embroidery basics: fill stitches • part 1

Most of the time when I embroider, I think of outlines. That’s my favorite part, and the way I see artwork, so it makes sense. But by filling areas with color, lines and designs, you get a completely different look. Some of my favorite embroidered pieces that I’ve seen include some kind of fill stitch.

There are some traditional methods of filling in an area, and we’ll get to those next time, but I thought I’d start with some quick methods that don’t require much practice at all.

To learn and practice all of the different fill stitches, I made a simple rain pattern. Transfer the pattern (you’ll find it at the end of this lesson) and you’re ready to go.

Normally I would use regular six-strand cotton, but to change it up a little, I’m using Color Variations Pearl Cotton from DMC. This is mainly because I wanted a shiny, bold look for the final piece. I’m also starting all of my raindrops (except for one) with an outline of backstitch.

The first fill is called a seed or rice stitch. All you do is fill in the area with short little straight stitches. It is really, really easy.

You can change the look of this stitch by altering the length of the stitches, how close they are, and their direction. You could also use different colors. This stitch is great for creating texture.


A variation on the seed or rice stitch is to make line after line of running stitch. You can make everything line up precisely, or be a bit more casual about it. This fill is reminiscent of Japanese sashiko embroidery.

For a more solid fill, stitch row after row of your favorite straight stitch. Follow along with your outer line, or create other patterns in the lines.

I used a backstitch, but a split or chain works too. I haven’t used this method of filling much, but in just a short amount of playing, I already like it. You can see variations of this a lot in wool crewel work.


On of my favorite looks for fill stitches is an area filled with french knots. You can place them really close together, or give them a bit of space, as I’ve done here. You’ll either have a fuzzy area, or one that is polka dotted!

That’s four raindrops filled in, and next time we’ll do the rest!

Download the raindrops pattern.
Download this lesson with the raindrops pattern.

Be sure to check back on Monday for a very exciting announcement! I can't wait!

embroidery basics: making faces (french knots and more detached chain)

If you are familiar with me and the illustrations and patterns that I make, you know that I have a hard time creating something that doesn't have a face on it. I can't help it! Things are better with faces!

What does that mean when stitching? Well, it means that stitching a good french knot is a must, and you need to find ways to show expression with just a small amount of floss. It can take a few tries to get faces right, but it makes all the difference.

I hear from people that they have a hard time with french knots, and I gotta tell you, I can't relate. There. I said it. My mom did a LOT of candlewicking when I was young, so I grew up on french knots, and I think they are easier than you realize.

The tricky part is that I'm going to show you how to do it in photos. I almost broke down and did a video for this, but I'm up for a challenge. And if the photos don't work for you, let me know.

Come up from the back, and wrap the floss over the needle.

Wrap the floss around the needle a second time. Hold onto the free end of the floss, and be sure to keep the tension firm around the needle, but not too tight.

Insert the needle into the fabric. You can go back into the same hole you came up from, but I usually go back down right next to the first hole.

Keep holding the free end of the floss. At this point, you can pull it a little tighter so you almost see a little ball around the needle, flush against the fabric.

Slowly pull the needle and floss through, and keep holding the end of the floss like you see. When the loop gets close, you can let go and keep pulling the floss through.

Once pulled tight (but not too tight), you'll have a finished french knot. (How did I not take that picture here? I don't know. Scroll to the bottom for the finished face.)

Traditionally, you only wrap the floss around the needle two times. If you want to change the size of the french knot (which is important for eye size), you change the number of floss strands. This works, but guess what? You're allowed to cheat and change the number of times you wrap the floss. Play with it and see what you get!

Now, when you're making faces, you'll also need a little smile. With larger faces, there is often room to embroider the mouth with a back stitch, or something like that. But for smaller areas, or tight curves, a detached chain is easier. You remember that stitch from last time, right? This is a slight change on that stitch.

Bring your needle up at one end of the mouth, and down at the other end. Don't pull it tight yet.

Come up at the apex of the curve, like you do at the rounded end of a lazy daisy.

Pull the floss until your first stitch forms a curve. Don't pull too tight, or it will become a point. You don't want that.

Insert the needle on the other side of the curve to hold it in place. Pull the floss through. You've got a nice little mouth now!

Here are some finished faces, with different mouths.

To make larger eyes, some fill stitching is needed, and we'll start on that next time!

Oh, and since it's Cinco de Mayo today, I thought that it would be fun to have a themed pattern to practice with! So, you can download a little sombrero that has some french knot decorations, and of course, a sweet little face.

Download the Sombrero Pattern

Download this Lesson + the Sombrero Pattern

embroidery basics: chain and detached chain

How's everyone doing with the basics? Still following along and learning new things? I do hope that everything has made sense so far. If you have questions, just ask, and I'll do my best to reply in the comments.

And if you're just discovering the series, be sure to go through all of the Embroidery Basics posts. There's lots of info already, and plenty more to come in the next month!

Today we're talking about chain stitches. Like the chains in crochet, these didn't come quickly for me. I still don't use the regular chain stitch too often, as it creates a relatively thick line, and I like to work small. But it is a beautiful thing when you are able to use it. Ready?

