Lockdown Challenge: Hone Your Needle Skills By Learning 21 Types Of Hand Embroideries

An embroidery is a form of art that has been around us for centuries. Our mothers and grandmothers learned and practiced it to adorn their outfits. The craze of an elegantly embroidered piece can never go away. The only difference is, while earlier it was all hand-made, today the simplest designs are crafted from a machine. However, if you love those hand-made patterns, and want an exclusive piece, you know it is likely to cost a lot. But why not use this lockdown period to learn simple yet stunning embroidery yourself? Not only you will turn more skillful, but also competent enough to design your own garment.

In fact, the founder of Hail Women, Harshita Gupta also thinks that you should not miss utilising this lockdown duration as an opportunity to bring out an artist in you. Being a fashion expert, she suggested to, "learn a few simple embroideries to enhance your stitching skills." She also exclusively talked about her favourites stitches with Hz. " My favourite are running and backstitch. Running is basic and the easiest, all I do is inserts the needle up and down have some space, and repeat. Whereas, I love for backstitch because it creates a solid line that is good for text on outline designs. There are many more you can try and it is best that you lay hands on them all," told Harshita. So, let’s start the 21-day crash course for learning 21 types of embroidery.

Things You Will Need

• Cloth hoop
• Threads
• Needle
• Fabric

If you do not have a cloth hoop, you can make your own. All you will need is a round plastic box that has a lid.

Using a pair of sharp scissors or knife cut the bottom portion of the box, leaving the part where you lock the lid. Also, cut the lid, leaving just the part that locks it to the box. You can use the lock of the box as a hoop.

Tips

• Before beginning, thread the needle and knot it.
• Place the fabric in between the hoop and pull from all ends. The cloth should always be tight enough while stitching.
• We will be going the ascending order. That is from the simplest design to the difficult one.
• As you learn new stitch every day, keep practicing the old one-two. The bigger patterns are made using the basic stitches.

Day 01: Running Stitch

This is the easiest and the initial step to learn stitching or embroidery. Running stitches are used in hand-sewing basic clothing. While you assemble pieces together, you use running stitches.

Steps

• Bring your needle up through the fabric from the bottom until the knot hits the fabric.
• Leaving an inch space again passes the needle through. At this point, you will make a stitch. Make more repeating the same process. The running stitch is simple up and down.
• You can either do this or push the needle through and make several stitches at once.

Day 02: Backstitch

Backstitch is used to draw the outline of any shape. If one pattern that has fine details needs to be highlighted, backstitch is most likely used there.

Steps

• Start by inserting your needle anywhere on the fabric and pull the thread through.
• Draw a simple stitch from where you started. Before going forward just remember that you always go back to your last stitch, and then pass the thread through.
• So, go back to the end of your first stitch, insert the needle, now do not pull the needle completely but instead insert the needle from the back to pass it through and pull. Repeat the steps as you go along.

Day 03: Straight Stitch

Back in times, when there were no sewing machines, people used to secure the ends of the fabric using a straight stitch. If you want to create a bit urban look, this stitch is the one you must go with.

Steps

• Draw the first stitch by inserting the needle from the back to the front.
• Insert the needle at some distance away from the starting point pull it through to the back. This will complete one stitch.
• If you want to make a flower design, draw 4-5 stitches from the starting point.

Day 04: Stem Stitch

The stem stitch, also known as crewel stitch, point de cable or stalk stitch is one of the most effortless stitches that is used to make detailed stems.

Steps

• Bring your needle up through the fabric. Insert the needle half an inch away from the starting point.
• Come back up from the middle of the first stitch, go a bit slanting and insert the needle again leaving half an inch.
• Draw a complete line then only you will be able to identify the stitch correctly. Repeat this process.

Day 05: French Knot

Also known as the French dot, twisted knot or knotted stitch, this one is used as fillings for flower centers. Also, if you want to create a tiny powdered pattern this stitch makes the perfect cut.

