Working Feather Stitches and Variations

Overview

Feather stitch is worked from the top down, and alternates slanting stitches on each side of the line being worked.

Getting Ready

If you are still learning to stitch, go ahead and mark your fabric with four parallel vertical lines to stitch between. Use a ruler and a water-soluble pen or a pencil.

Place the fabric in the hoop. Cut a 12 to ​14-inch length of six-strand embroidery floss and thread it through the embroidery needle. Knot the other end.

Feather Stitch

Make sure the thread is always below where the thread comes out of the fabric and where the needle will go in as you stitch. In step 2 you make a stitch from right to left; in step 3 you make a stitch from left to right.

Use the four vertical practice lines to keep your stitches lined up: point 1 on the leftmost line, point 4 on the rightmost line, point 3 on the second line, and point 4 on the third line.

To begin, bring the needle up a little to the left of line being stitched (1).

1. Stitch 1-2-3 Take the needle down to the right (2), level with the place the thread emerges from the fabric, leaving thread loose on the surface. Bring the needle up below and between the two end points of the stitch, above the length of thread on the surface (3); pull taut.
2. Stitch 3-4-5 Take the needle down to the right and in line with where the thread comes out (3), leaving length on the surface (4). Bring the needle up below and between the two end points of the stitch, above the length of thread on the surface (5); pull taut.
3. Stitch 4-5-6 Take the needle down to the left and in line with where the thread comes out (5), leaving length on the surface (6). Bring the needle up below and between the two end points of the stitch, and above the length of thread on the surface (7); pull taut.

Continue stitching, repeating steps 2 and 3 for basic feather stitch. End the length by making a small anchoring stitch over the last loose length on the surface of the fabric.

Straight Feather Stitch

The steps to make straight feather stitch are the same as those of basic feather stitch, except the loops are all in line, the stitches all slanting in the same direction instead of alternating. When working the straight feather stitch, the loops are spaced one under the other along one side. In appearnce they are like slanted blanket stitches.

This stitch looks pretty when used as an edging for a redwork embroidery design. You can also work it in two rows, with the stitch facing opposite directions and the rows spaced 1 to 2 inches apart. The space between rows can be filled with additional stitches of various types to create a custom band of stitches. Another application of straight feather stitch is to secure the sides of a ribbon or decorative fabric.

Closed Feather Stitch

The movements of ​closed feather stitch are the same as basic feather stitch except the loops line up along the side edges, forming a closed edge. When working closed feather stitch, the entry point of the successive loops is in the same spot on the fabric as the exit point of the preceding loop. The close feather stitch is used for borders and wide lines and can be used as a couching stitch for tacking down lengths of ribbon.

Straight Feather Variations

The​ straight feather stitch also can be worked with a straight edge along the both sides or along the center of a stitched band.

Double Feather Stitch

In the double feather stitch, instead of making singles stitches alternately to left and right, two or three stitches are made consecutively on one side. Then a similar number of stitches are made on the opposite side.

This decorative variation is useful for wide borders and bands. It looks particularly beautiful when used as a banded strip of embroidery on clothing, table linens, and bed skirts. For maximum decorative impact, apply the double feature stitch a few inches from the hemmed edge.