Hand embroidery stitches 

Hand embroidery involves decorating fabric with colourful stitches made in an attractive pattern with needle and embroidery thread. With hand embroidered designs you have a way of adding a personal style to your accessories, clothes, home accessories and many other cloth products.

Cross-stitch, counted thread, embroidery, needlepoint, smocking, crewel, punch embroidery, appliqué and quilting- all your favourite fabric embellishments uses hand embroidery stitches 

You can rejuvenate your old clothes into a new creation with a little ingenuity and knowledge of some basic hand embroidery stitches.

A lackluster old purse can turn into a designer piece with some metallic embroidery on it.

An old T-shirt can be customized with your logo embroidered on it.

An ordinary jeans can be turned designer jeans with some cool designs done on it.

You can delight your child by customizing his accessories with his name embroidered on them.

The beauty of hand embroidery is that you just need some basic simple tools to turn a designer – the fabric of your choice, needle and embroidery floss are the basics you should have to start with in your arsenal.The needlework stitches outlined here can form the building blocks for your ultimate artwork.

Checkout this post on basics of hand embroidery ( 10 FAQ answered) if you are a beginner to embroidery 

 100+ Embroidery Stitches Types

Below are given the tutorials on sewguide related to embroidery stitches and techniques. Click on the relevant ones to go to that paricular page for more details.    

Holbein stitch/ kasuti embroidery stitch
Herringbone stitch & its 2 variations
Hardanger embroidery
Granitos stitch
French knot stitch
Four sided stitch
Fishbone stitch
Feather stitch
Eyelet stitch
Drawn thread embroidery - 2 methods
Chicken scratch embroidery
Chikankari embroidery

Fly stitch & 7 variations

Blanket stitch & 11 variations
12 basic bead embroidery stitches
Chevron Stitch

How to stitch shell stitch - 2 ways
4 ways to do couching
6 important knot stitches in embroidery
6 best filling stitches

Black work embroidery
Bobbin work
Broderie Anglaise embroidery
Cable chain stitch
Chain stitch and its 21 variations

Back stitch & 2 variations
Kutch embroidery tutorial

Insertion stitches
Kantha embroidery
Sashiko embroidery
Bullion Knot stitch
Shadow embroidery
Needle painting
Pattern Darning
Outline stitch
Pick stitch
Queen Stitch

Satin stitch
Scallop stitch
Stem Stitch & 3 variations
Long and short stitch
Zardosi embroidery work
Running stitch & 9 variations

Phulkari embroidery

Pulled Thread embroidery work - 5 basic stitches used

5 easy Chikan motifs

Chain stitch embroidery - 5 common motifs.

8 ways to make lazy daisy flower embroidery designs
8 ways to attach mirror
6 ways to do cutwork embroidery

12 easy 3D embroidery flowers
12 ways to do Applique work

10 ribbon embroidery flowers - tutorial
10 paisley / mango print designs for embroidery
10 easy hand embroidery motifs for the lazy embroiderer

9 best ways to do embroidery transfers
9 easy to sew bead border designs
A guide to do smocking

Rose embroidery - 12 ways to make embroidered roses

Best fabrics for hand embroidery
12 different types of hand embroidery thread
12 types of metallic thread for embroidery
14 types of embroidery sewing needles

Best ways to turn a photo into an embroidery work
How to design embroidery - 10 great sources of inspiration
How to design letters for embroidery
How to make a cross stitch pattern - 4 easy ways
Indian hand embroidery patterns and motifs
20 beautiful ways to sew embroidery flowers
22 beautiful embroidery border designs

9 Bead embroidery border designs

4 ways to stitch a pansy flower.

Bead embroidery tassels and other bead edging

Embroidery placement- Where to embroider on clothes, accessories and linen

10 easy small embroidery designs for bedsheets and pillowcases.

The following basic embroidery stitches are the building blocks of all beautiful needle work creations.  You can combine them in various combinations to create the most creative and captivating hand embroidery designs