Make Cute Little Tulips with the Tulip Stitch
Table of Contents
Make some super adorable miniature tulips with the tulip stitch. This embroidery stitch has character and thankfully, it’s simple to make, making it perfect for beginners! I really like using the tulip stitch to make small flowers, but using a little bit of imagination can open up other creative ideas. Snowflake parts, perhaps?
How to Make a Basic Tulip Stitch
The tulip stitch starts with a lazy daisy stitch (aka detached chain stitch).
I’ve drawn a vertical guideline and will start at the top.
- Make a small loop at the very top. Just come up and return through the same hole (or as close to it as you can).
- Then come up through the loop, about a stitch length away and pull through.
Optional:
Before pulling the needle all the way through the loop, leave it halfway in the fabric and gently pull the thread from the back so the loop hugs the needle. Then pull the needle through. I find that it’s a little less wear and tear on the thread.
Next, create a little tie stitch to hold your loop down.
All you have to do is return to the back just below your loop. This stitch can be short or long. Just be sure it's not too small or too tight. You're going to need a little wiggle room to push thread through it in the next step.
Now, make a 'V' under your lazy daisy stitch.
- Come up to the side of your stitch. Then push your needle through the small stitch this is holding down your loop and pull it through.
- You can start on either side and the length can be short or long.
Return to the back on the other side to finish creating the 'v' shape. That’s all there is to it!
Vary It Up
The tulip stitch can be used alone or grouped. They can be stacked like this to resemble a spine which is perfect if you're creating things like skeletons for Halloween!
Here are a few ways you can vary it up.
- Make the stitch that holds down the loop longer to create a ‘stem’.
- Group them randomly for an organic look.
- Stack them with a short stem to create a spine-like appearance.
- Stack them with a long stem.
- Make the 'V' a different color.
- Add two 'v's. Make the second 'v' a different color.
I hope you've enjoyed this quick embroidery stitch tutorial. Try adding the tulip stitch to add a little detail to things like your collar, side of your socks, dog bandanas, napkins, and whatever else you can think of. Adding even the tiniest of details is all you need to make them a bit more unique. 🙂