How to Stem Stitch (sort of)…
It was so nice to have a bit of time to myself yesterday.
I’ve had a few emails asking for pointers on stem stitch & again I think that this is the kind of thing best learned by watching & listening rather than still shots or sketches.
I stitched a bit of lettering & thought that I’d share the video. I’ve kind of adapted my traditionally taught stem stitch over the years. Vick…if you’re reading this – click away now. This is my “go to” stitch. I use it for lettering, for outlining & for anything with a curve. I love the flexible nature of this stitch. You can very easily rocket ahead on straight sections & then slow right down & do teeny tiny stitches around sharp turns. It’s a forgiver…I like that.
Hoping that this helps you out & you become a (sort of) stem stitcher too.
Now that I watch this video…is it any wonder my stitches are so tight. Just look at how I “correct” each stitch.
One Flew Over
1179 days ago
Love the video and love how neat and tight your stitches are!
Vic
1179 days ago
That looks so good Kirsty!
You sound so different to what I imagined you to sound like – or the voice I "hear" when I read your blog if you will – you sound much younger than I was thinking!
Andi
1179 days ago
Perfect little stitches Kirsty!!
Thanks.
Andi x
Rachel
1179 days ago
Great video: this is how I do stem stitch too! using the same hole from the previous stitch to go back through. It does have such a lovely look in embroidery: I used it in my redwork square: the back also looks so neat because of it too.
crzylady
1179 days ago
Thank you so much! Again, just like with the french knot, you explain it very easily and I'm excited to work on my new t-shirt quote idea with this!
june at noon
1179 days ago
Aha, my very favorite stitch. I use it for just about everything, since I like a "sketched" look in a lot of my pieces. Beautiful embroidery, too!
june at noon
1179 days ago
(By the way, I do it more like outline stitch too. I guess I ought to say outline stitch is really my favorite!)
Cath @ chunkychooky
1179 days ago
Great video! Thanks I am confused as I thought that was how I had been doing what I thought was running stitch??
Annabelle
1179 days ago
thanks so much for the video! i just tried out the stitch and it works beautifully. it reminds me of a backstitch.
Megan
1179 days ago
great video, i agree it is so much easier to learn things through watching a video rather than trying to translate pictures. thanks for the pointers
what does the word say? from what we can see i was thinking scrubbing?
Marg
1179 days ago
Thank you so much, great video.
cmybl0g
1179 days ago
Thanks again for taking the time to make a video. Sincerely appreciate all the helpful Information & Inspiration.
Jenny from Ohjoh
1179 days ago
Hi, great tutorial! You make it look so simple and neat! Thanks
Jenny
Cat
1179 days ago
Thank you lovely Kirsty! I can't wait to give this a run after the Bebito heads to bed tonight.
pinkbiscotti
1179 days ago
Thank you for this video. I have tried the stem stitch before but just reading it outta a book. Didn't work so well for me. This looks a lot easier.
Kinda reminds me of the back stitch also…only prettier.
Thanks again,
Svannah
Heather Woollove
1179 days ago
What a helpful video! You're right…it's amazing how 'live action' simplifies something that 'eludes' in still photos.
Your accent is marvelous, too…it
really adds to the charm of the video for those of us in the US, especially!
Liesl
1179 days ago
Love the video and the beautiful stitching. You do make it all look very straight forward … now I just have to overcome my sausage fingers and long-sightedness!
Adele
1178 days ago
awesome tutorial, thanks. I'll now willing to give it crack! Thanks again.
Kylie
1178 days ago
Thanks Kirsty – that was good to see. Will be using that one very soon. K
Magpie Tracks
1177 days ago
Beautiful stitches! But it looks like you don't use a hoop? Do you have a backing on your embroidery to make it "thicker" for both the embroidery and to hide knots? Thanks again for your tutorial!
Nancy
1177 days ago
Ah…you don't use a hoop? How do you keep the fabric from wrinkling?
I do my stem stitch the same way…what are we doing different?
Danielle
1177 days ago
Hi Kirsty,
I just popped over to let you know your featured on blog this today. you can check it out here..http://www.blogthis.com.au/2010/02/blogs-of-interest-28th-february-get.html
Cat from Raspberry Rainbow
1177 days ago
Thank you, you make it look so simple, I am now game enough to try it myself.
B @ Sweet Limes
1176 days ago
Your stitches are so tight and beautiful! I'm just learning a little of this myself so I'm amazed and drooling all at once.
Cathy
1176 days ago
Thank you for sharing your new stem stitch. Really nice, easy to understand and very simple.
Caterina Pérez
1176 days ago
really nice video! and really helpful! thank you
Chandra
1175 days ago
Ah, I've never been satisfied with my stem stitches until now! Thanks so much, super helpful.
RheLynn
1173 days ago
I love your embroidery. I have always called it 'backstitch' embroidery, but your post reminded me of the real term. I've done this since I was a little girl – and always thought it odd when ladies at my work wanted me to 'teach' them. It seems so simple I didn't know where to start!
flossy-p
1172 days ago
That's a great tutorial, clear and easy to understand. Thanks so much!
Conny's Cottage
909 days ago
That is Great!!!!
Thank you for cheer.
greatings send You Conny