The satin stitch is a smooth and even stitch. This a basic embroidery stitch that’s very popular to fill in small shapes. If you use this stitch on large shapes, you run the risk of getting snags. The satin stitch works best in shapes smaller than 1″.
How to Do a Satin Stitch:
- Bring your needle up from the back of the fabric.
- Bring your needle back down on the opposite side of your shape. You can choose to make this stitch horizontal, vertical, or at a slight angle.
- Bring your needle back up on the starting side of your shape. Then, bring your needle back down again on the opposite side of your shape. This stitch will be parallel to your last stitch. Make your stitches close together, but not overlapping.
- Repeat step 3, until your shape is filled!
Tips:
- The satin stitch uses a lot of floss, so make sure you have plenty on hand! This is because the front and back of your design will look the same when you use a satin stitch.
- For best results, work slowly, and check your floss often to make sure it doesn’t get twisted. If your floss does get twisted, hold your needle and floss over your hand, and let it spin to untwist.
- Work with a shorter length of floss. This will reduce twisting, and help your stitches stay nice and smooth.
- Use 1 or 2 strands of floss for a smoother appearance, or use all 6 strands for a more textured appearance.
- For a more defined edge, outline your shape with a back stitch, split stitch, or stem stitch. You can stitch over your outline to hide it, or stitch within your outlined shape. It’s all up to you!
