clear navigate_before

Russian stitch icon
Russian stitch

  • Point de Feston
Russian stitch main image

This stitch is a woven net filling stitch, similar to woven bars.  The difference between the stitches is that when the thread has been taken over the bar, it comes up behind the weave, not in front of it.  The stitch can be used to fill shapes such as pyramids as well as to form bars.

Structurally, it has similarities with closed Cretan stitch.

The alternative name of point de feston refers to when the stitch is used to form a triangle of woven threads; see the image at the end of the entry for a diagram.

add_circleMy Stitches
Herringbone Reversible Filling Embellishment Whitework Guipure d’art

This stitch is awaiting a sponsor.

Method

This example shows the stitch worked across a net grid, although it can easily be worked over cutwork or drawn thread bars as long as the area has two threads around which the stitch can be woven .

pan_tool
1
Russian stitch method stage 1 illustration
Russian stitch method stage 1 photograph
1

Anchor your thread to the bottom gridline and then wrap it over and back under the top gridline, bringing your needle up behind the working thread.

2
Russian stitch method stage 2 illustration
Russian stitch method stage 2 photograph
2

Wrap your thread over and then under the bottom gridline, again bringing your needle up behind the working thread.

3
Russian stitch method stage 3 illustration
Russian stitch method stage 3 photograph
3

Continue wrapping the thread around alternate gridlines, making sure you come up behind the working thread.

4
Russian stitch method stage 4 illustration
Russian stitch method stage 4 photograph
4

Slide your needle through the stitching to finish your thread.

5
Russian stitch method stage 5 illustration
Russian stitch method stage 5 photograph
5

A completed area of Russian stitch.

6
Russian stitch method stage 6 photograph
6

The reverse of Russian stitch.

Russian stitch

Structure of stitch

Herringbone Reversible

Common uses

Filling Embellishment

Embroidery Techniques

Whitework Guipure d’art

Related Stitches

Woven bars point de reprise Plain Russian stitch

Identifying Russian stitch

This stitch is traditionally worked on a square net ground.  The thread is wrapped between two bars and forms a plaited effect in the centre.

References

Examples of Russian stitch

Point de feston diagram

This diagram from Madame Goubaud's 1870 Guipure patterns and instructions shows Russian stitch worked across a corner of a net grid which is called point de feston (feston can be translated as scallop).