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Closed herringbone stitch icon
Closed herringbone stitch

  • Persian stitch
  • Double back stitch
  • Crossed back stitch
  • Point Croisé stitch
  • Close herringbone stitch
Closed herringbone stitch main image

This stitch is a version of herringbone stitch where the stitches are worked closely together to form a solid line.

The reverse of this stitch forms two parallel lines of back stitch, hence it’s alternative name of double back stitch.  This reversible nature of this stitch means it is often used for straight or curved borders.

Closed herringbone stitch certainly dates as far back as the 16th century as it features on a south German/Swiss ecclesiastical panel from that era.  The Victoria and Albert Museum, London holds English items from the 17th century (a crewel work panel on linen and Margret Mason’s sampler) and Turkish pieces from the 18th century.

Contemporary embroiderers in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan use closed herringbone stitch for bands and borders to embellish garments.

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Crossed Reversible Herringbone Border Outline Embellishment Filling Crewelwork Shadow work Surface

Closed herringbone stitch is generously sponsored by Mrs Audrey Oliver

Method

Using even-weave fabric helps to work evenly spaced stitches. Or you could mark two parallel guide lines on the plain fabric. Work from left to right.

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Closed herringbone stitch method stage 1 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Use the grain of the fabric or mark two parallel guide lines to create herringbone stitch. Work a diagonal stitch first.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 2 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Come up to the left at the same level and go down diagonally at the same level of your starting point. This completes a herringbone stitch.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 3 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Go back and bring the needle up close to where you inserted your needle. Make another diagonal stitch close to the first herringbone stitch.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 4 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Come up where your previous herringbone stitch went in.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 5 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

Go down close to the previous herringbone stitch.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 6 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

Come up where your previous herringbone stitch went in, and then continue in this manner.

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 7 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 7 photograph
7

Closed herringbone stitch

Closed herringbone stitch method stage 8 illustration
Closed herringbone stitch method stage 8 photograph
8

Closed herringbone stitch on the reverse side creates two parallel lines of back stitches.

Closed herringbone stitch

Structure of stitch

Crossed Reversible Herringbone

Common uses

Border Outline Embellishment Filling

Embroidery Techniques

Crewelwork Shadow work Surface

Related Stitches

Herringbone stitch Back stitch Double back stitch

References

  • Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches (1934) , p.118
  • Kate Haxell, The Stitch Bible (2012)
  • Jennifer Campbell, Ann-Marie Bakewell, Guide to Embroidery Stitches (2004) , p.72
  • Sarah Whittle, The Needlecraft Stitch Directory (2012)
  • Anne E. Wardwell. (1980) 'The Holy Kinship: A Sixteen-Century Immaculist Embroidery', The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art pp.285-295. Available at: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25159697
  • W.G. Paulson Townsend, Louisa F. Pesel, Walter Crane, Embroidery or the Craft of the Needle (1907) , p.67
  • '1600 sampler, Margret Mason', Victoria and Albert Museum. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15337/sampler-mason-margret/ (Accessed: 01 February 2022)
  • '1700 Turkish border', Victoria and Albert Museum. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O62792/border/ (Accessed: 01 February 2022)
  • '1700s mat', Victoria and Albert Museum. Available at: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O62824/mat/ (Accessed: 01 February 2022)