Satin Stitch Embroidery Tutorial (Achieve Smooth, Neat Stitches!)
The satin stitch is a beginner friendly embroidery stitch that is commonly used for filling in areas where you want to achieve a dense, uniform appearance.
While it seems really simple at first glance, it can be really challenging to get the edges of the stitches neat as well as the overall appearance smooth. This post will show you how to do the satin stitch and I’ll also share some extra tips to get your stitches looking flawless.
Before You Get Started
You’ll need basic embroidery supplies to complete this stitch:
- an embroidery needle
- fabric – this stitch looks best on tightly woven fabrics such as cotton or linen
- an embroidery hoop
- embroidery thread – floss, pearl cotton, or crewel wool are all good options
- marker or pen to mark the fabric
How To Do The Satin Stitch
If this is your very first time making the satin stitch, I recommend starting with a square or a rectangle.
- Come up through the fabric at the bottom left corner of the square at A.
- Make a straight stitch across the shape ending at the top left corner at B.
- Then make another stitch directly beside the one you just made. Come back up through the fabric along the bottom edge of the shape at C. Make another stitch across the shape, ending along the top edge at D.
- Continue making these stitches, working from left to right until the entire shape is filled in. Each stitch should lay directly beside one another. Avoid splitting or crossing over the adjacent stitches as you’re working each one.
For shapes that are perfectly even, like a square, you can begin along the edge of the shape. For other shapes, you may find it helpful to start in the middle to determine the angle you want to make the stitches.
You can work the satin stitch vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. You choose the direction you want to go!
When you are deciding on which direction to make the stitches, it’s usually most effective to choose the direction that will allow you to make the shortest satin stitches. They tend to lay neater this way.
Another Way Of Working The Satin Stitch
I have always had a hard time keeping the stitch direction uniform. Without fail, my satin stitches start to become slanted, so I wanted to share another way that you may also find helpful.
Instead of working the stitches directly beside one another, try making the stitches evenly spaced out across the shape first before filling in the rest of the area.
- Make a stitch across the shape you want to fill in. For this example, I’ll start along the left side of the square.
2. Pull the working thread straight across the shape, laying it in the direction you want the stitch to go. Then place your needle down through the fabric directly beside it.
3. Work these stitches from one side to the other, making them evenly spaced out across the shape.
4. Then go back through, filling in the gaps in between the stitches until the shape is densely filled in.
Stitching Irregular Shapes
For long, irregular shapes such as leaves, it’s helpful to split stitch the outline first. These stitches will serve as a guide, making it easier to keep the edge of your stitches neat. It also adds a little bit more padding and dimension to the stitch.
In my experience, laying the stitches at a diagonal can sometimes make it easier to achieve a smoother edge.
Slanted Satin Stitch
- Make split stitches along the outline of the shape you plan to fill in.
2. Make diagonal satin stitches over the outline of split stitches.
3. Work your way down the shape, filling it in.
Tips For Creating Super Smooth Stitches
- Mark the fabric before stitching so that you have a defined shape to follow. You’ll be able to achieve neater edges this way.
- Pay close attention to the ends of each of your stitches. Try to make them line up as closely as possible with one another.
- Maintain consistent tension for every stitch you make; each stitch should be snug along the fabric but not so tight that it will disturb the fabric or the surrounding stitches. To even out the tension, place your needle under the stitches and gently pull up on them.
- When you’re stitching along curves, gradually change the direction the stitches are going. The stitches may slightly overlap one another at certain points, but you should still be able to line them up so that they lay neatly.
- Some people like to strip and condition their embroidery floss before using it to help smooth and untwist the individual threads.
Should You Use Satin Stitches For Large Areas?
Satin stitches are most suitable for smaller shapes and areas. Try to avoid carrying the thread over too large of an area.
Making overly long stitches can pucker the fabric and increase the chances of the stitches getting snagged, causing the stitches to not lay as neatly.
Try dividing larger shapes into smaller sections. Or there are quite a few other embroidery stitches that work well for covering larger areas. The long and short stitch, laid work, and couching are great alternatives.
Ways To Use The Satin Stitch
The satin stitch has all kinds of uses. Try using it for:
- leaves
- letters
- flower petals
- abstract shapes
- smaller areas of larger designs
These are just a few suggestions. For me, figuring out how to use a stitch is the most interesting part of the process!
Learn More Stitch Variations
Video Tutorial
Don’t get discouraged if you find this technique a little challenging; keep practicing! Once you get the hang of the satin stitch, you’ll be using it all the time.
Books Referenced
To ensure accuracy and clarity in my stitch tutorials, I reference a variety of trusted sources.
- Mary Thomas’s Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches by Mary Thomas (1935)
- Erica Wilson’s Embroidery Book by Erica Wilson (1973)
Want to learn even more embroidery stitches?
This workbook is NOT your usual stitch encyclopedia. Most embroidery books don’t actually show you how you can use each embroidery stitch and they also don’t come with many tips. This workbook is packed full of helpful information to make you a better, more confident stitcher.
It comes with:
- embroidery stitch tutorials
- helpful tips for each stitch that will maximize your learning and improve the way your embroidery looks
- fun, modern embroidery patterns you can use to learn the stitches with ease
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.
