Pick Stitch

Pick stitch is running stitch with a slight difference. It shows up very less on the outer surface of the fabric, but a majority of the stitching thread is exposed underneath. It is also referred to as stab stitch or half-backstitch. The technique finds use in making hems of garments, inserting zips in clothes, and also as an embroidery stitch when worked with different contrasting colors. It is commonly seen at the border of the lapel and collar of a suit.

How To Do Pick Stitch

1. Thread your needle and clip the ends of your thread with a knot. If you are sewing a zipper, lay the garment on a flat surface while doing the stitch.
2. Push the needle up from one end of the fabric or the bottom of a zipper until the thread is fastened to the underside of the cloth.
3. Insert the needle back into the fabric on the upper surface. The point of insertion should be a thread or two behind the point that the needle first came through. Need some more clarification? Here it is. Keeping in mind that you are stitching on a line from right to left, you should insert the needle to the right of the point through which the thread first came in. Pull out the thread fully from beneath the fabric.

4. Push up your needle again about 1/4^th inch ahead of the first stitch and insert it back into the fabric, just a couple of threads behind. Continue doing this for the entire length of the fabric. Take care to keep all the stitches uniform.
5. After reaching the end of your fabric or zipper, fasten a knot to close the stitch. If it is done properly, then the line of tiny stitches resemble a dotted line on a garment. However, the wrong side of the same garment bears a line of relatively bigger stitches.

Pick Stitch Video

Uses of Pick Stitching

Pick stitch is used for giving a fashionable border to apparel, especially suits, jackets, vests, blazers, and jeans.  Tailored tuxedos look glam when sporting this hand stitch.

In case of bedding, teen quilts and shams, euro pillows, duvet covers, bedspreads, comforters, and cotton quilts in various colors look admirable when done up with this stitch.

Other uses include creating enviable hemlines, curtains, embroideries, etc. Pick stitch can also give a pretty edging to fabric flower petal appliques and denim hand bags.

Hope you had a good time going through the instructions and applications of this easy stitch. Just thread your needle and let this beautiful stitch adorn a fabric of your choice. Once you make a start, there will be no stopping with this adorable stitch.