Brick Stitch is also known as
Long and short stitch [EN], Punto matizado / Punto pasado alternado / Punto largo y corto [ES], Passé empietant [FR], Versetzter Plattstich / Nadelmalerei [DE], Punto pittura / Punto raso [IT], Ponto matiz [PT].
How to do the Brick Stitch
The Brick Stitch is a way of filling patterns, especially when the pattern is very big for the Satin Stitch to be applied. Here, the stitches are laid in a brick-like fashion. Shading can be done using this stitch by using a different colored thread for each subsequent row.
Here, the pattern is divided into smaller sections. Every alternate stitch will be small and half the size of the previous stitch. This is how the brick-like effect comes into being. The lesson will help you to understand this.
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| Fig 1: The leaf is divided into sections marked by A, B, C, D, and so forth. We begin stitching from the broader end of the leaf towards the stitch lines A and B alternately. The stitches falling on A are short and the stitches falling on B are long. |
Fig 2: Now, we stitch the next row. This time, all the stitches will be of the same length. So, stitches from A will fall on C, and stitches from B will fall on D. |
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| Fig 3: Keep tapering the stitch as you go down. Note that, it is only in the first row that we do the stitches long and short. For the rows that follow, all the stitches are of the same length but show up long and short due to the effect we made in the first section. 🙂 A finished leaf would look like this. |
How to do this stitch using the 3sat Sakura pattern
Learn Hand Embroidery Stitches | Plucked Knot, Brick Stitch, Open Back Stitch
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Learn this stitch along with 305 other stitches from our 600-page eBook.
Other stitches from the Satin Stitch Family
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Surface Satin
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Back Stitched Satin
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Trailing Stitch
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Double Satin
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Sarah has been researching and sharing hand embroidery lessons for over 17 years, making it accessible to everyone around the globe.
My latest embroidery. I changed the flowers to daffodils. Give everyone a big hug for me. Keep up the good lessons………YOU DO MAKE A GOOD DIFFERENCE………….❤️
Thank you for making this website! It is so helpful and put together beautifully. It’s really better than all the embroidery books I’ve ever looked at. Kudos to you!
Thank you, Tipton.
We are coming out with an E-book. 😉
This tutorial is just what I needed this very second. Thanks for posting!
Interesting useful website. Congrats!
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Just stumbled across this looking for stitches to use in my paisley sampler I’m putting together piece by piece… this site is amazing. I can’t wait to show my mom who embroiders A LOT!
This site is very useful and easy to learn…thank a lot..
would brick stitch be good for embroidering eyes?
Well, Abrianna, it depends on how big the eyes you want to stitch are. If they are small, I would suggest satin stitch.
Dear Sarah,
Thank you so much for producing this page, I have a bookmark of your page on my tablet’s homepage as an easy to reach reference. I am busy producing some homemade bits and pieces and your description of the brick stitch is exactly what is needed for my latest project. I enjoy reading through the stitch instructions from time-to-time to increase my knowledge of different embroidery stitches. I love your page.
Clare 🙂
thanks so much! now I’m really good at brick stitch! It’s a great stitch for filling large flower petals!!!
it made easy for me to stich clothes in the house for my daughter
Dear Sarah,
I want to learn basic embroidery stiches because lately I have become interested in them. Please tell me if you published a books of all your stiches because it will be invaluble to me,
Thanks
Vaishno
Dear Vaishno Devi,
We are working on an E book for now. Might take a few more months before it is ready.
Great site Sarah!
p.s. there is problem with the print friendly for brick stitch, images don’t show.
thank you for your lessons.Its very nice & friendly.thank you sarah,thank you very much.
Thank You for the simple, yet very effective techniques for working Brick stitch. Your explanation is better than that given in th Embroidery Stitch Bible…which by the way, lists Brick stitch and Long and Short stitch independently.
One difference is Brick stitch does not need to cover the ground fabric entirely; there should be spaces between the “long” and ” short” stitches, whereas, for true Long and Short stitch, NO ground fabric should be seen underneath! Think of Brick stitch more as a gate through which you can look, and Long and Short stitch as a brick wall where the peices are staggered, yet, nothing is visible on the other side.
Dear Missy,
Thank you very much for this information. I had never come across this difference while I was trying to research on both the stitches. 🙂
mrs.sarah,
i am just a beginner and have tried my first brick satin stitch.
plz tell me whether i have done it a correct manner.
dear sarah i’m excited and happy to c and learn from ur video tutorial lesson.thanks a lot.
i just luv your website and i am daily learning from this website
sarah,
no other sites as clear and convincing as yours
I just love your site
saras
Hello Saras,
We feel happy that you are able to learn from our website clearly. 🙂
hi sarah,
ok. i will be waiting for ur posts.
Dear Sapna,
I know it has been awfully long since you have asked me for the long and short stitch. Things just kept me busy until now. I have to stand corrected in what I had mentioned earlier. Long and short stitch is the same as brick stitch. It was a short coming in my research work then, that I was not able to understand this. I have made appropriate corrections in this page.
hi sarah,
now i am working on brick stitch.it has come out well.i find easy to follow your instructions.can u please guide me in learning ong and short stitch? and to which stitch famiy does it belong. you have not told about button hole stitch .
Dear Sapna,
I am glad that you are learning from these pages easily. 🙂
The stitches you have asked for is yet to be posted. You will have to give me some time for it since we are a bit held up with a few travels in the coming weeks. I hope to post it as soon as we get back.
Is this stitch also called as Long and Short stitch?
Dear Shankari,
This is not long and short stitch. Visually both looks more or less same. The difference is that, long and short stitch follows the curves of the pattern, unlike brick stitch.
Dear Shankari,
I would like to stand corrected on what I replied to you earlier. It was a short coming in my research. Long and short stitch is the same as brick stitch, atleast technically.
I have made corrections in this page.
thank u for your brick stitch tutorial. all your tutorials are very clear and easy to follow.
radhu
Can Silk ribbon be used for this beautiful embroidery or is it too thick??