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Welcome to our Stitch Library series of free embroidery workshops for the complete beginner! In this how to guide we’ll talk you through how to sew backstitch.
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Backstitch is a great outlining stitch and it’s widely used both in embroidery art and in cross stitch projects to add definition and depth to designs, or to personalise projects with greetings as it’s well suited to stitching words and letters.
Practise your new skills with this fun bicycle hoop art or use this method to sew backstitch on a current embroidery project that you’re working on.
Watch our video guide by Love Embroidery magazine or read on for the step-by-step walkthrough.
Practice backstitch with this bicycle design
Download our free PDF bicycle pattern to try out your new skills and make your own hoop art or use the bicycle outline to embellish a cushion.
Download the Free backstitch embroidery pattern
Embroidery pattern design by Louise Day. Stitching and instructions by Zoe Patching.
How to backstitch step-by-step
Step 1
To start, thread your needle with two strands of embroidery thread. Thread the strands onto a sharp embroidery needle (a size 9 is ideal) and knot the opposite end of the thread. Bring the needle up through the fabric to the front, at your starting point, with the knot at the back.
Step 2
Make your first stitch by inserting the needle into the fabric, about 3 or 4mm away from your starting point. Make sure you follow your design line. Pull your thread through the fabric so the stitch sits on the fabric’s surface, but make sure you don’t pull so tight that you distort it.
Step 3
To make your next stitch, bring your needle back up through the fabric to the front, again about 3 or 4mm from the end of your first stitch (keep this distance consistent so that each stitch is even in length). Make sure you’re still following your design line. Pull your thread all the way through the fabric.
Step 4
To finish this stitch, insert your needle into the fabric at the same point as the end of your first stitch (pic A).
Repeat steps 3 and 4 to create a line of stitches. To finish off, turn the fabric over and pass needle under the reverse of the stitches until the thread is secure.
Pull the thread through (pic B).
Top Tip: Vary the number of thread strands you use, to create delicate areas or add more definition.
More beautiful bicycle embroidery
Try out even more fun embroidery stitches with a cycling theme by making our free bicycle embroidery pattern.
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