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HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION 9
NEEDLECRAFT

Quarter 1 - Module 2
Lesson 2: Basic Embroidery Stitches

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HANDICRAFT (NEEDLECRAFT) – Grade 9
Quarter 1 – EMBROIDERY
Module 2: Basic Embroidery Stitches

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Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office
wherein the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such
agency or office may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks,
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been exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective
copyright owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: ZENAIDA N. REMPIS

Editor: AIDA M. TUIZA
Reviewers: AIDA M. TUIZA
EDWIN L. MIAS
CHRISTIE L. ALVAREZ
Illustrator: EMMANUEL N. ARNESTO
Layout Artist: EMMANUEL N. ARNESTO

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LO 2. Create Embroidered Products with Package

Basic Embroidery Stitches

I. Title of the Material/Introduction

In this lesson, you will learn the basic stitches in embroidery. Your
knowledge and skills on this will help you to create an embroidered article.
Combination of the different kind of stitches and good workmanship will add to the
aesthetic value of your embroidered article.

II. Objectives
Upon completion of this module, it is expected that you will be able to:

1. manipulate properly the tools and materials for embroidery

2. perform the basic stitches in embroidery

III. Vocabulary List

Stitch - a loop of thread or yarn resulting from a single pass or movement
of the needle in sewing, knitting, or crocheting.

Yarn - spun thread used for knitting, weaving, or sewing.

Overlapping Stitch – stitch extend over so as to cover partly.

Parallel thread - side and having the same distance continuously between them

Interlace- cross or be crossed intricately together; interweave.

Knot- a fastening made by tying a piece of string, rope, or something similar

IV. Pretest
Direction: Read each item carefully and choose the letter of your answer.

1. One of the most basic stitches, and is usually the first stitch learned by
the beginner embroidery or sewing enthusiast. This stitch can be worked in
straight or curved lines, or for assembly when finishing an embroidery
project.
A. Running Stitch B. Back Stitch C. Cross Stitch D. French Knot

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2. This stitch most often used to outline a design. This stitch also forms the
base line for other embroidery stitches.
A. Running Stitch B. Back Stitch C. Cross Stitch D. French Knot

3. Stitch formed by two-crossing arms and may be used for outlining, as borders
or to fill an entire area.
A. Running Stitch B. Back Stitch C. Cross Stitch D. French Knot

4. A single detached stitch used primarily to fill in a design area. It is popular

stitch among embroiderers because it can be used to create the eyes on an
embroidered face or the center of the flower.
A. Running Stitch B. Back Stitch C. Cross Stitch D. French Knot

5. It is basic overlapping stitch popular in border making.

A. Running Stitch B. Herringbone Stitch C. Cross Stitch D. French Knot

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V. Learning Activities

BASIC EMBROIDERY STITCHES

1. Running Stitch

One of the most basic stitches, and is usually the first stitch learned by
the beginner embroidery or sewing enthusiast. This stitch can be worked in
straight or curved lines, or for assembly when finishing an embroidery
project. Variations of the embroidery version of this stitch include the
whipped running stitch, laced running stitch, as well as a few dozen others.
Running stitch is also the basic stitch used for darning stitches, with the
straight stitches arranged in patterned row.

To work the Running Stitch:

1. Bring your needle up through the fabric from the

back (or wrong side, whichever lingo you prefer)
until the knot hits the fabric.

2. Then bring the thread back up and until the task

is completed.

2. Back Stitch

This stitch most often used to outline a design. This stitch also forms the
base line for other embroidery stitches.

To work the Back Stitch:

1. Start your back stitch as you would any other

line stitch. Start the second stitch on the other
side of your stitch.

2. Start the third stitch at the end of the second

stitch.

3. Make sure all your stitches are the same length.

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 3. Couching

Stitch considered especially useful for outlining or giving more weight to

a single stitch line. Usually two working yarns are used: the laid yarn and
couching yarn. The yarn which is stitched over another yarn – the laid yarn
– to attached it to the fabric is called couching yarn.

To work the Couching:

1. Put a thread on the line of the design.

2. Stitch over using another thread, keeping

the first thread in place by using a small
stitches on the fabric.

3. The second stitch can be of contrasting

color to the laid thread if desired.

4. Cross Stitch

Stitch formed by two-crossing arms and may be used for outlining, as borders
or to fill an entire area.

To work the Cross Stitch:

1. Complete one half of the cross at a time,

First from lower right to top
left and back under the fabric to the lower
left, and so on to the end of the line (A).

