F – STEM STITCH

This stitch mimics the look of a flower stem and is great for adding details.

1. To start a line of stem stitch, bring the needle up through the fabric, then back down into the fabric (about the length of a grain of rice) (1).

2. Do not pull the thread all the way through to form a stitch, but instead push the thread down to the side with your thumb to make a ‘loop’. Bring the needle back up through the fabric, in between the two insertion points and to the right of the loop (2).

3. Once the needle has passed through the fabric, raise your thumb and let go of the thread to pull the thread all the way through (3, 4).

4. To continue, bring the needle back down through the fabric (about the length of a grain of rice), holding down the thread loop on top of the fabric with your thumb (5).

5. This time, bring the needle back up through the end of the previous stitch, again to the right of the loop (to keep your stitches consistent); once the needle has passed through the fabric, raise your thumb and let go of the thread, pulling the thread all the way through the fabric (6, 7).

6. Once complete, push the needle through the end of the last stitch, pulling tight (8, 9).