How to Do Herringbone Stitch in Embroidery

Herringbone stitch is a row of crossed diagonal stitches that zigzags between two parallel lines, with the stitches overlapping at the top and bottom. The finished band looks like the bones of a fish or a woven braid. It makes decorative borders, wide stems and leaf veins, and, worked closely on the back of sheer fabric, it is the stitch behind shadow work. In sewing, the same stitch holds hems on stretchy fabric, because the crossed stitches give a little.

How to do herringbone stitch, in short: working from left to right between two lines, bring the needle up on the lower line, take a small stitch from right to left on the upper line a little further along, then take a small stitch from right to left on the lower line further along again. The long diagonals cross each other, and the small stitches on each line overlap.

Difficulty	Beginner
Used for	Borders, wide stems, leaf veins, shadow work, hems
Thread	2–3 strands of stranded cotton; perle cotton for bold borders
Needle	Embroidery (crewel) needle, size 7–9
Stitch size	Band 4–10 mm wide; small stitches on each line 1–2 mm

What You Need

Two parallel guide lines the width of the band. On evenweave fabric you can count threads instead.
Fabric in a hoop. See our guide to transferring embroidery patterns to fabric.
A thread that shows the crossing. A slightly thicker thread or two colours (one for the herringbone, one for threading through it) make the pattern clear.

How to Work Herringbone Stitch

Bring the needle up on the lower line at the left end (A).
Move diagonally up and to the right and take a small horizontal stitch on the upper line from right to left: down at B, up at C, a little to the left of B.
Move diagonally down and to the right and take a small horizontal stitch on the lower line from right to left: down at D, up at E.
Repeat, alternating between the upper and lower lines. Each new diagonal crosses over the previous one.
Finish by taking the needle down at the end of the last diagonal.

The work moves from left to right, but each small stitch on the lines is taken from right to left. That is what makes the stitches cross.

Keeping the Band Even

Even herringbone depends on two measurements staying the same: the distance moved along the band for each diagonal, and the length of the small stitch on each line. Mark dots along both lines at equal intervals before you start, and take every small stitch between the same pair of dots. On curves, keep the stitches on the outer line slightly longer than those on the inner line so the band bends smoothly.

Herringbone Stitch Variations

Closed herringbone stitch. The small stitches on each line touch, so the diagonals form a solid band. Worked on the back of sheer fabric, it shows on the front as two lines of back stitch with a shadow of colour between them: shadow work.
Double herringbone stitch. A second row in another colour is worked into the gaps of the first, giving a woven look.
Threaded herringbone stitch. A second thread is laced under the crossings without entering the fabric.
Tied herringbone stitch. A small straight stitch or a French knot ties down each crossing.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Problem	Why it happens	Fix
Diagonals do not cross	Small stitches taken left to right	Take every small stitch from right to left while moving the work to the right.
Uneven zigzag	Spacing judged by eye	Mark equal dots along both lines.
Band narrows or widens	Lines not parallel or not marked	Draw both lines with a ruler or count threads.
Puckering	Tight diagonals	Let the diagonals lie flat on the fabric; do not pull them.

Where to Use Herringbone Stitch

Borders and bands on samplers, table linen and hems.
Wide stems and branches, filled with a single band.
Leaves, with the band tapering to a point.
Shadow work on organza or fine cotton.
Hems on stretchy fabric, where the crossed stitches allow movement.

Herringbone Stitch vs Fishbone Stitch vs Feather Stitch

Herringbone stitch: crossed diagonals between two lines, with no centre line.
Fishbone stitch: slanted stitches meeting at a centre line, for solid leaves.
Feather stitch: open loops alternating either side of a centre line, for light, branching lines.