Lazy daisy stitch tutorial

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

illustrated embroidery stitch instructions
a lazy daisy stitch video
tips for success
lazy daisy stitch variations, including open lazy daisy stitch
Royal School of Needlework stitch bank.

Lazy daisy stitch is similar to chain stitch, so it's also called detached chain stitch. The difference is that each stitch is separate from the others. You will use it most often to create petals and flower shapes.

Download my free stitch guide covering 10 simple embroidery stitches, including lazy daisy stitch.

Lazy daisy stitch tutorial

Bring the needle up at 1 and then push it back through close to 1.
Pull the thread up at 2, with the thread behind the needle to form a loop. Pull the thread to make an oval shape.
Sew a small stitch over the top of the loop, pushing the needle through at 3.

Lazy daisy stitch video

Tips for lazy daisy stitch

Don't pull your stitches too tight if you want an oval shape. The tighter you pull the thread, the narrower the stitches will be.

Lazy daisy stitch variations

However, if you want a long, thin stitch just pull your thread tighter than you normally would. You can create the shaggy effect on one of the sheep in my sheep embroidery kit using lazy daisy stitch this way:

Lazy daisy stitches done long and thin on sheep embroidery kit

You may also come across open lazy daisy stitch. The loops are stitched down, but they're left open to form a U shape rather than an oval. Here's an example on one of the other sheep in my sheep embroidery kit:

Open lazy daisy stitch on my sheep embroidery kit

Here's how to do open lazy daisy stitch:

On standard lazy daisy stitch you can also make a long stitch to hold down the loop. So this variation is ideal for flowers where a stem with a petal or an ear is needed.

More on lazy daisy 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 lazy daisy stitch and their lazy daisy stitch tutorial here.