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ThatPainter
Beginner Crafts

Basic Embroidery Stitches: Pictures, Diagrams, and How-Tos

Learn when to use five essential hand embroidery stitches and follow step-by-step directions for lines, outlines, filled shapes, and raised details.

By ThatPainter Team 3 min read
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Start with five stitches: running stitch for a broken line, back stitch for a continuous outline, stem stitch for curves and lettering, satin stitch for filling shapes, and French knots for raised dots and texture. The illustrated DMC step-by-step embroidery stitch guide shows needle placement for these and many other stitches.

Choose a stitch by the mark you want

Stitch Best for What it makes
Running stitch Simple decorative lines A line of separated, regular stitches
Back stitch Outlines A continuous line with joined stitches
Stem stitch Curves, outlines, and lettering A continuous, slightly twisted line
Satin stitch Filling shapes A smooth block of close, parallel stitches
French knot Small details and texture A raised dot

These five are a useful starting selection, not an exhaustive list or an official ranking. The DMC guide also illustrates chain stitch, blanket or buttonhole stitch, lazy daisy, split stitch, straight stitch, and more.

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How to make the basic stitches

For each stitch, follow the linked guide’s diagram as well as the written steps: seeing where the needle enters and exits makes the path easier to understand. DMC’s instructions refer to six-strand embroidery floss.

Running stitch: make a simple dashed line

  1. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the start of the line.
  2. Take it down a stitch-length ahead.
  3. Bring it up again farther along the line and repeat, keeping the stitches a similar length.

Leave gaps between the stitches. Running stitch can be used for decoration as well as gathering and quilting.

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Back stitch: join the line into an outline

  1. Make a first stitch along the line.
  2. Bring the needle up one stitch-length ahead of the first stitch.
  3. Take it down at the end of the previous stitch, joining the stitches into a continuous line.
  4. Repeat: move forward to bring the needle up, then stitch back to meet the line.

Unlike running stitch, back stitch forms a continuous outline rather than a dashed one.

Stem stitch: follow curves and lettering

  1. Bring the needle up at the beginning of the line and make a short stitch.
  2. Bring the needle up a short distance ahead, keeping the thread consistently to one side of the line.
  3. Continue with short, staggered stitches along the curve or lettering, maintaining that same thread position.

The consistent placement of the thread helps create stem stitch’s slightly twisted line.

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Satin stitch: fill a shape

  1. Outline the shape with split stitch if you want a crisp edge; DMC recommends this approach in its guide.
  2. Bring the needle up at one edge of the shape and take it down at the opposite edge.
  3. Bring the needle up beside the first entry point and repeat with close, parallel stitches until the shape is covered.

Keep the stitches close together for a smooth fill. Satin stitch is used for shapes such as monograms, petals, and leaves.

French knot: add a raised dot

  1. Bring the needle up where you want the knot.
  2. Wrap the thread around the needle once or twice.
  3. Keeping the thread taut, take the needle down close to—but not through—the hole where it came up.
  4. Pull the thread through to form the knot.

The number of wraps can vary with the knot size you want. Re-entering near the original hole, rather than through it, helps the knot form on the surface.

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What you need to practice

Embroidery floss and fabric are enough to begin practicing these stitches. The cited guide uses six-strand embroidery floss, but it does not establish that a particular brand, kit, hoop, fabric, or needle is required. A beginner kit can bundle useful materials for convenience; it is not a prerequisite. The online DMC guide is itself a stitch reference, so a printed book is optional.

More stitches to learn next

Once the five starter stitches feel familiar, explore the other examples in the DMC illustrated stitch guide, including chain stitch, lazy daisy, blanket or buttonhole stitch, split stitch, and straight stitch. Choose the next one according to whether your design needs a different line, an edge, a loop, or another kind of texture.

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Bradove Classic Embroidery Learning Kit for Adults and Kids
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  • 【Everything Included – No Extra Shopping】This all-in-one embroidery kit includes patterned fabrics, threads, hoops, needles, seam ripper, and instructions—perfect for beginners who want a stress-free start.
  • 【Learn Real Embroidery Skills】It includes video tutorials for beginners on foundational skills, such as using embroidery hoops, separating threads, threading, knotting, and basic stitches—content that most kits do not teach.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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