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Straight stitches · Beginner

Parisian stitch

Alternating long and short upright stitches. The rows interlock: every long stitch sits under a short one.

Parisian stitch: the finished stitch on canvas, 18 stitches, all upright, in two colors
The finished stitch on canvas. Every stitch runs from one hole to another; the two colors are only there to tell the stitches apart. In the steps, new stitches are red, and the numbers give the order: up at an odd number, down at the next even one.

How to work it

  1. Start with a long stitch

    Parisian stitch, step 1: the first stitch on the canvas. Numerals 1 and 2 mark its ends, in working order.

    Work a long upright stitch over four threads.

  2. Work a short stitch beside it

    Parisian stitch, step 2: two stitches on the canvas, the one this step adds in red. Numerals 3 and 4 mark its ends, in working order.

    Beside it, work a short stitch over two threads, centered on the long one.

  3. Repeat across the row

    Parisian stitch, step 3: nine stitches on the canvas, the seven this step adds in red.

    Repeat long, short, long, short across the row.

  4. Swap long and short on the next row

    Parisian stitch, step 4: 18 stitches on the canvas, the nine this step adds in red.

    On the next row, work a short stitch under each long one and a long stitch under each short one.

At a glance

Used for
backgrounds; filling large areas; textured fills
Coverage
Full, with a thread a little thicker than for tent stitch
Direction
Upright
Stitch length
Over 2 or 4 canvas threads

Parisian makes a small, even texture with a dense cover on both sides of the canvas. It is a common choice for textured backgrounds and for filling large areas.

Parisian is a neutral stitch: the eye does not travel along it in any direction, which is what a background needs. Besides backgrounds, teachers use it for clear skies, for the smooth breast of a bird and for grass.

It was in print by 1847, when a British needlework book showed it as Josephine stitch. The usual count today is four threads and two. A needlework encyclopedia later in that century gives three and one, and recommends the stitch as a ground where the fabric is not meant to be completely hidden.

Tips

  • A flat, ribbon-like thread covers the canvas better in this stitch.

When it goes wrong

Canvas peeks through.
Straight stitches need a thicker thread, or more strands, than slanted ones for the same cover.
Stitches that will not fit at the edge.
Shorten them. Parisian is a plain pattern and easy to compensate: cut each stitch off at the outline and carry on.

Variations

  • Double Parisian. Two long stitches, then two short. The look is more woven, and one stitch list advises using it sparingly as a background because it is so striking.
  • Horizontal Parisian. The same stitch turned on its side. One shop recommends it for small areas and small pieces.

Questions

How is Parisian different from Hungarian stitch?
Parisian is continuous: long, short, long, short. Hungarian stitch groups its stitches in threes with a gap between groups.

Where to go next

Stitches

Guides