Learn Fishbone stitch with our step-by-step guide
Learn fishbone stitch and embroider a thoughtful gift for an avid reader with Mollie Johanson’s botanical bookmark.
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If you’ve ever wondered how to embroider leaves, then fishbone stitch is one you’ve just gotta learn! It’s particularly suited to botanical embroidery, as you can not only fill in your leaves with colour but also give your stitches direction to help give your leaves a more 3D feel. In this tutorial we’ll show you the basics of fishbone stitch, then you can put it to use in the following ‘how to make a fabric bookmark’ tutorial!
Once you’ve made your bookmark, take a look at the rest of our free embroidery patterns and our Embroidery for beginners guide.
You will need
- Linen fabric: 25x15cm (6x10in), bookmark front
- Cotton fabric: 18×6.5cm (71/8×25/8in), bookmark back
- Stranded cotton: light green, dark green and grey
- Ribbon or selvedge: 1x8cm (3/8x3in)
- Matching thread
- Basic sewing kit
Notes
Use a 5mm (1/4in) seam allowance.
You will need to download and print the Free fishbone stitch botanical bookmark pattern template
How to embroider Fishbone Stitch
You Will Need
- Linen fabric
- Cotton fabric
- DMC stranded cotton
- Ribbon
- Matching thread
- Basic sewing kit
Step 1
Working on one leaf shape at a time, make a short vertical straight stitch. Bring the needle up on the right side of the shape and go back down just to the left of the centre line.
Step 2
Bring the needle up on the left side of the shape and then go back down just to the right of the centre line.
Step 3
Repeat this process to fill in the shape. You can make the stitches close together for a solid look, or spread them apart a little for a more open design.
Free botanical embroidery bookmark pattern
Tracing the leaf design
Step one
Download and print the Free fishbone stitch botanical bookmark pattern template
Step two
Place the main fabric right side (RS) up on top of the template. The design should be positioned centrally beneath the fabric.
Step three
Trace over the outlines lightly in pencil or with an erasable pen.
Working the leaf embroidery
Step one
Use three strands of stranded cotton for all the stitching as this will fill the design area well. If you want to use a different thread then practise a few stitches first on spare fabric.
Step two
Embroider each leaf in fishbone stitch using two shades of green. The leaves on the right are worked in dark green and the leaves on the left in light green.
Step three
To stitch the top leaf with both shades, work with both colours at the same time using two needles, alternating between the two sides.
Step four
Stitch the centre line in chain stitch using grey stranded cotton.
Making the bookmark
Step one
Trim the embroidered linen to 18×6.5cm (71/8×25/8in), making sure that the design is placed centrally.
Step two
Pin the front and back of the bookmark with RS together.
Step three
Fold the ribbon in half and pin it at the centre of the top of the fabrics between the layers with the raw ends matching up with the fabric edge.
Step four
Sew the fabrics together using a 5mm (1/4in) seam allowance, trapping the ribbon loop in place as you go, and leaving an opening in the centre of one long side for turning.
Step five
Trim the corners to reduce bulk.
Step six
Turn the bookmark RS out then fold the edges of the turning gap to the inside.
Finishing off
Step one
Stitch around the edge of the bookmark with running stitch using three strands of grey stranded cotton.
Step two
Keep your stitches close to the edge to decorate and hold the turning gap closed.
Authors
Mollie is the author of Stitch Love: Sweet Creatures Big & Small. She lives near Chicago and is happiest with a cup of coffee and some stitching. She specializes in designing exceedingly cute, contemporary embroidery and cross stitch projects with a kawaii influence. Her work has been featured on The Spruce Crafts and in books and magazines including Simply Sewing Magazine, Cross Stitch Crazy and Mollie Makes. She co-hosts the Very Serious Crafts Podcast with Haley Pierson-Cox and Heidi Gustad. Find her on Instagram @molliejohanson
