HOW TO WORK CHAIN STITCH

01 Bring the needle up where you want the first stitch to start, pulling the thread all the way through the fabric. Push the needle back in the same hole or beside where the thread emerged. In the same movement, bring the point of the needle back up again at short distance away. This sets the length of your Chain Stitch so you can make it as long or as short as you want.

02 Now lay the thread flat on the fabric so that it’s underneath the point of the needle and hold it in place with your finger. Slowly pull the needle and thread through the fabric and you will have created your first loop, or Chain Stitch. Make sure you pull the thread gently so that the loop just sits neatly on the fabric and isn’t too tight to pucker it or too loose so it hangs off it.

03 For the next Chain Stitch, push the needle back into the fabric where the thread emerged. Repeat the process to bring the point of the needle back up again to set the length of the stitch, then pull the needle through, making sure the thread is under the needle. Continue working the Chain Stitch in this way. To finish, make a small stitch over the last loop to hold it in place.

04 You can further embellish your Chain Stitch by working Whipped Chain Stitch. This creates a more raised line than ordinary Chain Stitch. First work a line of Chain Stitches then use another thread, usually in a different colour, to work through the stitches without piercing the fabric. Work the whipping stitches from top to bottom to give an even appearance.