Hand stitches: a beginner's guide
Running, back, slip, blanket and chain stitch, plus sewing on a button.
- Running stitch is the simplest and most useful stitch, for sewing two pieces of fabric together.
- Back stitch makes a solid line of stitches with no gaps: each stitch goes back into the end of the one before.
- Slip stitch hems without the stitching showing.
- Blanket stitch is a row of loops, each anchored by the next to form an L shape. It doesn't seal an edge, so use it on felt or a finished edge.
- Chain stitch is decorative: loops that link like a chain, good for flower stems and borders.
Watch
Hand-Sewing | Basic Stitches and Techniques (5:05)
By Nutty Crafter · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 5-minute video from Nutty Crafter on the same topic as this guide. Embedded from YouTube with credit; we don't host it. It only loads when you press play.
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All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.