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Back Stitch Embroidery: The Magic of Hand Embroidery Design
Want to know how to backstitch? Read this article to understand everything about backstitch embroidery.
Stitching is an everyday task. Whether you are running late, your hem got loose, or you want to highlight some portions of your cloth, stitching is helpful. It is an innovative art that has saved everyone so much money buying new clothes every time there is a scar on your favorite cloth.
There are many types of stitching, and today’s focus is back stitching. In this post, we will uncover everything related to backstitch embroidery, the purpose of doing it, when you might need a backstitch, and many variations of the backstitch. We will also cover the step-by-step process to accomplish a backstitch.
If you are new to backstitching, stay till the end, and you’ll learn a lot in this post.
Introduction to Back Stitch Embroidery
Many designers use backstitch to make some mendings or create unique embroidery patterns. If you have an embroidery machine for beginners, then you should not wait for more.
Want to know what this backstitch is and when can you use it? In this section, you will get all your answers.
Let’s start with an introduction to backstitch embroidery.
What Is Back Stitch Embroidery?
Many people believe that hand stitching is backstitch, but it is the most basic way of stitching where you just take your thread back and forth until the area is completely stitched.
Thanks to its continuous back and forth motion, it is one of the most vital hand stitches. The constant back and forth of the thread makes the cloth and stitching quite durable.
If you’ve successfully done a back stitch hand embroidery, you can be free of the tension that your embroidery fabric will tear from the stitched point.
Knowing about embroidery back stitch, let’s understand the purpose of it.
What Is The Purpose Of Embroidery Back Stitch, And When Do You Need One?
Backstitches are used to stitch seams that are strong and durable. The regular running stitch is not as strong as the backstitch. An embroidery backstitch is a way forward when you need a one-time solution.
Another everyday use case for backstitching is decoration. There are multiple variations of backstitching, and you can use them to build decorative seams and backstitch embroidery designs on your clothes.
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You will need a backstitch whenever you are looking for stronger hand stitches that keep your clothes intact even after a tear. Back stitch embroidery patterns can also be used when you feel like giving an artistic look using the thread that is visible in the front of the cloth.
5 Things Needed For A Back Stitch Embroidery Tutorial
After knowing the purpose of a backstitch, it is essential to know the embroidery supplies you’ll require to accomplish the task. Let’s have a look at the items you’ll need to start your back stitch embroidery tutorial.
Thread
Embroidery thread is the most crucial tool for a backstitch. You can have all the other tools listed below, but without a thread, they are all useless.
There are different types of threads available in the market. When starting a backstitch embroidery tutorial, it is better to use an embroidery thread.
Image Source: Pavel Danilyuk On Pexels
These threads come in a wide variety of colors that accommodate the needs of an embroidery sewing machine. It will make your design look more vibrant.
A regular thread is also a good option if you are doing a backstitch to fix things. No matter which thread type you choose, ensure that it is strong enough to hold the fabric together and that it looks good.
Fabric
Fabric is another thing that you’ll need to accomplish a backstitch. In any circumstance, you’ll need a fabric through which your thread and needle will pass.
You cannot complete back stitch hand embroidery designs without fabric. You can use backstitch to join two fabrics together or just to mend them and make the join stronger. Whatever you do, the fabric is all you need at the base level.
Needle
An embroidery needle is also vital for backstitching. Without a needle, you cannot take your thread through the fabric. As you go through this article, you will learn that there are different types and sizes of needles.
Image Source: Ruth Novak On Pexels
To do a backstitch, always choose needles with a minimal incision in the fabric. This way, your backstitch will be stronger and hold its place for a long time.
Lighting
Whether you are doing backstitch in the morning or evening, you’ll need good lighting. You might strain your eyes without better lighting, and trying too hard will worsen things.
Without the right lighting setup, you’ll have a hard time making a good back stitch embroidery stitch. Whenever and wherever you sit, ensure that the environment is well lit to avoid any issues in the design.
Magnifying Glass
If you are looking to make intricate free embroidery designs and beautiful curves with backstitching, you’ll need a magnifying glass.
Image Source: Noello Otto On Pexels
Magnifying glasses will help you have a closer look at your designs and make them pixel-perfect. You can replace magnifying glasses with your regular spectacles if you have one.
Using the desired tool to get the perfect job done is always better. Try to use a magnifying glass first before resorting to other methods.
