How to Do the Chain Stitch Hand Embroidery

I like to use the chain stitch as a textured border in my hand embroidery work, and it's so easy to do as long as you go through the process step by step.

In the video below, I show how to do the chain stitch, but I'm not sure I detailed each step carefully enough.

So, I want to add a written tutorial here to help if you're trying to learn how to make the chain stitch.

Hand Embroidery Chain Stitch image by Christie, Grace [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

About the Hand Embroidery Chain Stitch

To get started, stretch the fabric in the embroidery hoop so it's fairly snug, with just a small amount of play.

If the fabric is stretched too tightly, it's harder to work the needle through the fabric.

1. Thread the needle and knot the end of the embroidery floss.
2. Bring the needle up through the fabric at the desired starting point.
3. Move the needle tip over just a fiber or two in the fabric, then poke the tip down through and bring the tip back up through the fabric about 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch forward on the line of chain stitching you are creating. 
4. Loop the embroidery floss forward and under the tip of the needle before pulling the needle through.
1. Tug slowly on the needle to prevent knotting, and hold the floss down gently if it starts to twist or it can form a knot that's hard to get out.
5. Move the needle's tip just over the embroidery floss and poke it down through the fabric, then work it back through the fabric's surface to form the next stitch in the chain. 
6. Keep going until you reach the end of your chain or embroidery floss (whichever comes first) then anchor the chain stitches with a couple tiny stitches on the fabric's back.

Video of Hand Embroidery Chain Stitch

I'm considering reshooting this hand embroidery chain stitch video, so if you need more help with the chain stitch, or any kind of embroidery stitch, feel free to leave a request in the comments here, on my YouTube channel, or in the Facebook group associated with this site.

I'm trying to get more Likes and subscribers on my YouTube channel, so if you're interested in seeing more sewing lessons, it would really help me out if you visit my sewing tutorial channel and click the thumbs-up icon and the Subscribe button.

Thanks for visiting Stitching it Right,
Laure