Hand Embroidery Tutorial: Pistil Stitch, Pekinese Stitch & Palestrina Knot

By American Quilter's Society
Sep 17, 2024

We’re back with the final installment of our hand embroidery tutorial series, featuring three new stitches to enhance your embroidery skills: the Pistil stitch, Pekinese stitch, and Palestrina knot. Each of these stitches brings unique texture and personality to your designs. As always, our tutorial videos, presented by Stephanie Ngai from WonderFil Specialty Threads, will walk you through each step, making it easy to master these stitches.

This series is part of our ongoing promotion for the 2024 AQS Creativity Challenge: My Dream _______ Cabana (You Fill in the Fun!). Be sure to check out the challenge details here and start planning your cabana project!

The Pistil stitch is perfect for adding delicate texture and subtle detailing, often used to mimic tiny flowers or decorative dots. It’s similar to the French knot but features an extended tail, creating a lovely, raised effect. Watch Stephanie’s step-by-step video to master this stitch and add a touch of elegance to your work.

The Pekinese stitch combines a simple backstitch with a woven technique to create a rich, textured line that can range from subtle to bold, depending on the threads you choose. It’s ideal for outlining, borders, and adding dimension. Follow the video tutorial to learn how this stitch can transform your embroidery.

The Palestrina knot is a decorative stitch known for its knotted appearance and durability. It works beautifully for textured borders and outlining shapes with a bold, intricate finish. With Stephanie’s guidance, you’ll learn how to incorporate this distinctive stitch into your designs for a polished and unique look.