Chain stitch is an ornamental stitch in which the loops are connected in a chainlike way. Chain stitch is also known as tambour stitch and point de chainette. Chain stitch is one of the oldest of the decorative stitches and is the basis of a large group of stitches.

It is believed to have originated in Persia and India, where it is worked with the aid of a fine hook known as an ‘ari‘. In the west this tool which looks like a crochet hook, is known as a ‘tambour’ hook. The needlework produced using this method is known as tambour embroidery.

Chain stitch is simple to work. A large variety of threads can be used from the finest silk to ribbon, the size of the stitch will depend on the weight of the thread used. it is an ideal beginners stitch and suitable to teach children as it is easy to sew.

Another basic hand embroidery stitch, the chain stitch is used to outline and to fill spaces. It’s a fun stitch to work, and always looks great! The chain stitch is probably one of the most common embroidery stitches, and adapted to all different techniques, even lace making. The chain stitch works very easily around curves, in lines, or in large spaces for filling.

How to sew Chain Stitch:
Bring the thread up at the top of the line and hold it down with the left thumb. Insert the needle where it last emerged and bring the point out a short distance away. Pull the thread through, keeping the working thread under the needle point.

Bokhara couching is known as self-couching stitch. It is worked with one thread and needle. A straight stitch is made across the ground material and the needle and thread re-emerge to stitch the long thread down. Small, slanting stitches are worked over the laid thread or yarn to hold it in place. Bokhara couching requires the use of a hoop or frame for proper stitching.

Couching is another easy embroidery stitch in hand embroidery, and a great way to create decorative line stitches that scroll and twirl about. It’s also widely used for filling areas, and historically was used to great effect during the Middle Ages and Renaissance in a technique called Or Nue.

The Bokhara Couching is similar to the trammed upright gobelin stitch. There are three basic types of bokhara couching stitches; the bokhara couching stitch, the diagonal bokhara couching stitch and the staggered bokhara couching stitch. All three variations of this stitch create a woven pattern.

The foundation stitch (also known as the laid stitch) is the horizontal stitch over which all of the vertical stitches are worked. The foundation stitch may be any length you choose. These couching stitches are suitable for filling in small areas and backgrounds. When complete, the bokhara couching stitches create a “woven look”.

Bokhara couching is a filling technique used in surface embroidery. Unlike regular couching, Bokhara couching uses only one thread, which serves as both the laid thread and the couching thread. It’s a great couching stitch for forming patterns in your couched threads. Some embroiderers demonstrate Bokhara couching with a horizontal straight stitch couched down by vertical tiny straight stitches; others show the couching stitch alternating placement row by row (to form a bricking pattern).

There are other types of “self couching” techniques (where the couching stitches are worked back over the laid thread, using the same thread) – Roumanian couching and Klosterstitch come to mind. The difference between these couching techniques are subtle.

The principle difference between Bokhara couching and Roumanian and Klosterstitch is that the couching stitches are generally small and very visible, forming a pattern. In Roumanian couching, the couching stitch is meant to work back into the design, making a subtle textured difference, but not highly noticeable. With Klosterstitch, the couching thread is meant to be as invisible as possible.

Back stitch is also known as point de sable. It is an old and very adaptable stitch which can be used as a delicate outline or as a foundation in composite stitches, such as Pekinese stitch and herringbone ladder filling stitch. Backstitch is the strongest hand stitch and is used to imitate machine stitches. Work backstitch from right to left.

Back stitch is yet another stitch that can be used for outlining. Not much else to say about it, except that it’s pretty simple to do. Another simple hand-embroidery stitch, the backstitch is useful in many applications. It’s commonly seen in counted-thread embroidery, like counted cross stitch, but it’s also used often in free-style surface embroidery.

You can use backstitch to make bold lines or delicate lines, depending on the fabric, thread, and needle you decide to use. There are several variations of backstitch, including the whipped backstitch and Holbein stitch (or running backstitch). You can find more detailed written instructions on this stitch here.

How to do Back stitch:
Bring the thread through on the stitch line and then take a small backward stitch through the fabric. Bring the needle through again a little in front of the first stitch, then take another stitch, inserting the needle at the point where it first came through. In blackwork, a single back stitch is usually worked over one block on aida, over two threads on a single-thread evenweave, or over one pair of threads on 22 count Hardanger fabric.

However, when working on aida, a single stitch may need to be longer to avoid having to pierce through the centre of a block.