I stumbled across some great vintage embroidery designs in a vintage magazine that I thought might prove useful. These designs were added to trims and edgings on garments in 1860.

French knots are perhaps one of the most critical stitches for an embroider to know. There are very few commercial embroidery kits that do not make use of this stitch to create eyes, flower parts or a multitude of other features.

Bullion knots are perhaps only second to French knots in their usefulness for embroiderers. They provide a spring-like texture that based on stitch length can be straight, curved or even used as a picot.

The overcast stitch is used in two ways - to create a dimensional line of a narrow width or to finish an edge. The stitch is very similar to the satin stitch but is made with very short stitches.

In our article on how to sew the buttonhole stitch, we talked about created connections between open areas of cut-work with buttonhole connectors. This entry discusses two techniques for creating openwork using the buttonhole and overcast stitches.

The buttonhole stitch is used for both buttons and some of the finest ornamental cut work embroidery designs. It is both ornamental and functional, making it a must have stitch in any embroiderer’s arsenal. Learn how to make this important stitch and see examples of Venetian, Renaissance, Richelieu and Madeira embroidery.

The blanket stitch is quite easy to construct and is often sewn on the edge of a blanket or other fabric to help prevent unraveling. Learn how to sew two variations of this stitch to create lovely edges on your fabric or within your embroidery design.

Learn how to sew the satin and encroaching satin embroidery stitches. Examples also discuss different applications of the satin stitch to create color gradations.

Learn three variations of the stem stitch used in vintage and modern embroidery. There’s also a demonstration on how making slight variations in the stitch can make for a more effective result.