Stitch How-To: Guide to the Pistil Stitch
Hello, my artsy friend! Today we're exploring the pistil stitch — a decorative stitch that creates the most perfect little flower centers and textural details. Don't worry if you've never tried it before - if you can do a French knot, you're already halfway to mastering this flowery technique!
Why Pistil Stitches?
Let me tell you why I love using this stitch:
It makes the perfect flower centers that look just like real flower pistils.
Creates texture and visual interest against smooth petals.
Outside of flowers, it can be used for outlines or fan-like shapes, too!
What Exactly Is a Pistil Stitch?
A pistil stitch is essentially a french knot with a tail. So, if you haven’t checked out the french knot, I’d suggest trying that first and then this stitch will be a cinch! The key difference between the two is that after wrapping the thread, you’ll insert the needle at a further distance away from where the stitch started to create that distinctive tail or stick-like shape. It gets its name because of how it mimics the pistils of flowers, so it is truly perfect for floral embroidery!
How to Do the Pistil Stitch
Here's how to create this beautiful stitch:
Bring your needle through the fabric back to front where you want your stitch to start
Wrap your thread around your needle 2-3 times (just like the french knot) and hold the thread taut with your other hand
Keep the thread taut and push the needle back through the fabric where you want your stitch to end — this should be farther than your french knot, but not too far!
Maintain the tension and allow the needle to move through the back to complete the stitch
Ready to Practice?
I've created a fun practice pattern that lets you try these techniques. Download your free pattern and guide to stitch along with me! The pattern has 15 different stitches for you to practice so keep an eye out for more stitch tutorials!
What's Coming Next?
Once you've mastered these pistil stitches, you'll be ready to move on to more stitches! Stay tuned for next week's tutorial where we'll explore the turkey work technique!
Happy stitching, my artsy friend! 🪡✨
Join the List!
Subscribe to get weekly updates along with free embroidery patterns, tips, and inspiration delivered straight to your inbox every month.
Disclosure: This page may contain affiliate links which means if you purchase an item through an affiliate link I may receive a small commission at no cost to you — which is awesome because I ‘d be sharing with you anyway!