2. Complete the other half of the cross (B).

3. Make sure the upper half of each stitch

lies in the same direction. 4 2

1 3

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5. Tent Stitch
Single stitch

It is also called as the “Continental Stitch”. One of the most often used
in basic needlepoint stitches. This is usually done on single thread canvass.
To work the Tent or Continental Stitch:

1. Work left to right bringing thread out at top

of first stitch, insert needle diagonally down A B
over crossed threads to bottom of stitch.
Diagonal

Bring out to the right of the first stitch.

Continue this way to the end of the row.

2. The second row is worked from right to left

inserting the needle at top of the stitch.
Horizontal

3. Continue working rows backwards and forwards until the

area is filled making sure all stitches slope in the same direction.
The stitch can also be worked horizontally or diagonally.

6. French Knot

A single detached stitch used primarily to fill in a design area. It is

popular stitch among embroiderers because it can be used to create the
eyes on an embroidered face or the center of the flower.

To work the French Knot:

1. Insert the needle at the wrong side.

2. Holding the thread taut with left

thumb, wind the thread twice or
several time around the needle.

3. Hold the thread in place with your

thumb then pull the needle and insert
it close to the point it came through.

4. Insert the needle to the point where the next French knot is to be placed.

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7. Holbein Stitch

It is also called double running stitch often used to outline blackwork

embroidery. This stitch was first known as the “Italian Stitch”. It became
known as the “Holbein Stitch” after Hans Holbein the Younger, a 16th-
century portrait painter best known for his paintings of Henry VIII and his
children, almost all of whom are depicted wearing clothing decorated with
blackwork embroidery.
To work the Holbein Stitch:

1. Work a row of running stitches,

leaving the same number of threads
between the stitches as stitch
length

2. Work back with another row of

running stitches filling in the gaps
left on the first row

8. Herringbone Stitch

It is basic overlapping stitch popular in border making.

To work the Herringbone stitch:

1. Bring needle out on lower line. Insert

on top edge a little to the right and take
a small stitch backwards along top edge.

2. Insert on lower edge a little to the right

and take another small stitch to the left.
The fabric lifted by the needle and the space
between the stitches should be the same to achieve best effect.

3. Continue in this way until it was completed.

9. Fish Bone Stitch

This is a kind of filling stitch which is ideal for making leaves or feather.
In a broader sense, it is regarded as a member of the satin stitch family.

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 To work the Fish Bone Stitch:

1. Bring the needle out at the top of the

Shape (1) and make a small straight stitch

2. Continue down the shape, bringing the

Needle out at the edge (2 and 3) and
down at the right or left of the center.

10. Blanket and Buttonhole Stitches

The blanket stitch is a basic, popular embroidery stitch that can be used
to create an edging, used as a surface embroidery stitch, or to stitch
elements in place on an embroidery project, while buttonhole stitch are
mostly used for cutwork embroidery.

These stitches are done in the same manner. Their difference lies in the
distance between stitches. Buttonhole stitches have less space between
them as compared to blanket stitches.

To work the blanket stitch:

1. Pull the needle through to make

an l-shaped half loop with the
embroidery thread. Continue
working the stitch, spacing them
a short distance apart at regular
intervals.

2. Bring the needle up from the lower left edge and insert
your needle through the embroidery fabric at the top
of the location of the first stitch.

3. Bring the tip of the needle through the fabric a short distance below the
point making a vertical stitch. If working along a marked line, the needle tip
is brought through the fabric to the right side. If it is worked along an edge,
the needle tip extends beyond the edge of the fabric.

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11. Roumanian Stitch

A couching stitch which has only one working yarn. This means that the
yarn used as the laid yarn is also the yarn used for couching.

To work the Roumanian Stitch:

1. Bring the thread through at top left

of the space.
2. Carry the thread across and lift a stitch
on the right side of the space.
3. Thread below the needle (A). Take a stitch
at the left side, thread above the needle (B).
4. These two movement are worked until space is filled. Keep stitches close
together.

12. Chevron Stitch

It is a wider form of backstitch ideal for decorative borders and bands.

To work the Chevron:

1. Holding the needle

downward, put the thread
through the lower line of the
design.

2. Insert the needle a little to the

right on the same line and
take a small stitch to the left
emerging halfway between
the stitches being made.

3. Insert the needle on the upper line a little to the right and take a small
stitch a little to the left.

4. Insert the needle again on the same line a little to the right and take a
small stitch to the left emerging at center.

5. Continue doing this stitch alternately on the upper and lower lines.

13. Satin Stitches

A solid filling stitch that is used to cover a design area with long, straight

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 stitches worked very close together.

To work the Satin Stitches:

1. Apply straight stitches across the design

perpendicular to the lines which form
the shape.

2. Chain stitch or running stitch may be used as

padding underneath to give a raised effect.

