Table of Contents
Watch the video: “Basketweave Stitch Embroidery Tutorial” by KuteCrafts.com
This friendly, beginner-ready tutorial shows how to build a gorgeous woven texture using a simple, repeatable method. If you’ve ever wanted a neat, tactile fill for shapes, this stitch is a go-to. The key? An even base of vertical lines and a calm, alternating weave across the top.
What you’ll learn
- How to outline a shape and lay parallel vertical stitches for a consistent foundation.
- The over/under weaving technique (without piercing the fabric).
- How to alternate rows for true basketweave texture.
- Tips to manage tension and spacing for a polished finish.
Introduction to the Basketweave Stitch The basketweave stitch is a filling stitch that truly looks woven—perfect for adding depth inside shapes. In the video, Jessica starts with a simple square, but notes you can fill different shapes and shows an example on lemons at the end. If you’ve ever woven paper or fiber, the rhythm will feel familiar: go over one, under the next, then alternate with each new row.
What is a Basketweave Stitch? It’s a two-part process: first, lay vertical lines to cover the outline of your shape; second, weave horizontal thread over and under those lines. The result is a tidy, textile-like texture that stands out as a fill. embroidery frame
Why Use the Basketweave for Filling? Because it’s structured yet forgiving. Jessica emphasizes pulling gently and keeping even spacing so the texture lays flat instead of puckering. The slight “grid” you build makes the weaving quick and methodical.
Step-by-Step Guide: Creating the Vertical Foundation A balanced foundation sets you up for an easy, attractive weave.
Drawing Your Shape Jessica sketches a simple square using a pencil. Any shape will work, but a square is perfect for practicing spacing and rhythm. Keep the lines visible enough to guide your stitching.
Placing the First Vertical Stitch Bring the needle up just outside the edge of the shape and take it straight down just outside the opposite edge. Jessica likes to start just beyond the line so the stitches cover the pencil marks and give a clean outline. Keep the line straight—this first stitch sets the tone.
Filling the Shape with Parallel Lines Work across the shape with vertical lines. Leave a slight, consistent gap between where the previous stitch went down and the next comes up. Jessica notes that the size of this gap will affect the look—experiment to find your favorite spacing. Avoid pulling too tight to keep the fabric flat and the stitches parallel.
Pro tip If you notice a line drifting, stop and adjust. A tiny course correction now prevents compounding wonkiness across the fill. magnetic embroidery hoops
Mastering the Weave: Horizontal Rows With your verticals in place, it’s time to weave. This is the fun part—and the step that creates the unmistakable basket look.
Starting the Weaving Process Bring your needle up at one side of the shape, adjacent to the vertical lines. You’ll work horizontally across the row. Remember: you are not piercing the fabric here.
The Over/Under Technique (No Fabric Piercing!) Weave the needle over the first vertical stitch, under the second, over the third, and so on—just sliding under and over the laid threads. Pull the thread through gently so it lays flat and straight.
Quick check Look across your row: is your over/under pattern consistent? If you accidentally pierce the fabric or grab the wrong thread path, back out and re-weave before you continue.
Adjusting Without Distorting Once the row is through, Jessica “scootches” the thread upward to nestle it into place. It should sit snugly against the previous rows, straight but never tight enough to warp the stitching beneath.
Alternating the Weave for Texture Secure the row by taking the needle down just outside the edge of the shape. For the next row, come up on the opposite side and alternate: if you ended by going over a particular vertical stitch, start the next row by going under it. Keep this alternating logic going for each row to build the woven effect.
Watch out Repeating the same over/under on two consecutive rows will flatten the pattern. If something looks off, compare it to the row above: you should always be doing the opposite on the next pass.
Building Row by Row Continue working back and forth, always alternating the starting path and maintaining a calm, even tension. Slide each completed row into place, checking that spacing remains consistent.
Tension and Finish Pulling too tight can distort the verticals; leaving slack creates loops that catch. Jessica demonstrates a gentle tug—enough to straighten, never enough to cinch.
