How To Remove Embroidery Stitches [Without Ruining Your Work]

You’re embroidering and all of a sudden you realized you’ve messed up pretty bad. This mistake is so bad that you’re thinking of taking the stitches out. If you’re not sure, this post about fixing embroidery mistakes is really helpful.

If you’re 100% convinced you’ll have to take out some stitches, then how do you do it carefully without ruining the fabric or surrounding embroidery stitches? This post will show you how to remove embroidery stitches safely and easily.

This post is part of a series of posts all about beginner hand embroidery

Remove Embroidery Stitches With a Needle

You can use your needle to gently take the stitches out. This is probably the most ideal option to take stitches out because it lessens the chances of your fabric being damaged or other stitches getting ripped out.

However, we all know that sometimes stitches get knotted or tangled, and there is no chance that you’ll be able to easily undo the stitches.

Cut with Embroidery Scissors

The next way to remove embroidery stitches is to use a small, sharp pair of embroidery scissors. The key here is to use small scissors with sharp, fine tips of them. Using a regular pair of scissors increases your chances of cutting something you didn’t intend to.

To cut, slide the tip of the scissors underneath the stitches. Double-check before snipping that you are only grabbing the thread you want to remove.

Alternating from the front and the back, you can then remove the cut thread with the tip of your needle or fingers. Be very careful when you are doing this that you don’t cut the fabric with the stitches…you’ll have an even bigger problem on your hands!

Use a Seam Ripper

The third and final way you can remove the stitches is with a seam ripper. This method would be the safer of the two options because the seam ripper makes it easier to see and feel what you are grabbing to cut. Place the tip of the seam ripper underneath the stitches you desire to remove. Then, push upwards to cut the stitches.

Fixing the Fabric

Once you have removed the embroidery stitches, there will be holes left in the fabric. All you need to do is run your fingernail or the blunt end of the needle over the holes, which will essentially “reset” the weave of the fabric and make the holes disappear.

I hope this helped you to avoid any meltdowns or further problems! Mistakes are bound to happen from time to time, but they don’t have to be the end of the world. Happy Stitching!