Adding Texture
Beginner’s Guide to Quilting 149Backstitch
Start with a small straight stitch, then bring your
needle up an even distance away. Pass it back
through your fabric at the same point as your
previous stitch. Continue in this way, working each
stitch ‘back’ towards the previous one.
Blanket stitch
Bring the needle up at the edge, then down to the
right and a small distance from the edge. Come
up again at the edge, to the right of your first stitch,
with the thread under your needle. Pull through to
form a loop, and continue in the same way.
Cross stitch
Stitch a small, diagonal stitch, then work another
stitch over this to form a cross. If stitching on a block
fabric such as aida, work the stitches from the
corners of each square as shown. Ensure the top
thread is always worked in the same direction.Chain stitch
Bring the needle up, then down in the same place.
Without pulling the thread through, bring the needle
up to the side, making sure the loop of thread is
caught under the needle. Pull through slowly to
form a loop, and continue in the same way.French knot
Bring your needle up and wrap the thread around
it twice. Hold the thread firmly and take your
needle through the fabric, to the side of where you
came up. Keep your thread as taut as possible,
and gently pull it through to tighten the knot.
Running stitch
Running stitch is the simplest of all the stitches – just
bring your thread in and out of the fabric along the
line or around a border or edge of the fabric. Try
and keep all your stitches the same size for
neatness, with the same size gap between them.