How to do straight stitch

To learn how to do straight stitch, why not check out my straight stitch tutorial. It includes:

• illustrated embroidery stitch instructions
• an embroidery stitch video
• variations
• Royal School of Needlework stitch bank

Straight stitch

Straight stitch is just as it sounds - any stitch which is straight. It can be as long or short as needed. You can use it wherever a straight line is needed, for example on grasses.

It’s called seed stitch when the stitches are short and the stitches go in different directions, a bit like seeds scattered on the ground. Seed stitch is often used to fill shapes.

It's called running stitch when straight stitches are done in a row with gaps in between. 

You can see straight stitch used as running stitch in the second row in from the outer edge. The next 3 rows are straight stitch done sideways to create a pattern as shown in the photo below from my learn to embroider kit:

Download my free stitch guide covering 10 simple embroidery stitches, including straight stitch and running stitch.

Straight stitch embroidery tutorial

• Bring the needle up through the fabric at 1 and back down at 2 to form a straight stitch. 

Straight stitch video

More on straight 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 straight stitch and instructions on how to do straight stitch here and for seed stitch here.