Stitch Guide instructions and diagrams are copyrights of
©Just Stitchin’ 2002

Quilters Knot

1. Thread the needle.  Hold the needle with the thumb and pointer of your left hand.

2. With your right hand, place the tip of the tail end of the tread onto the needle and hold in place with your thumb and pointer with your left hand.

3. With your right hand, wrap the thread around the needle two or three times.

4. Pinch the wraps with your thumb and pointer of your left hand, and with your right hand, pull the needle and thread through the wraps all the way to the bottom of the thread.  You now have the perfect knot to start with your quilting as well as perfect for embroidery.

Back Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle through to the front of the fabric and take a small stitch backwards.

3. Bring the needle through again, a little in front of the first stitch.

4. Insert the needle through into the hole of the last stitch formed, and bring the needle through again, a little in front.

5. Keep going on this way, making all your stitches the same length.

6. Finish off by taking the thread to the back of your work, and make a couple of stitches into the thread only, but gently.  On the 2nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1cm from the knot.

  Button Hole Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle through to the front of the fabric so the needle
    is on the circle.

3. Hold the thread with your left thumb and insert the needle 
   through the centre, and bring the needle back onto the circle, a
   little space beside the first stitch.  Do not pull thread through
   yet. 

4. Wrap the thread under the needle, from left to right.

5. Hold the tip of the needle and pull the needle and thread through
   until the loop sits on the circle.

6. Insert the needle into the centre again, and bring it out to the
   edge of the circle, a little space beside the last stitch.

7. Repeat steps 4 and 5.  Continue working stitches around the
    circle, turning the fabric as you work.

8. For the last stitch, insert the needle through the same hole as the
    very first hole.

9. Finish off by making a couple of stitches into the back of the
    thread only, but gently.  On the 2nd stitch, leave a little loop. 
   Thread the needle through loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread
   1cm from the knot.

Simple Cross Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle up on the bottom left side.

3. Pass the needle diagonally opposite at the top right side.

4. Bring the needle through again, this time on the top left side.

5. Pass the needle diagonally opposite at the bottom right side.

6. Finish off by making a couple of stitches into the back thread only, but gently.  On the 2nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1cm from the knot.

Running Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle up through to the front.  Pull it until you reach the knot.

3. Insert the needle a small distance along, and pull through to the back.

4. Bring the needle up through to the front again.  Insert the needle a small distance along, and pull through to the back.

5. Continue to go up and down in this way.

6. Finish off by passing the needle to the back and make a couple of stitches into the thread, not the fabric.  On the last stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1 cm from knot.

Sewing on a 4 holed button with a featured cross

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Push the needle up into the fabric from underneath, and then insert the needle through the top left hole of the button.  Pull the thread until you reach the knot.

3. Insert the needle down into the bottom right hole, and pull until the button lies flat.

4. Push the needle up into the fabric, and then insert the needle through the top right hole.

5. Insert the needle down into the bottom left hole, and pull gently so the button lies flat.

6. Repeat steps 2-5, two more times to secure your button.

7. Finish off by taking a couple of stitches into the thread only, but gently.  On the 2^nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1cm from the knot.

Sewing on a two holed button

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Push the needle up through the fabric from underneath the fabric, and then up through the left hole in the button.

3. Insert the needle into the right hole of the button, pull the thread through the fabric.  Pull until the button lies flat.

4. You will need to do this step 3 times to secure your button.

5. Finish off by taking a couple of stitches into the thread only, but gently.  On the 2^nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1cm from the knot.

Chain Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle through to the front of the fabric.

3. Hold the thread with your left thumb.  Insert the needle through
   the fabric right beside where it first came out, and bring the
   needle through to the front of the fabric.  But do not pull all the
   way through yet.

4. Wrap the thread under the needle, whilst still holding on to the
   thread with your left thumb.  Pull the needle through the rest of
   the fabric.  Do not let go of the thread until the chain has been
   formed.

5. Insert the needle just inside the chain, and repeat step 3 and 4
    again.

6. Keep going on this way, making sure all your stitches are the same
    length.

7. Finish off by passing the needle to the back of the fabric and
   make a couple of stitches into the thread, not the fabric.  On the
   2nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop
   to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1 cm from knot.

Fly Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring needle through to the front, just left of where the stitch is required (A).

3. Take the needle across a little to the right (B) and take a small stitch downwards to the centre (C). Before pulling the needle all the way through, wrap the thread under the needle.  Pull the needle and thread so its shapes a V, and is sitting flat.

4. Insert the needle through the fabric just under the point of the V.

5. Finish off by making a couple of stitches into the back of the thread, not the fabric.  On the last stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop to form a knot.  Cut thread 1cm from knot.

 Stem Stitch

 1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring the needle through to the front of the fabric and take a small stitch backwards.

3. Bring the needle through again, a little in front of the first stitch.

4. Insert the needle through the fabric, half way along the middle of the last stitch.  Be careful not to go through the thread.

5. Take another stitch, a little in front of the last stitch.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5, and keep on going in this way.

7. Finish off by taking the thread to the back of your work, and make a couple of stitches into the thread only, but gently.  On the 2nd stitch, leave a little loop.  Thread the needle through loop to form a knot.  Cut the thread 1cm from the knot.

Satin Stitch

1. Thread the needle and tie a knot.

2. Bring needle through to the front of the fabric on the left hand
   side.

3. Insert needle through fabric on the opposite side.  Pull gently so
   the stitch is sitting flat on the fabric.

4. Bring the needle through to the front again, right beside the last
    hole.

5. Insert needle through fabric again on the opposite side, right
    beside the last hole.

6. Repeat these steps, increasing or decreasing as you go.  Always
   keep in mind not to pull too tight as this will pucker and spoil your
   work.

7. Finish off by passing the needle to the back and make a couple of
   stitches into the thread, not the fabric.  On the last stitch, leave a
   little loop.  Thread the needle through the loop to form a knot. 
   Cut the thread 1 cm from knot.

Stay tuned, soon I will be adding further hints for applique and patchwork etc.