Scallop stitch - Learn to embroider it by hand

Making embroideries with the scallop stitch

The scallop stitch is widely used in hand embroidery and edge finishing. In addition, with the scallop stitch, we can embroider appliqué drawings on fabric.

The scallop stitch can be embroidered by hand or machine embroidered, in patchwork works and in macrame. To embroider this simple stitch, we make a row of stitches that join points.

The different types of points

Open - This is the most commonly used stitch by embroiderers in their projects, to finish off blankets, napkins and tablecloths;

Double - Between the open festoons, a double pass is made;

Crossed - The stitches cross in the shape of a cross, creating a very decorative effect;

Closed - Very similar to crochet stitches;

Wavy - Changes the length of the vertical stitches, creating a waterfall effect;

Sloping - In this variation, the vertical points are not straight, but the slope is varied;

Scalloped wheels - Here we have the scalloped stitch worked in circles.

Next, you can see these ideas to embroider with the different variations of the satin stitch:

How to hand embroider the scallop stitch

To start embroidering our embroidery project, we thread the needle and tie a knot at the end of the thread. It is very important to leave one end of the thread longer than the other, from 15 to 30 centimeters. Next, we insert the needle from the back to the front of the fabric, in the chosen direction. In the cases of the edges of the tablecloths or napkins, we must start 1 centimeter from the edge of the fabric. Then, we bring the needle with the thread back around the edge of the fabric, going to the first stitch we made. Next, we put the needle through the circle that we have created to fix the thread.

To sew the edge, we insert the needle at the top end of the seam line that we have created. Then we pass the needle through the created loop, to create the first closed satin stitch. Then it is very easy, we just have to repeat these steps along all the base points. If we already have a lot of experience embroidering the scallop stitch, we can innovate a bit and add threads of other colors.

For hand-embroidered stitches to look good, it is very important to choose the right threads and to make sure the stitches are regular, with the same spacing between them , so that the result looks uniform on the fabric.

How to embroider a flower

Scallop stitch step by step

Learn to embroider the blanket stitch in this video tutorial from Con un Trozo de Papel :