Turkey Work Embroidery: How to Do Turkey Stitch

Turkey work, or turkey stitch, makes a raised, fluffy pile on the surface of the fabric. Rows of loops are held in place by tiny anchoring stitches, then the loops are cut and trimmed like a lawn. It is the stitch for texture you want to touch: a sheep’s fleece, a fox’s tail, the centre of a sunflower, a dandelion clock or a patch of grass. The name comes from the knotted pile rugs it imitates.

How to do turkey work, in short: starting at the bottom of the area, take the needle down from the front leaving a tail, then make a tiny back stitch to anchor it. Leave a loop, make another tiny back stitch, leave a loop, and so on along the row. Work rows upwards, close together, then cut all the loops and trim the pile to the height you want.

Difficulty	Beginner to intermediate
Used for	Fur, fleece, grass, flower centres, pom-poms, tufted texture
Thread	3–6 strands of stranded cotton, or wool for a softer pile
Needle	Embroidery (crewel) or chenille needle, size 5–7
Stitch size	Anchor stitches 1–2 mm; loops 5–15 mm before trimming

What You Need

Firm fabric in a tight hoop. The anchoring stitches pull, and loose fabric distorts. See our guide to transferring embroidery patterns to fabric.
A thick, soft thread. Six strands of cotton or one strand of crewel wool give the fullest pile.
Sharp, small scissors for cutting and shaping.
A pencil or knitting needle (optional) to hold each loop to the same size.

How to Work Turkey Work

Start from the front. Take the needle down at A, leaving a tail of thread on the surface. Do not knot the thread.
Anchor the tail: come up just to the left of A (B), and go down just to the right of A (C), making a tiny stitch over the tail. Come up again at A.
Make a loop: go down a little to the right (D), leaving a loop on the surface of the size you want.
Anchor the loop: come up between A and D, go down just past D, and come up at D again, holding the loop with a tiny stitch.
Repeat along the row: loop, anchor, loop, anchor. Finish with an anchor stitch and leave a tail on the front.
Work the next row just above the first, 1–2 mm away. Always work from the bottom up, so the loops of finished rows fall away from the needle.

Cutting and Trimming

When the area is filled, cut through all the loops. Brush the pile up with a toothbrush or your fingers to separate the strands, then trim it like a haircut: short and dense for velvet, longer and shaggy for fleece, domed for a pom-pom or a flower centre. Trim a little at a time and turn the hoop often. For a curly look, leave the loops uncut.

Common Problems and How to Fix Them

Problem	Why it happens	Fix
Loops pull out	Anchor stitch missing or loose	Make an anchor stitch after every loop and pull it firm.
Bald patches	Rows too far apart	Work rows 1–2 mm apart; add a row where gaps show.
Flat pile	Too few strands	Use six strands or wool, and trim to an even height.
Needle catches loops	Working from the top down	Always work from the bottom row up.

Where to Use Turkey Work

Animals: sheep, poodles, lion manes, fox and squirrel tails, bear ears.
Flowers: sunflower and daisy centres, thistles, dandelion clocks, pom-pom blooms.
Landscapes: grass, moss and bushes with real height.
Winter projects: fluffy hats, snow and fur trims.

Turkey Work vs French Knots vs Loops Stitch

Turkey work: cut pile, soft and fluffy, can be shaped.
French knots: firm raised dots; packed together they give a bobbly texture, not a soft one.
Loops stitch: uncut loops for a curly, springy surface.

For an overview of all the basic stitches, see our complete guide to hand embroidery stitches.