How to do Chain Stitch

We’ll show you how to do a chain stitch with perfection! Download our free chain stitch pattern and then try out your new skills

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Zoe Patching

Published: May 2, 2024 at 11:02 am

Chain stitch – The loveliest of embroidery stitches. It's a wonderful way to sew outlines and lettering on your embroidery projects that stands out in a bolder outline than backstitch or running stitch. Read on to find out how to chain stitch, step by step.

To use your new skills to create a lovely personalised embroidery hoop, draw your initial onto the fabric then chain stitch over it, adding the flowers and leaves as decoration.

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Our how to do chain stitch video guide to show how to work this stitch in motion. If you prefer to have photographs and a written walkthrough, scroll down for our How to do Chain stitch step-by-step written instructions, too.

If you want to follow along with the video, download our Free floral embroidery pattern, then print out and trace the floral motif onto your fabric to stitch over with lovely chain stitches!

If you are taking your first steps in embroidery, take a look at our embroidery for beginners guide

free sashiko patterns pdf step4

Stylish stitches

Learn a traditional technique that is also incredibly trendy with our Sashiko patterns and projects for beginners article.

How to sew chain stitch

You can choose to follow this chain stitch tutorial by making your own freehand design, or if you would like to embroider your own initials you can always use our Free chain stitch alphabet template (as featured in Simply Sewing magazine issue 8).

Step 1

Secure your thread on the back of your work then bring your needle up through the fabric.

Push the needle back through a couple of millimetres to the right of where the thread first emerged to create a loop on the surface.

Don’t pull the needle all the way through just yet.

HOW to do chain stitch step 1

Step 2

Hold the loop flat on the surface then bring the needle up just below the top centre of the looped thread to the length you want your finished chain to be.

Pull the thread slowly throuagh the fabric to create a soft, curved chain stitch, keeping the chain held flat to the fabric. 

How to do chain stitch step 2

Step 3

Take your needle down through the fabric a couple of millimetres to the right of your last stitch, which is just below the top of the chain.

Again, don’t pull the needle all the way through the fabric, as you will next make another chain which will hold the first in place. 

How to do chain stitch step 3

Step 4

Bring the point of your needle up just below the top centre of the loop, and pull to create your second chain stitch.

Make all your chain stitches exactly the same length to keep the chain looking neat and even. To finish off, work a small vertical stitch over the last chain to tie it down.  

How to do chain stitch step 4

How to embellish a bag with chain stitch

It's easy to add a personal touch with a simple chain stitched initial. Why not try adding yours as a pocket on our how to make a drawstring bag tutorial.

How-to-sew-chain-stitch-tutorial-

Homemade presents are the best kind, right? This sweet floral drawstring bag, with a contrasting pocket chain-stitched with an initial, would make a lovely personalised back-to-school gift. (They’ll never lose a book bag again!)

Once you’ve mastered this versatile technique, you can use it to embellish other items with your initial, or give more complicated designs a go.

Get creative with chain stitch

Now that you know how to do chain stitch, there's a whole world of embellishment potential open to you. Creating linework designs with straight stitches can be tricky as a single line requires precision and imperfections can stand out, whereas chain stitch gives your lines a more solid structure with a fuller feel.

Embellish an outfit today!

Wondering what to test out your new chain stitch skill with? Try adding creative embroidery designs to your outfits and get inspired by our guide on how to embroider clothes guide.

embroidery pen DJ

Zoe Patching

Embroidery, Papercraft & Sewing Designer

Zoe is a freelance embroiderer and crafter with over 15 years’ experience on craft magazines. As well as designing and stitching her latest commissions, Zoe also teaches hand embroidery.
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