Seed Stitch Tutorial

Seed stitch is also known as seed filling, speckling, dot stitch, or rice stitch. It is one of the simplest stitches to work. You can create this stitch by scattering tiny straight stitches randomly over the surface of your fabric. Traditionally, you work the stitches with quite an even spacing, keeping the length of each stitch the same. The randomness is created by pointing the stitches in different directions. If you want a light and airy feel, space the stitches further apart. A close, dense spacing of stitches over an area creates quite a visually strong filling.

In contemporary embroidery, you can vary the weight of the thread with thick and thin threads used over the same area. Also, you can work seed stitch in a more free-form manner in contemporary embroidery. You can change not only the direction but also the length of the stitch and spacing. You can work dense areas with stitches piled up against each other. Or work seed stitch sprinkled across a surface as a sparse little light touch.

There is a double version of Seed stitch. You can find instructions for Double seed stitch here

You can work Seed stitch on plain or evenweave fabric. Try varying the look of this stitch by using different coloured threads or threads of different thicknesses. If you use a metallic thread and sprinkle beads in among the stitches you can add more life and a contemporary twist to your work.