How To Do Couching In Hand Embroidery and Stitching

To do couching by hand, it’s a really simple technique where you first choose the item you want to couch on (ribbon, cord, yarn, braids, etc.) and then place it on your fabric. You can temporarily pin it down if you want, although its not always necessary.

Once you have the item you are couching on in place, you simply use regular embroidery thread or hand quilting thread and stitch small stitches around the item, working from one side of it to the other and then coming back around to the side you started on from underneath.

The easiest and most simple method of doing this by hand is with small straight stitches, but you can actually do a lot of decorative stitches too for different effects.

Conclusion

The couching stitch is a fantastic addition to your embroidery toolkit, offering endless possibilities for creativity and expression.

Whether you’re embellishing a garment, personalizing a gift, or simply enjoying the therapeutic rhythm of needle and thread, this technique is both versatile and accessible.

As you’ve learned in this step-by-step guide, mastering the couching stitch is within your reach. Armed with the right knowledge and a bit of practice, you can create stunning designs that showcase your unique style and artistic flair.

So, whether you’re a beginner eager to embark on your embroidery journey or an experienced crafter seeking new horizons, don’t hesitate to explore the world of couching stitch.

Let your creativity flow, and watch as your embroidery projects come to life with texture, color, and personality. Now, it’s time to pick up your needle, select your threads, and start your next couching stitch project.

About Jessica Vale

I am a student at University for the Creative Arts, I am an expert in hand embroidery and I am currently working on my final year project.

I have been working as an apprentice in a small dressmaking company since September 2017, where I work on all aspects of garment construction such as cutting, sewing, pattern making, and draping.

I have also taken part in a number of other projects including Susan Aldworth - 'Out of the Blue' exhibition and the International Hanbok exhibition. LinkedIn

Products mentioned in this post

• StitchArtist Level 1
• StitchArtist Level 2
• StitchAritst Level 3
• Font designed for stitching out couched words
• Yarn
• Thin ribbon
• Embroidery thread
• Sticky back tear away
• T-shirt or sweatshirt of your choice
• Fabric glue pen

Contents show

What is couching in needlework?

If you are new to couching, you are probably wondering what it means. Chances are you’ve seen the technique in all sorts of different projects and maybe just didn’t know it has a name!

Couching is a decorative stitching technique in which yarn, cord or other material is attached and sewn onto your fabric using stitches to hold it in place.

It’s a fun and easy technique that can be used to add texture and visual interest to all sorts of projects. Whether you like slow stitching, crazy quilting, embroidery, appliqué or just have a special project that needs a little extra pizazz, couching is the technique for you to explore!

While the most straightforward way to couch is in a straight line, you can really have some fun by using the cording to create various designs and textures to projects. Here’s an example of couching in a scroll pattern:

If you want to learn some more techniques and examples with couching for decorative designs, check out our post on couching in laidwork – and we have TONS of different couching projects and patterns in our vault!

I love couching for a number of different things, whether it is as a seam treatment in crazy quilts, a border for appliqué or even just creating different designs in my slow stitch projects and adding texture to my textile art.

There are many ways to do couching in textile art and you can do it either by hand or with a sewing machine. If you have a hard time sewing by hand or maybe even don’t want to sew by hand, you will totally want to check out our post on how to couch with a sewing machine!