Arrowhead stitch

How to work it

1. Come up on the upper line

   

   Mark two parallel lines. Arrowhead stitch is worked from left to right. Bring the needle up at A, at the left end of the upper line.

2. Slant down to the lower line

   

   Take the needle down at B on the lower line, to the right of A. This is the first side of the V.

3. Come up on the upper line again

   

   Bring the needle up at C on the upper line. C is the same distance to the right of B as A is to the left.

4. Go down in the same hole

   

   Take the needle down at B again, in the hole where the first stitch ended. The two stitches meet in a sharp point.

5. Start the next V

   

   Bring the needle up at C once more and take it down at D on the lower line. Then come up one step along the upper line and go down at D to finish the second V.

6. Repeat along the line

   

   Every V shares its upper points with the ones beside it, so the row reads as one even zigzag.

At a glance

Also called

arrow stitch

Used for

zigzag borders and outlines; light fillings made of stacked rows; single V shapes worked on their own; counted thread work and blackwork

Thread

Three strands of six-strand floss are a good place to start. Use fewer strands for a finer zigzag or filling, and more strands or pearl cotton for a bolder line.

Needle

An embroidery (crewel) needle. Size 7 suits two to four strands of floss, and size 9 suits one or two.

Tips

• The spacing sets the look. When each point sits as far along from the last as the two lines are apart, the two stitches of a V meet at a right angle. Closer points make a steeper zigzag.
• Mark dots for every point before you start. Even spacing is what makes the zigzag look sharp.
• Take both stitches of a V down into exactly the same hole.
• For a filling, work the next row directly under the first, starting level with the tips of the row above. You can work that row back from right to left.

When it goes wrong

The points of the V look blunt or split

The two stitches went down in different holes. Aim the second one into the hole the first one made.

The zigzag is uneven

Mark the dots on both lines first, with each lower dot halfway between two upper dots.

The stitches sit too tight or too loose

Keep the fabric taut in a hoop so each stitch lies flat on it.

Left-handed

Work from right to left and mirror the diagrams. Both stitches of each V still go down into the same hole at the point.

Variations

• Arrowhead stitch in a column. The V shapes are worked one under another instead of side by side, with the points following a center line. It makes a column of chevrons that can follow a curve.
• Arrowhead filling. Rows of the zigzag are worked close together, one under the next, to cover a shape with a light chevron pattern.