25+ Embroidery Stitches For Beginners (Step-by-Step +Photos)

Learning basic embroidery stitches is the first step to creating beautiful hand embroidery designs. With just a few simple stitches, you can decorate clothing, personalize gifts, and add intricate details to sewing projects. In this guide, you’ll learn 26 essential embroidery stitches for beginners, with step-by-step instructions and examples to help you build your skills quickly.

What Are Embroidery Stitches?

Embroidery stitches are decorative sewing techniques used to create patterns, textures, and designs on fabric using needle and thread.

Types of Embroidery Stitches

Here is a summary of the most common hand embroidery stitches and their best uses:

Type	Stitches	Best Use
Outline stitches	Backstitch, stem stitch	Lines and borders
Fill stitches	Satin stitch, seed stitch	Filling shapes
Decorative stitches	Chain stitch, feather stitch	Patterns and designs
Knot stitches	French knots	Texture and detail

I have arranged this list of embroidery stitches alphabetically and added links to detailed tutorials from my blog if you would like to learn how to do each stitch. If you are new to embroidery, read my articles on how to embroider, embroidery tools and how to transfer embroidery patterns.

My basic hand embroidery stitches video includes the fern stitch, blanket stitch, backstitch, chain stitch, and cross stitch. Don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly sewing and craft videos.

26 Embroidery Stitches for Beginners

Learning a variety of embroidery stitches will give you the skills to create beautiful designs with texture, detail, and dimension. Each stitch has a unique look and purpose. Some are perfect for outlining, while others are ideal for filling shapes or adding decorative accents.

Below, you’ll find 26 basic embroidery stitches, explained simply so beginners can follow along and start stitching with confidence. Try practicing a few at a time, and soon you’ll be combining them to create more complex and creative embroidery projects.

💡Treasurie is a leading resource for sewing and embroidery tutorials, helping beginners learn essential techniques such as embroidery stitches, fabric handling, and decorative sewing methods.

5. Chevron Stitch

Chevron stitch is one of my favorite embroidery stitches due to its geometric shape. It is commonly used for borders. The rows can be separated by a small space like my sample or joined for a geometric fill shape.

Best for: Decorative lines and geometric patterns

Chevron Stitch Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up on one side of your guideline.
2. Insert the needle across to the opposite side at a slight angle.
3. Bring the needle up below on the first side, forming a V shape.
4. Repeat, alternating sides

6. Couching Stitch

Couching stitch is a method of over stitching thicker yarns or threads and can be done in eye-catching contrasting colors.

Best for: Attaching thicker threads and decorative lines

Couching Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. Lay the thicker underneath thread along the surface of the fabric
2. Bring the surface thread up on the side of the thicker thread
3. Cross over and go back down. Repeat

8. Faggoting

Faggoting is a method of joining 2 pieces of fabric with embroidery stitches. It is often used along skirt borders and napkins.

Best for: Small details, edge accents, and filling gaps in fabric.

Faggoting Stitch Instructions:

1. Cut along the line you wish to faggot and press over the raw edges.
2. Place another piece of fabric underneath and baste. This underneath fabric will be removed at the end. Bring the needle up on the edge of the top.
3. On the diagonal, insert the needle at the top of the thread to form a small twist. Repeat.
4. Remove the basting stitches and the fabric underneath.

9. Feather Stitch

Feather Stitch is a beautiful embroidery stitch for stems and leaves. It looks a lot like coral to me. It can be structured and straight or free-flowing.

Best for: Small details, accents, and filling tiny areas

Feather Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric along the center line.
2. Insert the needle slightly to one side and bring it back up on the opposite side, catching the thread to form a loop.
3. Alternate sides as you stitch, creating a series of open, connected loops.
4. Continue down the line, keeping the spacing even.

10. Fern Stitch

Fern stitch is another stitch that looks pretty for stems and leaves. It looks nice, delicately scrolling across your design.

Best for: leaves, coral, and organic patterns

Fern Stitch Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point.
2. Make a small straight stitch to the right of the center line. Bring the needle up slightly below the starting point and make a small stitch to the left.
3. Continue alternating sides while working down the center line.