Tutorial on How To Do Back Stitch Embroidery
Now you are ready with the tools to create your first backstitch. Let’s not wait anymore and dive straight into how to do a backstitch embroidery.
Put a Knot On The Thread
The first step of how to do a back stitch in embroidery is putting a knot on the thread. It is quite essential in any sewing and stitching project.
It helps the thread to hold its place and even complete the process. You cannot complete a stitch without a knot on the thread.
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As discussed, you can use regular threads or embroidery threads, which are stronger and thicker. The types of knots are different for both.
If you use an embroidery thread, you should only have a single knot at one end of the thread. It enables the thread to hold its place with ease.
If you use a normal hand embroidery thread, it is better to have a knot that includes both sides of the thread. This bigger knot will add more strength to the stitch and also make the work easier.
You can follow the double end knot for both the thread types, and there is no problem. If you do so, you get a stronger seam, and the fabric will hold its place forever. While this might be a good choice if you’ve mastered the art.
It can be cumbersome to open and do the process again if you make a mistake in sewing. Always choose the knot method based on your skills.
The First Stitch
Once you have the fabric and knotted thread ready, it is time to start the exciting part of how do you do a backstitch in embroidery.
You make your first stitch for your backstitch project by drawing the needle out from the back to the front. You might wonder why to do it this way but relax a little. In the upcoming steps, you will understand why doing this is right.
When you pull out from the back to front, make sure you pull out the entire thread before proceeding forward. There can be issues where the thread will get tangled, and you might have to cut it.
Always use a small needle that creates a hole just enough to pass the thread and does not make the point visible.
Once you’ve got the whole thread out, move on to the next point on the fabric. Pass the thread from front to back. After that, bring the thread to the front again by pulling it out from point 3.
The third point should be located at an equal distance as points 1 and 2. This completes your first backstitch in embroidery. It looks similar to the running stitch, but the magic uncovers in the following steps.
Stitch Backwards
At this embroidery back stitch tutorial step, your thread should be pulled out at point 3. If you are at point 3, put the thread from the front towards the back at point 2.
Once that is done, leave space for point 4 and pull the thread out at point 5 from the back to front.
If you do this right, your first backstitch is completed. Congratulations!!!
Repeat
You just completed your first backstitch. This was just one backstitch, and you won’t sit for a single backstitch, right?
Image Source: Crewel Ghoul
Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 to have a complete back stitch embroidery step by step. If you are a beginner, it will be better to backstitch in a straight line rather than going for backstitch embroidery letters and designs. Leave the designs for some other day and focus on the basics.
Make sure that you do smaller stitches (use an embroidery hoop). A smaller distance between the stitches will give you a stronger stitch altogether.
If you feel that stitching in a straight line at equidistant points is a huge task for you, take out the ruler. Start marking the points at equal distances, and then start the process. This will make the process simple.
9 Different Variations of Back Embroidery Stitch
By now, you know how to do an embroidery back stitch, so let’s explore the advanced parts of this.
Once you know how to start a backstitch embroidery, you can use it for outliers, borders, and other small details. In the modern era, backstitch is used a lot.
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Do you know there are variations of backstitch embroidery? If not, then this section will help you understand various backstitch embroidery available for crafters to implement their embroidery ideas on the fabric.
This back embroidery stitch will be helpful to you while making personalized clothing items. Head to Super Label Store and place your order for super customizable and high-end
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Let’s explore more about backstitch variations.
Back Stitch
The most straightforward variation of a back embroidery stitch is the back stitch itself. You’ve seen how to do embroidery back stitch in the earlier section. Backstitch variation can be used to create artistic designs like embroidery flowers in straight lines or curves.
Image Source: Hannah Burbury Designs
You can make all kinds of designs using this variation if you can just handle the length of your stitch. To create curvy designs, you should limit your thread’s strides, and you can create an excellent design.
Backstitching is a great help when embroidering letters. The simple design adds to the strength of your cloth. Most embroiderers learn “how to do a back stitch embroidery” whenever they encounter places that need high precision and curves.
Threaded Backstitch
As the name suggests, a threaded back stitch is a unique backstitch that uses multiple threads. In this variation of backstitch, a simple back stitch is made across the fabric. It is run across the backstitch without entering the material. After that, another thread is taken.
This type of embroidery stitches back stitch provides a great look to your embroidery. Multiple threads make the stitch even stronger than the traditional backstitch. You can even use contrasting colored threads to make the design stand out on the fabric and get attention.
