The back stitch is truly the most basic of stitches. This linear stitch can provide a well-defined border or outline. Done correctly with small, evenly spaced stitches, it most resembles a drawn line. Each stitch comes up through the fabric beyond where the preceding stitch goes down into the fabric. This makes the stitch appear as a tighter, more continuous line. It can be worked from right or left, straight or curved, making shapes or staying linear. The stitch is seen in the picture above as the outline of our Crazy Quilt Pyramid Petite Project(Member Login required). Access to a collection of over 60+ Petite Projects is one of the many benefits of being an EGA member. Join us here!
In the photo below the back stitch is shown as the base of Pekinese stitch, laced backstitch, and whipped backstitch.
Learn more about the back stitch on the video below and visit Mary Corbett’s Needle ‘n Thread website for a tutorial on the back stitch:
