forgive me if it sounds silly 🙁
Hi Rev,
This looks like a pattern done using the padded satin stitch technique. I am not so sure if it is any ‘type’ of embroidery.
This looks like machine embroidery. Something that imitates the padded satin stitch.
This web site is awesome
Amiga
Este site é excelente, tudo perfeito.
hi sara!!! your works are awesome…
I am used to stitching only with the normal stitching threads as i get tangles when i use the embroidery threads.Can you please tell me what kind of embroidery thread you are using and how many strands of it? i.e how many strands of the embroidery thread because i dont get the shine when i use the normal stitching thread.
awaiting your reply..thanks in advance 🙂
Dear Janani,
A normal sewing thread will never give the shine that an embroidery thread can give. I use normal embroidery thread (anchor brand) which is available affordably at any thread shop. You can use 2-3 strands of these thread to begin with.
The other thread you can use is pearl cotton…just choose the appropriate thickness. In either case, do not take too long strands to stitch as they tend to show wearing due to going in and out of the fabric.
I hope this might help.
I tried using pearl cotton love the shine but not the needle and size it was to me like trying to sew with a shovel I stitch with a small embroidery even a straw needle but finer so I tried #12.I like the look and feel I still use dmc embroidery tread and to stop tangles I love stitch heaven …I buy at my stitching store
kaye(kayedoll99)
adoro tudo isso.como posso obter todos esses pontos?
plz tell me the needle and thread that are to be used for embroidery in common(mention the needle number..)
Hi Anna, I am not sure of the needle number, but you can use a medium sized needle with a slightly longer eye than a normal sewing needle. I have used the Anchor embroidery floss.
Hi. I would love for you to email me when your book is ready, I would really love to buy this.
Thanks
xx
Hi Lulu, it has been awfully long! Between two kids, a couple of job changes and travelling, we managed to bring the book to near completion. Just a couple of months more and the book will be published!
Please let me kno when ur book is available. What kind of material is best for embroidery? Yes, I am a newbie and just found ur site. Thanks
Hi Linda, this is an awfully late response, yet I want to let you know that the book is almost done. It will be out in a couple of months! Everything you need to know as a beginner is touched upon in the book.
You can use embroidery floss or pearl cotton over white cotton fabric. Use a medium sized embroidery needle and a hoop to hold the fabric taught.
Enjoy!
Hi Sarah,
Is your book ready??
Book is done! Just a few technical things and it will be published in a couple of months.
My wife is going to learn this Embroidery. Is it good scope in UAE
I am not so sure about it Ashraf.
Awesome site… thanks a lot… helping me a lot for new creations…
Hi Sarah.. I found your website really very helpfull.. Can i have a book of your complete tutorial pls…
Dear Nithya,
We are working on a book right now. Will announce as soon as it is ready. 🙂
hi!
Please, please when will your book be ready to buy?
I need it desperately. It is difficult for me to work from the computer so I need a book.
Any idea of when and how much? Although I would pay anything to get the book……….almost anything.
mary schneider
dear Sir,My name is paul Bulow, and i am seeking information regarding the Bellamine jots, I have a friend in New Zealand that wishes to buy one of these jugs, could you put me in touch with anybody that wishes to sell one, and what the prices are, so that i can forward on to my friend,Thank you.P.K. Bulow.
I feel that is among the most important information for me. And i’m glad reading your article. However want to remark on few common issues, The site taste is wonderful, the articles is in reality great : D. Good activity, cheers
Nithya, my ebook for beginners will be out in a few months. It will have all information about hand embroidery.
dear sarah
give some idea about long and short stitch.
i can not find out .
Dear Rathi,
Please check it here: https://www.embroidery.rocksea.org/stitch/satin-stitch/brick-stitch/
Hi,
You have a really good site. I am interested in learning how to stitch and was wondering whether or not you could do videos for some of the harder stitches?
Dear Amreen,
We are not planning for any videos at the moment. We are trying to explain the various stitches through pictures only, though I agree that it becomes a difficult task when we have to explain very complicated stitches.