Double Threaded Backstitch
Double backstitch embroidery is a better design and backstitch. As the name suggests, it uses multiple threads, and the process is even better than threaded backstitch.
Image Source: Embroidery for Beginners
In this method, you will first create a base backstitch by following the normal process of backstitching. Once the base is ready, you’ll take a thread and needle and pass it through the backstitch of your fabric without getting into the material.
While you pass through the fabric, you’ll have to do it multiple times and create a chain-like pattern.
If you do the last part with the utmost care, you’ll have an awesome design around your backstitch. You’ll also have a double-threaded back stitch on your fabric.
The chain-like design is a differentiator for double threaded back stitch from the normal backstitch and threaded backstitch.
Pekinese Stitch
A combination of backstitch and decorative stitching is the Pekinese stitch. This stitch variant is quite popular, and it has many different names. People refer to it as the Chinese stitch, interlaced backstitch, blind knot, and many other names.
Pekinese stitch offers many customization options. You can change the size of loops in the stitch, use multiple colors, or even change the foundation backstitch.
The Perkinese stitch is made by creating a foundation back stitch. After that, loops are passed, and lace is formed. You’ll need to pass the thread from your backstitch multiple times to create the loop effect.
In this, you’ll have to enter the thread from the second backstitch and take it out from the first backstitch point. You can do this repeatedly till you exhaust the backstitch points. In the end, you’ll have beautiful lace on your fabric.
Herringbone Ladder
If you are looking to create a more defined hand embroidery back stitch on your fabric, you’ll love the herringbone ladder stitch. While this stitch seems incredible, it also adds much to the difficulty.
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To learn how to back stitch embroidery, you need to stitch by embroidering two parallel lines across your fabric. After that, you’ll have to take another thread and pass it from the bottom backstitch to the upper back stitch continuously till the stitches end.
Make sure you don’t enter the fabric at any place; else, your design will deteriorate.
If you want a bigger ladder design, you can have bigger stitches or even go for more distance between the backstitch lines.
Brick Stitch
Creating a brick stitch in the fabric is similar to placing bricks and building a wall. As the name suggests, a brick stitch creates a brick design over your fabric. It is used to fill up whitespaces in the material that is left out after you’ve completed some outlining.
In this method, all the backstitches are placed very close to each other, forming a brick-like design on the fabric. To create this design, you start with the top backstitch, complete it, and then move to the next line.
The following line should start from a little offset. Every other line after this will start from some offset. At the end of the fabric, you’ll have a beautiful brick pattern to look at.
Open Backstitch
An open back stitch is a type of backstitch that looks pretty similar to a running stitch. When you compare the regular stitch with a backstitch, you will find any differences on the front side.
Image Source: Sarah’s Hand Embroidery Tutorials
There is a tremendous amount of difference between the two on the backside. If you are looking to craft some fantastic designs, you can do them with ease when you use this backstitch method.
It is ideal for sewing fabric together and also provides more strength to the fabric compared to regular stitches.
Split Stitch
As the name suggests, a split stitch is made by splitting apart multiple threads. The main benefit of this stitch type is that it provides the flattest stitch among all other methods. It is a pretty strong stitch.
To perform a split stitch, follow these embroidery back stitch instructions. You’ll need a needle with two threads. Perform the first stitch in the usual way.
Once you return for the backstitch, the needle should pass from the middle of two threads in the first stitch. This way, you split the stitch every time you return for a backstitch; hence the name split stitch.
Whipped Backstitch
A whipped back stitch embroidery is another backstitch type that uses two threads. In this backstitch, you first complete the backstitch across the fabric length of your choice, and after that, another thread is introduced.
Image Source: Stitch Floral
The new thread is passed through the backstitch loops on the front of the fabric. This creates a wavy design and also enhances the aesthetic appeal of the whipped-back embroidery stitch.
Conclusion
Backstitch embroidery is a popular hand stitch that is used for seams to give them durability and strength.
Many fashion designers still use this stitch to make unique embroidery pieces.
The above information on the different types of backstitches and how to do backstitch embroidery will help you deploy your new knowledge in your next backstitch project.
If you want to try more embroidery stitches, then don’t forget to read Super Label Store’s comprehensive articles on,
Gather your sewing and embroidery tools and create a beautiful-looking backstitch on the fabric.
Happy sewing!
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