Closed Herringbone Stitch

Closed Herringbone Stitch is also known as

Algerian Plait Stitch/ Algerian Stitch/ Plaited Algerian Stitch _[EN], Point de Chausson Fermé _[FR], Geschlossener Hexenstich _[DE].

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About the Closed Herringbone Stitch

The Closed Herringbone Stitch is a fantastic stitch to create texture and filling. It is worked just like the Herringbone Stitch with the stitches sharing common stitch points. This is an old stitch and has been used in traditional hand embroideries, like the Kutch Work and Chikankari. Chikankari is Shadow Work in which the Closed Herringbone Stitch is done on the reverse to cast a shadow, and the outline are the two rows of parallel Back Stitch that is created in the front. The Closed Herringbone Stitch can be used beautifully in Needlepoint, where it is better known as the Algerian Plait Stitch.

This stitch is worked from left to right by a right-handed stitcher. It will be more comfortable for a left-handed stitcher to work it from right to left. A tip would be to use an embroidery hoop while doing this stitch as the fabric under the row of stitches might feel saggy. The slight pull of each stitch causes the slack which is amplified if a hoop is not used.

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How to do the Closed Herringbone Stitch

Fig 1: Begin by starting out like you would for the Herringbone Stitch.	Fig 2: Bring out the needle through the point where the previous stitch emerged from. This closes the gap between the stitches.
Fig 3: Do the same while you bring the needle out from the lower stitch line.	Fig 4: The first two Herringbone Stitches will overlap each other, but later, they will fall in course.
Fig 5: Continue with the procedure to finish up the row.	Fig 6: A finished sequence of the Closed Herringbone Stitch would look like this.

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Related Projects

Do you want to know where and how to use this stitch? Check out the projects below and learn more. Make something beautiful!

Flower Embroidery

Leaf Embroidery

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Learn the stitches from our Hand Embroidery Book

Learn the Closed Herringbone Stitch and 200 other stitches through our 450-page Hand Embroidery book.

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Related Stitches from the Herringbone Stitch Family

Herringbone Stitch	Threaded Herringbone	Tacked Herringbone
Tied Herringbone	Laced Herringbone	Double Herringbone
Twisted Lattice Band	Interlaced H’bone	H’bone Square
Interlaced H’bone	Laced H’bone	Breton Stitch