Feather stitch

How to work it

1. Come up at the top

   

   Feather stitch is worked from the top down, toward you. Picture four upright lines, or draw them. Bring the needle up at A, at the top of the second line.

2. Go down to the right, level with A

   

   Put the needle down at B on the far right line, level with A. Pull slowly and stop while a loop of thread still hangs on the fabric. Hold the loop with your thumb.

3. Come up inside the loop

   

   Bring the needle up at C on the third line, lower down and halfway between A and B. It must come up inside the loop. Pull through until the loop forms a V.

4. Make the next loop to the left

   

   Go down at D on the far left line, level with C, and leave a loop. Come up at E on the second line, lower down and inside the loop, then pull snug.

5. Then to the right again

   

   Go down at F on the far right line, level with E, and leave a loop. Come up at G on the third line, inside the loop. Keep going, right and left by turns.

6. Finish with a holding stitch

   

   After the last loop, go down just below the point where the thread came up, on the outside of the loop. That small stitch holds the last V in place.

At a glance

Also called

briar stitch, single coral stitch

Used for

vines, twigs and branches; borders; covering seams in crazy quilting; decorating smocks and plain sewing; coral in underwater scenes

Thread

Three strands of six-strand floss is a good place to start. Use more strands for a heavier line and fewer for a finer one.

Needle

An embroidery (crewel) needle. A size 7 suits three strands of floss. Use a larger needle (a lower number) for more strands and a finer one for fewer. For wool or other thick thread, a chenille needle has a longer eye and a sharp point.

Tips

• Draw four parallel lines to keep the row symmetrical. The thread always comes up on one of the two middle lines.
• Space the stitches evenly and keep the drop from one to the next the same.
• Pull each loop until it is snug against the thread and lies flat.
• Feather stitch takes curves well. Keep the middle of the row on the design line.
• Once the stitch feels familiar, you can go down and come up in one slanting scoop with the thread under the needle tip.

When it goes wrong

A loop pulls straight and disappears

The needle came up outside the loop. Bring it up inside, so the loop lies under the needle before you pull.

The row drifts to one side

The stitches on one side are wider than on the other. Use guide lines and go down on the outer line every time.

The loops are uneven sizes

Keep each new point level with the last place the thread came up, and the same distance lower each time.

The last stitch comes undone

End with a small holding stitch over the last loop before you fasten off on the back.

Left-handed

Mirror the diagrams and make the first loop to the left. Hold each loop with your right thumb. The row looks the same when it is done.

Variations

• Double feather stitch. Two loops are made to one side, then two to the other, which gives a wider band. With one more loop each way it is sometimes called triple feather stitch.
• Closed feather stitch. Worked between two lines. The needle goes down just outside the last loop and comes up lower on the same line, so each stitch closes into a triangle.
• Single feather stitch. Every loop is made on the same side of the line. It is a slanted version of blanket stitch.
• Fly stitch. One of the same loops on its own, held down with a small straight stitch.
• Cretan stitch. A relative with the loops set more widely apart. It is also called long-armed feather stitch.