Fern stitch is part of the straight stitch family. You can find a lot of variations of the straight stitch and this is one among them. Simple, easy and yet very elegant.
It resembles a fern leaf and hence the name for the stitch. It is a very good design that works great for making vegetables or leaves. It looks very similar to feather stitch but yet is very different.
What you will need?
- Any fabric.
- Embroidery hoop, 15cm (6″) (Bigger if you are working on a larger design)
- Tapestry needle
- Embroidery thread (You can buy the 36 pack of DMC embroidery floss from Amazon for all your basic embroidery needs)
How many strands of floss do you need for making the fern stitch?
You can use all 6 strands of the floss. But if you are working on a finer design, then start with 2 strands of floss and increase the number of strands according to your design. Silk or rayon thread works well with this stitch.
Step by Step Pictorial Process of making the fern stitch
1. Start by inserting the needle from below the fabric at point A. Pull the thread up and insert at point B. Take the thread down and bring it up again at point C. Take it down at point B again.
2. Bring it up at point D and bring it up at point B. One fern stitch is ready.
3. Start the next fern stitch by bringing the thread up at point D and take it down at point B. Work in a similar fashion.
4. Complete the pattern and finally make a straight stitch to finish. Take the thread down and secure with a knot.
Tips for working the fern stitch
- I have drawn lines for easier understanding. But as you get used to the stitch, you can just draw the middle line. Because we cannot hide the drawing with this stitch.
What is the fern stitch used for?
- It is generally used for making branches, stems, vines etc.
More stitches:
- Cast On Stitch
- Basque Stitch
- Parallel Running Stitch
- Double Feather Stitch
- Long and Short Stitch
- Trellis Stitch
- Blanket stitch
- satin stitch
- back stitch
- stem stitch
Check out the video tutorial below
So until next time,
Keep Stitching,
Fareeha
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Rhoda Edwards says
Beautiful work, thank you.
fasembroidery says
Thank you for your appreciation. It means a lot!