Result: A Uniform Woven Fill As you reach the bottom of the shape, the texture appears even and tidy, with the rows neatly nested and the pencil lines fully covered.
Tips for a Perfect Basketweave These refinements from the video will keep your stitch looking polished from start to finish.
Maintaining Consistent Tension
- Keep a steady hand and avoid sharp tugs. The horizontal thread should lay flat across the verticals, then be softly pushed into place.
- If you see rippling or puckering, ease off and re-seat the row gently.
- If a row looks loose, a light re-tensioning (without tightening the verticals) brings it back in line. magnetic embroidery hoop
Achieving Even Spacing
- Your base verticals determine everything. Space them evenly—this makes the weaving predictable and tidy.
- Adjust the horizontal rows by “scootching” them into alignment after each pass.
- When in doubt, compare the current row to the last: edges should match and line up like a grid.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- Accidentally pierced the fabric while weaving? Back the thread out and try again—sliding over/under keeps the weave adjustable.
- Forgot to alternate on a new row? Unpick that row and re-weave with the opposite pattern to restore the basket effect.
- Distortion creeping in? Check tension first; then verify your verticals are still parallel and not being pulled inward.
From the comments
- Fabric base question: A viewer asked about the fabric type and weight. The creator later pointed to a preferred embroidery fabric and a blog post with details on fabric options.
- Left-handed knots: Another viewer mentioned struggling with French knots left-handed. While this video doesn’t cover French knots, the basketweave technique shown here is symmetrical and can be followed from either side of the hoop.
- Naming note: One commenter shared that they call a similar stitch “Ripu,” a reminder that stitch names can vary by region and tradition.
- Community love: Multiple viewers praised the clarity of the pacing and explanations—no fast-forwarding through the important parts here.
Project Ideas: Where to Use Your New Stitch Adding Texture to Designs Jessica shows a lemon pattern at the end of the video, using the basketweave to bring dimension to the fruit. It’s a great choice for areas where you want a tactile, woven feel inside a shape—think fruit segments, baskets, rooftops, or bold letters.
Creative Filling Applications Try the basketweave inside simple geometric shapes as a sampler warm-up, then move to organic forms. Because the technique is built on straight verticals with horizontal weaves, you can adapt it to many outlines with clean edges and confident spacing.
Pro tip If you like to explore tools beyond hand stitching, you may enjoy reading about hardware used in machine embroidery—even though this tutorial is fully hand-stitched. For example, some machine embroiderers experiment with accessories like snap hoop monster, fast frames embroidery, and mighty hoop when they want different hooping options. While not needed for this hand technique, knowing the terminology can be helpful if you alternate between hand and machine methods.
Expand Your Embroidery Skills with the 30-Day Challenge Jessica references her book, “30-Day Challenge Embroidery,” where she teaches 30 stitches with diagrams and projects. In this video, she also shows how the basketweave enriches a lemon pattern from that collection. Publication timing is noted as the end of January, though no specific year is given in the video.
Quick check: your takeaways
- Start just outside your shape’s outline so the fill covers the drawn lines.
- Lay even verticals; your weave depends on them.
- Weave without piercing the fabric: over one, under the next.
- Alternate the pattern with every new row (over/under becomes under/over, and so on).
- Keep tension gentle; adjust rows by nudging, not tugging.
Resource corner (optional reading for machine-curious stitchers) Hand embroidery doesn’t use machine hoops, but readers who also machine stitch often ask about terms they see online. Here are a few common phrases you might encounter while browsing, included here for orientation only:
FAQ Q: Do I pierce the fabric when weaving the horizontal threads? A: No. Slide the needle over and under the vertical stitches without piercing the fabric.
Q: How do I keep the texture even? A: Maintain even spacing on the vertical foundation, alternate the weave each row, and keep tension gentle and consistent.
Q: What shapes work best? A: Squares are great for practice, but the technique works across many outlines. The video shows a lemon example using this fill.
Q: How tight should I pull? A: Just enough to lay the thread flat. If you see distortion, loosen up and re-seat the row.