3. Keep the edge even and follow the contour

of the shape. Avoid making too long stitches

14. Split Stitch

A loose stitch catching only a thread or two of fabric. It is designed to be

invisible from the right side. It is a stitch for securing hems.

To work the Split Stitch:

1. Start your split stitch by coming up through

the middle of your first stitch, splitting it in half.

2. Make the rest of your stitches the same

length as your first to get a nice, even line.

2. Start your stitches in the middle of the stitch

before. Use the end of the stitch two stitches before as a guide.

15. Stem Stitch

Basically an outline stitch, this stitch is often used for the stems in floral designs.

To work the Stem Stitch:

1. Start your split stitch by coming up through the

middle of your first stitch, splitting it in half.

2. Make the rest of your stitches the same

length as your first to ge t a nice, even line.

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 3. Start your stitches in the middle of the
stitch before. Use the end of the stitch
two stitches before as a guide.

16. Lazy Daisy Chain Stitch

It is also called as Detached Chain Stitch. This stitch is worked in a circle

to resemble the petals of a flower.

To work the Daisy Stitch:

1. The first stitch of your chain stitch is a loop.

It should start and stop in the same place.

2. Fasten each loop at the bottom (as

presented in the diagram) with a small
stitch. This stitch can be worked singly or
in groups to form flower petals.

17. Hem Stitch

Italian hemstitching is a kind of counted thread embroidery. It is a stitch

used to draw out parallel threads and stitch the exposed threads in groups
to form various designs. Hemstitching done along both sides of the drawn
threads is also called ladder hemstitch or double hemstitching.

To work the Hem Stitch:

1. Draw out the threads

from the fabric. Fasten
the thread near the
drawn threads at the
right side.

2. Pass the needle behind

four loose threads. The
number of threads taken
together may vary
depending on the kind of
fabric used.

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 3. Pass the needle behind the same four threads, this time bringing the point
of the needle through the fabric which is ready for the next stitch. (At this
point, the folded hem of the article should now be turned to the drawn
threads and secured with the stitch.)

18. Fly Stitch

A single stitch with a loop that is similar to that of the feather stitch. This stitch
can be used for borders or to fill in a design area. This stitch can be worked singly or
in vertical or horizontal rows.
To work the Fly Stitch:

1. Bring the needle out at top left. Hold the thread down with the left thumb.

2. Insert to the right on the same level a

small distance from where it emerged
and take a small stitch downwards to
center.

3. With the thread under the needle, pull

through and insert the needle again
below at the center and emerge in
position for the next stitch.

19. Pekinese Stitch

It is also known as the Chinese stitch. This stitch has back stitches as a
base. Several Pekinese stitches can be used to outline or fill in a design area.

To work the Pekinese Stitch:

1. Make a row of back stitches.

2. Interlace the row with a thread of

either the same tone or different
color. When working, pull on the
loops slightly but strive to create an
even finish throughout the row.

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20. Feather Stitch

A stitch with a loop and stitches and stitches evenly worked on both left and
right sides of a design area.

To work the Feather Stitch:

1. Pull the needle out of the center while

doing holding the thread down with the
left thumb.

2. Insert the needle a little to the right at

the same level and take a small stitch
down to the center. Make sure to keep
the thread under the needle point.

3. Insert the needle a little to the left on the same level and take stitch to
the center. Again, keeping the thread under the needle point.

4. Work these two movements alternately.

21. Bullion Stitch/Bullion Knot

This stitch is a single, detached stitch that is used for filling in a design area.
Rows of bullion stitches may also be used to outline a design. It is recommended that
one uses a needle with a small eye for ease in pulling.

To work the Bullion stitch:

1. Bring needle out at top of length

required for knot and make a
backstitch to bottom of length
required.

2. Bring needle only partly out at

original point. Twist thread
loosely round the top of the
needle, 6 or 8 times or enough
to make the right length of stitch.

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 3. Hold carefully with left thumb while pulling needle through.

4. Turn needle ready to insert at bottom of stitch, pull the needle tight and
pass needle through to back.

22. Rosette Chain Stitch

A chain stitch that is popularly used for making decorative borders. Its name
derives from the resemblance of a rose bud. It is worked from right to left between
double lines of a design area. In a row, rosette chain stitches are worked close
together.

To work the Rosette Chain Stitch:

1. Insert the needle through at the right end of the upper line, then pass the
thread across to the left side while holding down with the left thumb.

2. Bring the needle into the upper line

a short distance from where the
thread emerges and bring it out
just above bottom line.

3. Pass the thread around under the

needle point, draw needle
through the loop and then pass
under the top thread avoiding
picking up any fabric.