Steps

• Begin by bringing your needle up where you want to place the knot.
• Wrap the thread around the needle once for a small knot or twice for a larger one.
• Insert the needle back close to the starting point. And you are done. Do not forget to secure the thread by making a knot using finders at the back.

Day 06: Chain Stitch

When jeans fabric initially arrived, the chain stitch was used to secure its end. The chain stitch creates a vivid roping effect.

Steps

• Draw a simple stitch by bringing the needle up through the fabric.
• With your second stitch create a loop from the thread. The third stitch must pass through the loop.
• To do so place the working thread behind the needle, and pull the needle through the loop. Repeat this process to make more stitches.

Day 07: Satin Stitch

In case your favourite cloth ends up with a hole, the satin stitch or damask stitch can help by filling it up completely. Narrow rows of satin stitch can be executed with simple stitches.

Steps

• Here you will be filling a design, instead of making simple stitches.
• Draw a simple pattern that you want to fill. Start by bringing your needle up from the back. Start from the edge and work to the end.
• Draw a simple stitch trying to fill a space. Now, re-insert your needle across from your last exit point.
• The whole process is, first you come up, second, go back down, third, you'll come up again next, go back down again. All these while you fill-up the pattern.
• Your next stitch will always start from the end of the last one.

Day 08: Feather Stitch

One of the most elegant and decorative stitches, the feather stitch is usually used to make the stems along with flowers made using the French knot.

Steps

• You want to create a loop on the fabric with a stitch.
• So, bring the needle up through the fabric at the top, go a bit left, leaving an inch space and down at the right creating a loop.
• Bring the needle up again from the centre of the loop you just created. Makeunder loop right from there. But it should be lower than the first loop.
• Continue working interlocking loops and you’re done.

Day 09: Split Stitch

The split stitch is an extremely versatile stitch that is used for all the purposes, including outlining and filling.

Steps

• Start with a simple stitch. Bring your needle up from the back and draw a single stitch.
• You ended up at the bottom. So, now come up again, bringing the needle through the first stitch. You will split the stitch into two.
• Go down again to complete the stitch. The first lock is ready, repeat for making a complete chain.

Day 10: Detached Chain Stitch

Detached Chain Stitch basically looks like a teardrop or small flower petal. This is more often used to stitch motifs.

Steps

• Bring the needle up through the fabric. You have to create a loop. Insert the needle again at the starting point.
• But leave some thread on the top to make a loop. Bring the needle up a short distance from the starting point, lock the loop of the thread as you pull it down.
• Repeat the process to make additional stitches.

Day 11: Fly Stitch

Fly stitch is useful to fill a line unevenly. Mostly these are made on the sleeves as it has different types of lines with cleaner and fewer stitches.

Steps

• A fly stitch is made of two stitches. A horizontal long stitch and second that turns it into a V.
• Bring the needle up through the fabric, leave an inch space insert the needle, making a loop.
• Bring the needle up through the fabric, right from the centre of the loop. Now lock your first loop forming a V and it’s done.

Day 12: Woven Wheel Stitch

One of the most elegant stitches to make flowers, especially roses. You can use this stitch to fill a hole or make designs all over the fabric by weaving the thread.

Steps

• Begin by simply stitching stars, the one with around 5-7 stems. Leave proper spacing in-between of all the stems.
• Bring the needle up from the centre and start weaving in circular motions.
• The needle will go over and under making straight stitch spoke. Continue the same process until the circle is filled in.

Day 13: Couching Stitch

The couching stitch is used to attach a different thread to the fabric. The stitch is similar to appliqué.

Steps

• You will have two separate pieces of thread going at once. Draw a straight line on the fabric.
• Using your main thread bring a needle up. Now, take the needle back down at the end of the line.
• Tack down the main thread. Take the second thread, come up on one side of the main thread and go down on the other side. Now at every one inch, lock the second thread with the help of the first one.

Day 14: Blanket Stitch

Mostly used to secure the end of the fabric. The design is made of the neck, and at all the ends including sleeves, bottoms, etc.