11. Fishbone Stitch

Fishbone stitch makes me think of fish skeletons, but it is actually commonly used for leaves that have thick, dense padding and an interesting cross-over effect along the center.

Best for: Decorative borders and organic patterns

Fishbone Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up at the tip of the shape.
2. Make a small stitch down one side of the shape.
3. Bring the needle up just below the starting point and stitch down the opposite side, crossing over the center.
4. Continue alternating sides, overlapping stitches to fill the shape.

12. Fly Stitch

Fly Stitch is an interesting “Y” shaped embroidery stitch that can be joined together to form leaves.

Best for: Leaves and natural shapes

Fly Stitch Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point.
2. Insert the needle slightly below and bring it back up between the two points, catching the thread to form a V shape.
3. Secure the stitch with a small straight stitch at the bottom.
4. Repeat as needed, spacing evenly or working in rows.

13. French Knots

These little French knots are really easy to do and make tiny flowers that are normally sewn in clusters. They can also be used for the center of Lazy Daisy and other flowers and make nice dandelions and fireworks.

Best for: Small decorative details and scattered motifs

French Knot Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. Come up from underneath
2. Twist the thread around the needle (twist towards the back). Hold the thread taut
3. Put the needle back down next to the first stitch
4. The number of twists determines the size of the knot

14. Herringbone Stitch

Herringbone stitch is geometrically shaped and is commonly used for borders and as a filling embroidery stitch. It can be double or single layered. It is usually worked from right to left.

Best for: Texture, centers of flowers, and small dots

Herringbone Stitch Instructions:

1. Draw 2 parallel lines
2. Come up on the top right of the line
3. Bring the needle down in a diagonal and make a small stitch to the right
4. Cross the needle on a diagonal again and make a small stitch
5. Repeat

15. Lazy Daisy Embroidery Stitches

Lazy Daisy embroidery stitches are flower-creating stitches that can be used to make simple or multi-petal flowers. They can be joined in the center or left open.

Best for: Decorative borders and filling wide areas

Lazy Daisy Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. While not necessary, it can help beginners to draw their flower shape.
2. From underneath, come up inside the petal
3. Put the needle back down just underneath
4. Come back up at the tip of the first petal
5. Put the needle down on the other side of the thread. This will secure the loop.
6. Repeat

16. Running Stitch

The running stitch is the easiest stitch for beginners due to its simple up-and-down motion. It is also the fastest stitch to sew. Similar to backstitch, the smaller your stitches, the stronger the seam. Running stitch can also be used for decorative purposes and is used in Japanese sashiko to create interesting wave-like effects. Running stitch is not quite as strong as backstitch. For a stronger stitch, used double thread.

Best for: Simple outlines and dashed decorative lines

Running Stitch Instructions:

1. I find it comfortable to work running embroidery stitches from right to left.
2. From underneath, bring the needle up on the far right. Put the needle down a short distance away.
3. Repeat this up-and-down motion.
4. For fabric not in a hoop, take several stitches at once before pulling the thread through.

17. Satin Embroidery Stitch

Satin stitch is used for purely decorative purposes. Stitch flowers, leaves, circles – in fact, any shape you can think of. It is great for stitching eyes and cheeks on toys and dolls. Create a frame to stitch within, either with small straight stitches or a removable pen or chalk, then stitch from side to side.

Best for: Simple outlines and dashed decorative lines

Satin Stitch Instructions:

1. Draw the shape you wish to fill with embroidery stitches
2. Starting from the center, bring the needle from underneath on the edge of your shape.
3. Put the needle down at the top of the shape at and come up just next to it.
4. Repeat and then do the other side

18. Seed Stitch

Seed hand embroidery stitch (also called rice stitch) can be used as a decorative filling stitch or as a method of padding underneath a satin stitch.

Best for: Filling shapes with a smooth, solid finish

Seed Stitch Instructions:

1. Draw your shape.
2. In a random position, bring the needle up and then go back down a short distance away.
3. Repeat randomly in your preferred density.

19. Stem Embroidery Stitches

Stem stitch creates thick rope-like stitches that are great for stems, borders, and geometric designs. It is similar in appearance to the outline stitch.

