How to pad stitch
By hand.
Step by step
- Baste layers together first.
- Mark rows 3/8 to 1/2 in apart.
- Wax and press the thread; cut about 18 in.
- Insert diagonally about 1/8 in, catching a tiny bite of fabric; it should dimple, not pucker.
- Stagger rows like bricks; shorter on the roll line.
- Steam over a ham every few rows and let cool.
Watch
Marlene's Atelier | The Pad Stitch | Atelier Basics (3:27)
By Marlene's Atelier · Open on YouTube
Chosen from its title and channel: a 3-minute video from Marlene's Atelier 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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Sources
All checked 1 November 2026. We read these; we did not test the products ourselves.