Ainu Running Stitch is a type of running stitch. It comes from the indigenous people of northern Japan and southeastern Russia, known as the Ainu. It was traditionally used on embroidered garments.
Apart from traditional applications, Ainu Running Stitch lends itself to experimenting with different thicknesses of threads, different coloured threads, and even adding beads on the thread that runs between the running stitches.
How to work Ainu Running Stitch
Commence with a line of generous running stitches made slightly longer than normal.
On the second journey, working from right to left, have your thread emerge below the first running stitch at the centre as illustrated.
Make a small couching stitch as illustrated. With the needle emerging just below the end of the running stitch, pull the thread through.
Move to the next running stitch and make a slanted stitch. Have your needle emerge at the centre of the next running stitch as illustrated.
Take the thread over the stitch to make a small couching stitch.
Move along the line, couching each stitch.
I hope you enjoy this variety of running stitch, which you may not be familiar with!
Bead Soup
Add zing to your embroidery with Sharon’s bead soup! Check them out in the Pintangle Shop. These bead soups are not for jewelry, I’ve selected the beads specifically for use in creative embroidery and for working in an encrusted embroidery style. The types and sizes of beads are better suited for stitching to fabric, rather than for making jewelry. With the exception of a few feature beads that you can stitch to fabric as a point of emphasis, there are not many large beads in this mix.
This article from the New York Times might be interesting; it’s about the Ainu culture: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/fashion/craftsmanship-ainu-hokkaido-japan.html
Joined TAST last year I think …but have done nothing …Starting a Fresh ….hope to learn loads …I have a Left Handed Embroidery Book …which is a great help as I’ve been sewing left handed but backwards or turning in my head all my life ….big learning curve.
Love this stitch variation and I also love your book. I just have to learn how to make more time in day to do more stitching!
Thanks Judie I am pleased you like the book – The stitch is interesting I am still exploring it
Wow! I am delighted that you are introducing Ainu Stitch to your followers. It IS a great variation of the Running Stitch and can be altered in many ways with colour, thread type and length. I think the very best look is with a good contrast between the fabric and the two threads. Traditionally it seems to have been worked in white and red on a dark blue background.
Thanks Queenie I think its a great stitch
Beautiful and very simple. Thank you!
This is an interesting one. Can’t wait to try it out. Thanks for all the lovely things you teach us
I love this stitch!
This is a lovely stitch. I can see it on future work – thank you
A very nice stitch, Sharon, thank you so much for showing. And yes „our Queeniepatch“ is a wonderful source, too.
Thanks for all these wonderful stitch ideas!
Love this, how much fun!
I think it is fun and interesting stitch too!