Embellished Elephant

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The four main groups of embroidery stitches

Ever felt a bit overwhelmed by all the different embroidery stitches and their different names?

Sometimes it’s easier to identify the group a stitch belongs to rather than remember the name of the specific stitch.

1) Line stitches

Most commonly these are stitched in a line, but they can also include border stitches.

Examples include backstitch, running stitch, stem stitch and split stitch.

2) Isolated stitches

These are stitches that can be stitched on their own, or combined in groups.

Examples include seed stitch, French knots, bullion knots and lazy daisy stitch.

3) Filling stitches

If you need to fill an area then these are the stitches to use. It doesn’t mean you can’t use others, but these stitches work best.

Examples include satin stitch, long and short stitch, brick stitch.

4) Texture stitches

These stitches are used to add texture or a bit of wow factor to a piece of embroidery .

Examples include needle weaving, woven wheels, woven picots, turkey work.

If you can’t find the stitch that you want, have a browse of my stitch showcase blogs until you see one you like.

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