Satin Stitch

Schematic drawing of a satin stitch. Schematic drawing of a satin stitch. Drawing by Martin Hinze.

The satin stitch is a widely used embroidery technique worked in close, parallel rows. They are used to fill in all or part of a design. The term satin stitch derives its name from its similarity to the shiny appearance of satin cloth, especially when a floss silk or a mercerised cotton thread is used for the embroidery.

The stitch is worked by carrying the thread across the space to be filled and returning underneath the material next to the stitch just made. The process is repeated until the area is filled in. The stitches may be worked in any direction and they may vary in size, for example, when filling in a leaf shape. The skill in making a satin stitch is to make the stitches lie evenly and closely together and to preserve a neat edge to the shape being filled. The longer the stitch, the more untidy and vulnerable it will become.

The satin stitch is also known as the damask stitch.

See also: overcast trail; padded satin stitch; surface satin stitch

Source: THOMAS, Mary (1934). Mary Thomas's Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches, London: Hodder and Stoughton, p. 179.

GVE

Last modified on Monday, 30 January 2017 13:51