23. Twisted Chain Stitch

A Chain stitch which is used to create an unusual outline.

To work the Twisted Chain Stitch:

1. Start with chain stitch, but instead

of inserting the needle into the
place from where it emerged,
insert close to the last loop.

2. Use a slanting stitch as you go out

of the design’s line as you pull the
thread through. For a better effect,
keep the loops of this stitch close

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 together.

24. Coral Stitch

A simple outline stitch marked by knots along a stitch line. This is used
particularly for making stems and twigs. Several rows of coral stitches can likewise be
used to fill in a design area, producing a remarkably different texture.

To work the Coral Stitch:

1. Insert the needle from the

wrong side and pull the thread
up to the right end of the line.

2. Hold the thread on the design

lines with the left thumb.
3. Stitch under the line and thread
and pull through bringing the
needle over the lower thread.

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VI. Practice Tasks
Now, that you already have the idea of the different basic embroidery
stitches. Be ready to work on these in order to develop your skill. This is
necessary in making your embroidered article/product in the succeeding module

Practice Task No.1

CROSSWORD PUZZLE.

HORIZONTAL VERTICAL
1. It is regarded as memberof satin 6. It is a solid filling stitch worked
Stitch family ideal for making very close together.
Leaves or feather. 7. It is a chain stitch popularly used
2. It is a wider form of back stitch for making decorative borders.
Ideal for decorative borders. Its name is derived from a
3. It is a loose stitch designed to be resemblance to a rose bud.
Invisible from the right side 8. It is also called as double
Usually used for sewing hems. running stitch.
4. An outline stitch often used for
The stems in floral designs.
5. It is also called the continental
Stitch.
Have fun working on this.

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 Practice Task No.2.

Direction: Choose at least five embroidery stitches. Write each stitch inside
the call out. Then make a brief description or code that would
help you to remember each stitch. Example: Lazy Daisy
Chain Stitch: Circle in shape. Flowers petal look alike

You’re doing great. Be inspired to learn more!

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Practice Task No. 3
Wow…impressive you did it well in the previous activity!

This time, look for an old or torn clothes/garments that need to be

repaired and fix it. Apply the most appropriate kind of stitch to use.Present
your work and explain why you chose that particular kind of stitch to fix
the problem/condition of the old clothes/garments

You may place or wrap you output with any recyclable material
available in you home to make it more presentable.

How are you feeling now?

Hope you are happy and fulfilled with your output.
Keep working……..

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VII. Post –Test

Direction: Identify the following embroidery stitches being described. Write your
answer in your notebook.

________ 1. One of the most basic stitches, and is usually the first stitch learned
by the beginner embroidery or sewing enthusiast. This stitch can
be worked in straight or curved lines, or for assembly when finishing
an embroidery project.

________ 2. This stitch most often used to outline a design. This stitch also forms
the base line for other embroidery stitches.

________ 3. Stitch formed by two-crossing arms and may be used for outlining,
as borders or to fill an entire area.

________ 4. A single detached stitch used primarily to fill in a design area. It is

popular stitch among embroiderers because it can be used to create
the eyes on an embroidered face or the center of the flower.

________ 5. It is basic overlapping stitch popular in border making.

VIII. Assignment

Make a personalized face mask. Apply the knowledge and skills you
have learned in this session. This product is so timely and needed most at
present as we protect ourselves from this pandemic (threat of COVID 19).

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IX. Answer Key
Pre-Test Post-Test

1. A 1. Running Stitch
2. B 2. Back Stitch
3. C 3. Cross Stitch
4. D 4. French Knot
5. B 5. Herringbone Stitch

Practice Task No. 1

HORIZONTAL VERTICAL
1. Fishbone 6. Satin
2. Chevron 7. Rosette
3. Split 8. Holbein
4. Stem
5. Tent

Practice Task No. 2

1. Running Stitch 16. Lazy Daisy Chain Stitch

2. Back Stitch 17. Hem Stitch
3. Couching 18. Fly Stitch
4. Cross Stitch 19. Pekinese Stitch
5. Tent Stitch 20. Feather Stitch
6. French Knot 21. Bullion Stitch/Bullion Knot
7. Holbein Stitch 22. Rosette Chain Stitch
8. Herringbone Stitch 23. Twisted Chain Stitch
9. Fish Bone Stitch 24. Coral Stitch
10. Blanket and Buttonhole Stitch
11. Roumanian Stitch
12. Chevron Stitch
13. Satin Stitch
14. Split Stitch
15. Stem Stitch
(NOTE: Students answer may differ from each other depending on the five
stitches they have chosen to describe).

Practice Task No. 3

Students will present/submit their repaired torn clothes/garments.

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