47 stitches
Needlepoint stitches
How to work each stitch, with a picture for every step and what it is used for. Each one says how hard it is, easiest first: Beginner, Easy, Intermediate.
Tent stitches: start with these
Straight stitches
Balloon stitch
Used for large backgrounds; sky and clouds.
Bargello (Florentine) stitch
Used for whole pieces in flame and wave patterns; pillows.
Brick stitch
Used for sky; buildings.
Hungarian stitch
Used for backgrounds; small diamond texture.
Long stitch
Used for whole pictures; landscapes.
Parisian stitch
Used for backgrounds; filling large areas.
Pavilion stitch
Used for two-color diamond patterns; backgrounds.
Satin stitch
Used for leaves and petals; stripes and columns.
Tramme
Used for padding under Gobelin, tent or cross stitches.
Upright gobelin stitch
Used for borders; ribbed bands.
Box and diagonal stitches
Byzantine stitch
Used for large backgrounds; zigzag texture.
Cashmere stitch
Used for backgrounds; buildings and paving.
Checkerboard stitch
Used for large areas; backgrounds.
Corduroy stitch
Used for backgrounds; clothing.
Diagonal mosaic stitch
Used for striped diagonal texture; backgrounds.
Diagonal Scotch stitch
Used for backgrounds; bold diagonal stripes.
Encroaching gobelin stitch
Used for shading; smooth backgrounds.
Framed Scotch stitch
Used for backgrounds.
Kalem stitch
Used for sweaters, scarves and hats; borders and bands.
Mosaic stitch
Used for backgrounds; small squares and checks.
Nobuko stitch
Used for backgrounds; sky.
Scotch stitch
Used for backgrounds; borders.
Slanted gobelin stitch
Used for borders; bands.
Woven stitch
Used for baskets; grass and treetops.
Crossed stitches
Cross stitch on canvas
Used for small details; lettering.
Herringbone stitch
Used for clothing; siding and boards on buildings.
Rhodes stitch
Used for accents and focal points; corners.
Rice stitch
Used for borders; large textured areas.
Smyrna cross stitch
Used for accents; snowflakes.
Upright cross stitch
Used for textured fills; trees.
Open and background stitches
Knots, loops and line stitches
Backstitch
Used for thin outlines; lettering.
Bullion knot
Used for fur and animal coats; beards and hair.
Chain stitch
Used for outlines and curved lines; stems and vines.
Couching
Used for curved lines and outlines.
French knot
Used for hair and beards; flower centers.
Stem stitch
Used for stems and vines; outlines of shapes.
Turkey work
Used for fur on animals; fringe.
