Stem stitch is an ancient technique surviving mantles embroidered with stem stitch by the Paracas people of Peru are dated to the first century BCE.
Although superficially similar to the Holbein stitch, which is commonly used in blackwork embroidery, backstitch differs in the way it is worked, requiring only a single journey to complete a line of stitching.īasic backstitch is the stitch used to outline shapes in modern cross-stitch, in Assisi embroidery and occasionally in blackwork. Description of the technique Ī versatile stitch which is easy to work, backstitch is ideal for following both simple and intricate outlines and as a foundation row for more complex embroidery stitches such as herringbone ladder filling stitch. Hence it can be used to sew strong seams by hand, without a sewing machine. The small stitches done back-and-forth makes the back stitch the strongest stitch among the basic stitches. In hand sewing, it is a utility stitch which strongly and permanently attaches two pieces of fabric.
In embroidery, these stitches form lines and are most often used to outline shapes and to add fine detail to an embroidered picture.
Basic backstitchīackstitch or back stitch and its variants stem stitch, outline stitch and split stitch are a class of embroidery and sewing stitches in which individual stitches are made backward to the general direction of sewing. Versatile stitch Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry showing text and outlines in stem stitch.
