How to do herringbone stitch
To learn how to do herringbone stitch, why not check out my herringbone stitch tutorial. It includes:
- illustrated embroidery stitch instructions
- a herringbone stitch video
- tips for success
- variations on herringbone stitch
- Royal School of Needlework stitch bank.
Herringbone stitch uses
Herringbone stitch gets its name because it looks like fishbones. It's two rows of parallel diagonal lines where the stitches cross each other near their ends. Historically it was used for joining two pieces of fabric together.
Nowadays, you mostly see herringbone stitch used for making a decorative border. You can also use it to fill a shape. You normally see herringbone stitch done in a straight row, but you can also use it on curves. You can see it here outlining one of the shapes on my learn to embroider kit:
Herringbone stitch tutorial
- Bring needle up at 1, back down at 2, back up at 3 and down again at 4
- Continue with stitches forming crosses, as shown in the diagram.
Herringbone stitch video
Tips for success
Herringbone is a very simple stitch so you really can't go wrong with it!
- Keep the spacing between the stitches even.
- Make sure the stitches cross over each other in the same spot.
Download my free stitch guide covering 10 basic embroidery stitches.
Variations on herringbone stitch
- You can vary the spacing by doing the stitches closer together or further apart.
- You can also make patterns, for example doing a second row of herringbone directly underneath the first row. You'll find you've created little diamond shapes where the stitches cross on the bottom of the first row and the top of the second row.
- You can use different colours to create double herringbone stitch. You work a row in herringbone stitch as usual, but then do a new row in another colour with the stitches of the second row in between the stitches on the first row.
More on herringbone stitch
The Royal School of Needlework has a stitch bank which aims to preserve every known stitch. It will become a world-wide directory of embroidery stitches. You can read their stitch bank entry for herringbone stitch and see their herringbone stitch tutorial here.