Combine our feather stitch embroidery tutorial with French knots and chain stitch blooms for Mollie Johanson's embellished infinity scarf.
Learn the ropes of this delicate stitch with our Feather Stitch embroidery step-by-step tutorial and try our DIY infinity scarf project to show off your new skills, or use our free pattern to update a plain scarf in your wardrobe
Bring the needle up through the fabric at the top of the feather stitch design. Go back down a short distance to the side, but don’t pull the thread tight. Come back up a short distance below and in the center of the first two points. Catch the loop of thread with your needle.
As you pull the needle through, it will tighten the first stitch. Next, go back down a short distance to the side without pulling the thread tight. Then come back up below the two points, catching the loop of thread as before.
Repeat these steps, working from side to side for standard feather stitch.
To work this as double feather stitch, repeat step two to add another stitch on the same side. Then work toward the opposite direction, following the same steps. You can also work these stitches in a single motion, going down and coming back up as shown.
Trace and embroider the floral design onto the linen, approx 8cm (31/8in) from the top corner. Stitch the feather stitch sprigs with navy and mint stranded cotton.
Embroider the dots with pink French knots and then add white detached chain petals around some of the French knots. Use three strands of stranded cotton for all the stitches.
Sew the linen pieces right sides (RS) together along a shorter edge to form a long strip, with the embroidered end in the middle.
Sew the cotton fabric pieces into a long strip. Press the seams open.
Pin the two strips with RS together and sew along the two long edges. Press the seams open. On one of the ends, press the fabric edges to the wrong sides (WS) by 1cm (3⁄8in). Insert the opposite end into the pressed end. Topstitch across the overlapping fabric or hand-stitch the folded edge with a blind stitch for a neat finish.
[pullquote quote="To make an infinity scarf with less fullness, use fabric strips narrower than 46cm (18in), keeping the length." /]
If you’ve enjoyed this feather stitch embroidery step by step guide and looking for more projects to make as you learn, try these other designs on Gathered! You’ll find a great assortment of stylish sashiko designs to make in our Sashiko patterns and project for beginners article. Make a brilliant decorative hoop with our How to do Lazy Daisy stitch project, or find the perfect cross stitch kit for you or a friend in our roundup of the best modern cross stitch kits. For more make you can wear, check out our tutorial on embroidered socks using Peking knots, our cat embroidery tutorial to add cat pockets to all your cardis,. For more blooms in your wardrobe, make our embroidered flower shoes to jazz up your high tops, update a denim jacket with embroidery flowers or learn how to make brooches with our quick-stitch embroidery tutorial. For a choice of stunning bee designs to stitch, take a look at our bee embroidery patterns and Easy embroidered Christmas decorations.