Steps

• Bring the thread up from the back of the fabric. You have to work on a horizontal line. So, stitch simply leaving one-inch space.
• Insert the needle and bring it out directly below again.
• Also, create a loop from the thread from the end of each stitch and pull the thread.

Day 15: Bullion Knot

The bullion knot is mostly used to make floral prints. It is visually appealing and takes very little time to form once you understand the trick.

Steps

• First, learn how to make bullion knots. Bring the needle up to make the top of the knot.
• Leave the needlepoint poking out through the fabric and wrap the thread around it. Wrap the needle multiple times, covering the whole needle.
• Now, leave an inch distance and insert the needle by slowly through the wrapping and fabric.
• To make a design, bring the needle up near the centre grouping and form many bullion knots that fill a pattern.

Day 16: Bead Stitch

Beading is the ever classic stitch. Back in times, this was considered the most expensive design to be made on a cloth.

Steps

• You will be needing beads for this stitch. Make sure the beads are broad enough to pass through your needle.
• Begin by inserting the needle from the back. As your needle comes up, put one bead in the needle and bring it to the front.
• Insert the needle at a distance that is enough to lock your bead to the fabric. Pull the thread through to the back and repeat the process.

Day 17: Chicken Stitch

We all love donning chicken kadai suits and sarees in the summers. It is beautiful and elegant.

Steps

• You will need two different coloured threads for this. You must also know to make a chain and woven circle stitch for this.
• Start by making a geometrical pattern. Begin by filling the outline of the graphic using a chain stitch. Bring the needle up from the back of the fabric. Draw a simple stitch making a loop.
• Now, fill the inside of the graphic repeating the same method. Just do not leave any space in between.
• One the filling is done there will be a good anchor to make a woven circle.
• Stitch a star. Bring the needle up from the centre and start weaving in circular motions. Once done secure it by pulling the needle through the fabric and its done.

Day 18: Lazy Daisy Stitch

Lazy daisy can be considered one of the easiest stitches. Lazy Daisy is used to making several complicated patterns and not just petals and leaves.

Steps

• Start by bringing the needle up from the back, through your fabric.
• Insert the needle to the starting point, in order to make a loop.
• Now again bring the needle up at the desired length that you want your loop to be. Lastly, lock the loop.
• To start the next petal, repeat the process again.

Day 19: Seed Stitch

This stitch is used to kill the leaves and fruit patters. It is as simple to make it looks.

Steps

• Begin by drawing patterns. A leaf to start with. Begin by passing the needle through the fabric, as you come up to leave very little space and insert the needle downwards.
• You need to make rows of short running stitches also make them all in a single row after row.
• Mind making complete straight lines and then going on to the second.

Day 20: Herringbone Stitch

The herringbone stitch is used to enhance the border or edging of a fabric. Best if done on see-through fabric as it is used in shadow embroidery.

Steps

• You have to work from one end to the other. So start by bringing the needle up through the fabric beginning from the first point.
• Now turn a bit diagonal to stitch the upper point. Bring the needle up again to the left from where you inserted the needle last and draw a stitch diagonally to the lower right.
• One stitch is complete and repeats while working in the same direction.

Day 21: Net stitch

The net stitch is used to fill any patterns in a more seamless manner. It creates criss-cross designs that look great on any clothing.

Steps

• Draw a pattern. Now fill the outline making running stitch.
• Once done, bring your needle up through the fabric from the bottom. Make diagonal stitches.
• Start from one point and insert the needle on the other. Once fill the pattern with strokes facing one side. Start making another.
• You have to achieve a criss-cross pattern. Repeat the same process again. Start from one point and insert the needle on the other.
• Do not leave much space in the middle of the stitches.

These embroidery stitches take less time to learn. However, only by regular practice, you will be able to become a pro. These are extremely simple to learn and a great way to master a new skill. While you invest months learning the same thing in a coaching centre, with the help of this tutorial by the end of three weeks you will be a hands-on artist with making some stunning designs on your Kurtis or other garments, right in time to flaunt those at the office.