How To Make The Back Of Embroidery Look Nice

There are mixed opinions in the stitching community about the importance of keeping the back of embroidery work neat. Some stitchers focus mostly on the front, creating masterpieces but leaving the back a bit of a mess. Others pride themselves on keeping the back looking almost as good as the front.

If you’re embroidering a project just for fun, you might not care as much about the back. However, there are many times when being more careful is essential, which is probably why you’re here to begin with!

Keeping the back as tidy as possible will not only make your work look more professional but also prevent the embroidery threads from getting pulled, snagged, or coming loose. Whether you intend to sell your embroidery creations or you’re stitching on something that will be used or worn, putting care into the back of your work will surely make a difference.

I would say the back of my work is somewhere in the middle between tidy and messy. While it isn’t absolutely perfect, I have learned lots of tips and tricks over the years and I do my very best to keep things well maintained! Let’s get into some practical tips that will make the back of your work look amazing.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase an item.

How To Keep The Back Of Embroidery Neat

Starting Stitches

There are a variety of ways to start stitches that will help you achieve a neater finish. 

Waste Knot

Using a waste knot will provide the thread with nice tension to start your stitches and it will also keep the tail of thread out of the way. Once you’re done with a particular piece of thread, cut the knot and tuck the tail of thread underneath the surrounding stitches.

Running Stitch Start

If you plan to fill in an area with stitches, make a few running or back stitches and then cover them up with a fill stitch. This method leaves virtually no extra thread and keeps everything secure.

Quilter’s Knot

You may be surprised to hear that knots aren’t always bad. I sometimes like to use quilter’s knots. They give you more control over the size of the knot than an overhand knot, and they are very discreet when you’re working with one or a few strands of thread.

Tips For Keeping The Stitches on the Back Neat

Knots and tangles on the back of your work can really get in the way and they can even pull the fabric and disturb the stitches on the front. Here are some ways to maintain the backside of the fabric so you can prevent this from happening.

Secure Each Strand Of Thread Before Starting A New One

Once you are done using a strand of thread, don’t leave it hanging on the back. It’s a surefire way for lots of tangles to happen.

Tuck The Tail Of The Thread

Once you are completely done with strand of thread, tuck or weave the tail of thread under existing stitches and trim the excess thread.

Finishing Knot

For projects where you want the thread to be extra secure, you can finish each piece of thread with a finishing knot.

1. Place your needle under the last stitch you made.

2. Place your needle through the loop that forms.

3. Pull the loop tight.

4. Repeat step 1, placing your needle back under the stitches.

5. Repeat step 2, placing your needle inside of the loop that forms.

6. Pull the thread tight so a knot forms. Trim the excess thread.

Tack Up Stitches

If you’re not quite done with a particular strand of thread, pull it through to the front to temporarily tack it in place, keeping it out of the way while you are working with another strand. 

Avoid Carrying Thread Across Large Areas

Don’t carry a strand of thread along the back of the embroidery to another area. This could potentially show through to the front of the embroidery and it could also pull at the fabric. 

If you need to work in a different area, you can do one of two things:

• End the thread you are working with and start with a new piece.
• Trail the working thread underneath the stitches on the back to get it closer to the area you’d like to stitch. This works well when you are stitching elements that have a lot of space around them such as lettering or stems.

How To Move The Working Thread To A New Area

For this example, I stitched a simple stem. It’s very easy to end up trailing the thread in order to stitch the branches off of the main stem. Here is a way to move the working thread around to keep the back neat.

Once the main stem is stitched, the working thread is kind of far away from the next branch of the stem. To avoid carrying the thread across to the new area, tuck the working thread under a few stitches to move it closer to the area you intend to stitch.

Once your working thread is close to the next branch of the stem, bring your needle and thread through to the front of your work and continue stitching.

The stitches stay along the outline of the stem a lot better this way. It’s not always necessary to do this, but it’s helpful if you’re using somewhat see-through fabrics or in instances where the back of the embroidery may be more frequently visualized.

Keep Adequate Tension

Make sure you are keeping firm tension on the working thread and pulling the thread all the way through each time you make a stitch. This will prevent loops and tangles from happening which can create a lot of bulk on the back of your work. 

Fix Mistakes Immediately

Knotted thread is bound to happen occasionally . If knots and tangles occur, make sure you fix them immediately.

Have you ever had a little knotted loop form when you’re stitching? This is easily fixable; all you have to do is place your needle through the loop and pull upwards. You’ll start to feel the knot slip. Then pull both ends of the thread and the knot will come undone.

Keeping The Fabric On The Back Neat

If you plan to finish your embroidery in a hoop, you’ll want to trim down the excess fabric and secure it to the inner ring. It’s helpful to use pinking shears to cut down the fabric to minimize fraying.

Embroidery Hoop Backing Ideas

While it isn’t necessary, adding backing to your embroidery can give it a nice professional appearance. Here are a few ideas.

Covering With Fabric or Felt

Cover the back with felt or with fabric and glue. Choose a complementary color of felt or a patterned piece of quilting fabric to tie everything together.

Adding Embellishments

While felt or fabric alone looks great, you may consider adding a personalization to the back. You could embroider a name or phrase onto the felt or fabric before you back the hoop with it. Another great option to consider are custom tags.

Wood Backing

Wood backing is another great option to cover the back. There are many products to choose from on Etsy. Some even allow you to have your name custom engraved. 

Paper Backing

The most budget friendly way to back an embroidery is with paper. Simply trace your embroidery hoop and cut out the size and shape you need. A heavier weight cardstock or cardboard would be the best to use. Sign your name or use your business stamp on the back.

Develop A Method That Works For You

I hope these ideas help you find a method that works for you! At the end of the day, what you decide to do to the back of your embroidery art is your preference. There isn’t a right or wrong way to do it and you should choose whatever works the best for you. Happy stitching!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you may also like this post that shows you how to frame your embroidery.

Amanda

Amanda is a hand embroidery teacher and artist. With over 15 years of experience in the craft industry and embroidery, she owns and runs Crewel Ghoul, sharing accessible tutorials and patterns to help inspire fellow crafters to get creative. In addition to running this website, she teaches on Skillshare and Youtube.