Embroidery stitches

Embroidery stitches

The feather stitch consists of a loop that is moved to the right and left of a central line. It is worked by a needle/thread being inserted slightly to the right of the main line of the pattern. The needle and thread are then pulled through to the surface along the line, keeping the rest of the thread under the needle in order to create a V-shape. A similar stitch is then made on the left hand side of the line and the stitch is repeated.

The feathered chain stitch is a variation of the chain stitch. It is worked from top to bottom, and is created from side to side in a zig-zag manner.

The fern stitch is a simple technique to form sprays or leaf veinings. It includes three straight stitches, of equal length, worked in different directions from one central point.

Filling stitch is a generic term for surface stitches that are used to fill in specific parts of a design or the grounding around a design. There is no one specific stitch known as a 'filling stitch'. Instead there are many stitches used for filling, including cross stitch, fishbone stitch, satin stitch and tent stitch

A fir stitch is a canvas embroidery technique whereby a vertical straight stitch is worked over six horizontal threads. The vertical stitch is then flanked along an imaginary line taken from the bottom of the vertical stitch by five slanting stitches on both sides. The stitch is completed with another straight vertical stitch over four threads to combine the flanking stitches and to link up with the first vertical stitch above.

The fishbone stitch is often used to create and fill a leaf design or comparable shape. In order to work the motif, first a line of tiny dots is drawn down its middle. Then the thread is taken in and out of the ground material in such a way that a stitch is created that resembles a fishbone, and when made in a series creating the desired (leaf) design.

The flame stitch is a form of straight stitch used for Florentine work. The stitch is normally worked over a basic unit of four threads (variations in this number do occur) in the ground material. The stitches are worked in a series of stepped, coloured ziz-zag lines to create the effect of ‘flames’ or other motifs (such as ovals and a stepped pattern).

The flat stitch is very similar to the fishbone stitch, but the stitches are worked more horizontally and are more overlapping in the centre. Also known as closed leaf stitch.

The fly stitch is an embroidery technique with a characteristic V-shape, which can be worked singularly (detached) or in rows. 

The French knot is a decorative stitch used to create one or more small knots or dots on a ground material.

The gobelin stitch is a type of tent stitch, whereby the thread is worked on canvas over two or more warp/weft threads and the length of the stitch is twice its width. It is sometimes worked as a raised form, which means that it is padded with a thick thread of cord. A padded gobelin stitch either completely conceals the padding or allows part of it to show in order to create and emphasise a geometric pattern.

The Gordion knot stitch is a form of twisted chain stitch, which is worked between two imaginary horizontal lines, whereby the first twisted stitch is worked from the bottom to the top line, and the second stitch, to the left, from the top to the bottom line.

Gros point is a term used to describe a canvas embroidery stitch worked over two or more horizontal threads of canvas. The stitches used may be the cross stitch, flame stitch or gobelin stitch.The term can be used to describe both the particular stitch and the end product, such as a gros point carpet. 

A ground stitch is a generic name for any stitch used to fill in the background or ground of an embroidery. The act of working any of such stitches is called grounding. GVE

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