Next up in our Stitch Directory is the Running Stitch. Running stitch is one of the most basic of all stitches for any kind of sewing. You can use running stitch to decorate your work as it gives a lightness to small curves where using solid lines may be too heavy.
Running stitch is aptly named as your needle simply “runs” in and out of your fabric along the line you want to stitch. It’s important that your stitches – and the spaces between them – are all the same length if you want to achieve a neat finish.
Whipped running stitch gives a nice smooth, more solid line than running stitch. Simply outline your shape with running stitch, keeping your stitches even and regular. Then thread the stitches (as shown above) whipping over each stitch in a direction from top to bottom without entering your fabric at all.
Using a small, blunt-ended tapestry needle, or passing your needle through the stitches eye-first is a good way to avoid splitting the thread or piercing your fabric.
I do hope that you’ve found this post useful, pop back next week when we’ll be looking at Satin Stitch!
*If you missed last week’s post about Lazy Daisy Stitch you can find it here.*
Hello Helen,
Thanks so much for all your stitch tutorials – your explanations and diagrams are much easier to follow than most, which inspires one to try them. Also, your ideas of the different ways they can be used and embellished are very useful.
Love (big hugs for Ben and Miss.Daisy),
Diana. xx
Thanks so much Diana, that’s lovely of you to say so. I will most definitely hug Ben for you, but possibly not Miss Daisy as she found something quite horrid to roll in on our walk this morning! xx