Featherstitch or feather stitch and Cretan stitch or faggoting stitch are embroidery techniques made of open, looped stitches worked alternately to the right and left of a central rib. Fly stitch is categorized with the featherstitches.

Applications

Feather stitch is a decorative stitch which is usually accompanied with embellishments. Cretan stitch is characteristic of embroidery of Crete and the surrounding regions. Open Cretan stitch or faggoting is used in making open decorative seams and to attach insertions. Feather stitch embroidery arose in England in the 19th century for decorating smock-frocks. It is also used to decorate the joins in crazy quilting. It is related to (and probably derives from) the older buttonhole stitch and chain stitch.

Variants

Common variants of featherstitch include:

Stitch gallery

Looped stitches

Other looped stitches include:

Gallery