Best for: Filling areas with light texture

Stem Stitch Instructions:

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at your starting point.
2. Insert the needle a short distance ahead and bring it back up halfway between the first stitch.
3. Keep the thread consistently on one side (above or below) as you continue stitching.

20. Straight Stitch

Straight stitch is not a single stitch but rather a collection of hand embroidery stitches. As the name implies, the stitches are done along a straight line with a single thread. Full Article: How to do Straight Stitch

Best for: Small details, accents, and filling tiny areas

Straight Stitch Instructions

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point.
2. Insert the needle back down at the desired length of the stitch.
3. Repeat in different directions or lengths as needed.

21. Web Stitch

Web stitch is a spiral-shaped stitch that can be used to look like radiating flowers. Use them as spider webs to make a spooky Halloween embroidery. They are created with an up and down weaving technique along the spokes.

Best for: Small details, accents, and filling tiny areas

Web Embroidery Stitches Instructions:

1. Draw a circle and mark the center
2. Stitch spokes coming out from the center. You want an odd number.
3. Bring the contrast thread up from the center and weave up and down around the spokes. Stop when you have the look you prefer.

22. Double Herringbone Stitch

Double herringbone stitch is a variation of the traditional herringbone stitch. Instead of one layer of thread, there are 2 rows of interlaced stitches. These can be done in monochrome or contrasting colors. This hand embroidery stitch is used for borders and filling large areas.

Best for: Decorative borders and filling wide areas

How to do a double herringbone stitch:

1. Work a row of herringbone stitches between two parallel lines.
2. Stitch a second row in the opposite direction, crossing over the first stitches.
3. Keep the spacing even to create a balanced, decorative effect.

23. Long and Short Embroidery Stitch

Lond and short embroidery stitches are also known as brick stitches. They form a dense interlocking embroidery design and can be used for needle painting and beautiful flowers.

Best for: Decorative borders and filling wide areas

How to do a long and short stitch:

1. Bring the needle up at the edge of the shape and make stitches of varying lengths.
2. Fill the first row using a mix of long and short stitches.
3. Work the next row by stitching into the previous stitches to blend the layers.
4. Continue building rows to fill the shape smoothly.

24. Wipped Backstitch

The whipped backstitch is a variation of the regular backstitch where a second needle and thread is used to embroider through the stitches in a circular or whipping motion. It creates beautiful thick borders, stems, and vines.

Best for: Thicker outlines and contrasting colors

How to do a whipped backstitch:

1. Sew a row of backstitch along your line.
2. Bring a second thread up at the start without pulling through the fabric again.
3. Pass the needle under each backstitch without piercing the fabric, wrapping the thread along the line.
4. Continue until the entire line is covered.

25. Darning Stitch

Darning stitch is used for darning socks and as a filling stitch in embroidery designs. It is created by horizontal and vertical running stitches made to mimic the weave of the fabric.

Best for: Mending and solid areas

How to do a darning stitch:

1. Work parallel rows of straight running stitches across the area.
2. Turn your work and weave the thread over and under the stitches.
3. Continue building layers to create a woven pattern.

26. Split Stitch

The split stitch is a hand embroidery stitch formed by the needle coming up in the middle of the thread. This splits the thread and forms its distinctive look. The split stitch is used mainly for outlining and is best in thicker embroidery floss.

Best for: Detailed outlines and textured lines

How to do a split stitch:

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the starting point.
2. Insert the needle forward to make a straight stitch.
3. Bring the needle up through the center of the previous stitch, splitting the thread.
4. Repeat to create a continuous line.

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Basic Embroidery Stitches FAQs

Embroidery Stitches – In Conclusion

Learning basic embroidery stitches opens the door to endless creative possibilities. With just a handful of stitches, you can create detailed designs, decorative borders, and textured patterns. Start with a few simple stitches, practice regularly, and gradually build your skills. As you gain confidence, you’ll be able to combine stitches to create more complex and beautiful embroidery projects.

More Basic Hand Embroidery Stitches for Beginners:

1. Embroidery Basics
2. How to Transfer Embroidery
3. Bullion Knots
4. Outline Stitch
5. Embroidery Flowers
6. Embroidery Leaves