Come up from the back. Insert the needle just next to where you came up, then (using the sewing method) come back up a stitch length away.

Make sure that the loose thread gets looped around your needle that is coming up, and pull the thread. You don't want to pull it too tight, unless you want it look and straight and stretched. Traditionally, the stitches look a bit round...like a chain link.

Insert the needle just next to where the last stitch came up, and again, come back up.

Keep on with this, making sure that the thread loops around the needle/thread. If you miss it and pull, you'll start pulling out all of your stitches. A single tug could undo a whole bunch of your work, so be careful. (This is handy, however, if you have to rip out some work!)

When you are ready to end a line of chain stitches, instead of inserting your needle next to where you came up, insert it on the other side of the loop of floss.

You'll have a nice little chain. One thing to watch for is twisty floss. It can make your chains frustrating, so try to let your needle/floss hang and untwist every so often.

Now, let's talk about detached chain stitches. This is when you create a single link, and it usually makes a little tear drop kind of shape that...

Why, yes, Olive! It is most often called a lazy daisy stitch! I like that name better, but the thing is, there are ways to change the stitch so that it no longer resembles a daisy petal. Detached chain is a less confusing name in those cases. Either way, this is a great stitch.

Today, I'll show the basic daisy petal type of detached chain.

Patterns may mark this stitch differently, and often they show the entire outline shape of the stitch. For my practice, I've marked it with two dots for each stitch. One is at the point, and the other is at the rounded part.

Come up where the point of the petal will be.

Like with the regular chain, insert the needle just next to where you came up. Using the sewing method, you'll come back up where the rounded part of the petal will be.

Be sure to loop the floss around your needle, and gently pull the floss. Remember, you want it to have a nice rounded shape, and you can alter the shape by how loose you keep the loop.

Just as you finished off the regular chain, insert the needle on the other side of the loop to finish off the detached chain.

Do this for each lazy daisy, and you'll have a nice little flower. (Probably nicer than this one...my points aren't quite close enough together!) Or you can make them all go the same direction and use them for raindrops.

Next time around, we'll stitch up some faces, and I'll show you how you can change up the detached chain for a sweet little smile!

Download the PDF lesson for chain stitches.

I don't have a pattern for this lesson, but I do have a fun way to use the chain stitch. Last year, I stitched a charm bracelet, and the chain stitch was the base for it! Find the instructions here. One thing...if you're new to embroidery, I wouldn't recommend using metallic thread just yet. Get comfortable with the regular kind first.

Keep stitching...and have fun!

embroidery basics: stem and split stitches

Last time, I showed you two of my favorite stitches, and this week, we have two of my least favorites. There's nothing really wrong with them, but everyone has their own tastes, right? My problem with the stem stitch is that it alluded me for so long that I still avoid it, and the split stitch? It always feels messy. Still, they are basic, must learn stitches, and you may love them! Hey, I may even love them after this!

Get your hoop ready, and let's get started! For the stem stitch, I'm using three strands, but you can use what you like. This stitch is basically a series of stitches that overlap each other a little. It makes for lovely curves when you do it right.

As someone who likes the stabbing method (see this previous lesson), I'm tempted to take a single stitch, come up from the back just behind the end of my first stitch, and continue on. This doesn't work so well.

Instead, use the sewing method with the fabric a little loose in the hoop. Come up from the back. Push the needle through to the back and then back up to the front, all in one stitch. The needle comes up on the line, just a bit behind where you inserted the needle.

Pull the floss through (not too tight!), and take another stitch as you did the first.

Continue along the line, and it looks like this! No joke, this may be the best stem stitching I've ever done using this method.

For a long time, I thought I would never learn how to do this. It just didn't work, and I gave up. But then I learned another way, and it saved my stem stitch. (Thank you, Amy! You're my stem stitch hero!)

This way is more like doing the back stitch, and I love that! Start out with a back stitch.

Come up again about a stitch length from your first stitch, then insert the needle just behind the end of the first stitch. It should go underneath the floss from the first stitch.

Again, come up like you're back stitching, and go back down behind the previous stitch.

When you keep on like this, you'll have a neat little row of stem stitch. I find this way works so much better for me.

One thing that I've also learned is that it looks a lot more smooth if you take smaller stitches. There are times when longer works, but I like the look of shorter stitches for this.

Now, how about splitting up your stitches? More strands are good for this, but try different numbers to see what you like. Even numbers are a good thing though, and you'll see why.

Take a single stitch, moving forward. Come up from the back with the needle splitting apart the first stitch.

Go back down so the total length of the stitch is around 1/4" (counting the part that overlaps with the previous stitch).

Come up again, splitting the previous stitch.

That's all there is to this! The split stitch is a classic, but as I said, it feels messy to me. Maybe because it reminds me of the back side of my back stitch. Regardless, it makes a good solid line, and that's a nice thing to have.

I didn't get a chance to stitch up a for real pattern this week, but I did make a pattern for you to practice on! It's a swirl of leaves that has some nice curves to stitch. It fits just right in a 5" hoop.

Download the pattern PDF.

Download this lesson + the pattern.

Next time around, we'll tackle the chain stitch!