List of sewing stitches

Types of machine stitches

• chain stitch
• Straight stitch
• Zigzag stitch
• Running stitch
• Back stitch
• Satin stitch

  Types of hand stitches

• Back tack - backward stitch to anchor tacking or basting
• Backstitch - sturdy hand stitch for seams and decoration
• Basting stitch - for reinforcement or for temporarily holding fabric in place
• Blanket stitch - used to finish an unhemmed blanket
• Blind stitch - type of slip stitch used for inconspicuous hem
• Buttonhole stitch - for reinforcing buttonholes and preventing cut fabric from raveling
• Chain stitch - hand or machine stitch for seams or decoration
• Cross-stitch - usually used for decoration, but may also be used for seams
• Catch stitch - flat looped stitch used in hemming
• Darning stitch - for repairing holes or worn areas in fabric or knitting
• Embroidery stitch - one or more stitches forming a figure of recognizable look
• Hemstitch - decorative technique for embellishing the hem of clothing or household linens
• Overcast stitch - used to enclose a raw, or unfinished, seam or edge
• Pad stitch - secures two or more layers of fabric together and provide firmness
• Pick stitch - hand stitch that catches only a few threads on the wrong side of the fabric, difficult to produce nicely so typically used for hemming high quality garments
• Running stitch - hand stitch for seams and gathering
• Sailmakers stitch
• Slip stitch - form of blind stitch for fastening two pieces of fabric together from the right side without the thread showing
• Stoating - used to join two pieces of woven material, such that the resulting stitches are not visible from the right side of the cloth
• Tack - quick, temporary stitching intended to be removed
• Tent stitch - diagonal embroidery stitch at a 45-degree angle
• Topstitch - used on garment edges such as necklines and hems, helps facings stay in place and gives a crisp edge
• Whipstitch - for protecting edges
• Ladder stitch or mattress stitch - for invisibly closing seams from the outside, i.e. to close a pillow after being stuffed