The Heavy Chain Stitch is a thicker variation of the regular chain stitch and is perfect for outlines where you really want the hand embroidery stitch to stand out. When you are looking for a thick line in embroidery, this is the stitch for you. It is also referred to as the broad chain stitch, the braid stitch or the heavy braid stitch.

This stitch follows curves well and has a braid-like look and texture. This is a useful to fill backgrounds or in creating pictures. Try the heavy chain stitch for stems, organic forms, monograms and more.

Use this embroidery stitch for crazy quilting, surface design, fiber projects and to embellish garments. I really like the thick look that can be made with the double stitching through the chain stitch. Want it even thicker? Use a heavier thread, like I did in one of the samples below with a variegated Perle cotton. Or, use all six strand of floss with stranded embroidery floss.

One (1) Embroidery Sample

How to Embroider the Heavy Chain Stitch

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: Beginner

With the heavy chain stitch, each loop is stitched through two stitches forming a thick line of embroidery stitches. This is a variation of the chain stitch.

The loops through two prior stitches form a braid-like stitch that is dense for when you are looking for a thick outline. It can be used as a filling stitch, too. See the notes below for more about using it as a fill stitch.

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Here is a step-by-step tutorial with photos on how to embroider the heavy chain stitch.

Materials

Embroidery thread or floss
Fabric to embroider

Tools

Embroidery needle suitable for your embroidery thread or floss
Embroidery scissors
Embroidery hoop, recommended

Instructions

Place your fabric in your embroidery hoop and adjust your fabric so that it is taut. Hooping your fabric is recommended for even stitching. Without a hoop, sometimes the stitching will pull on the fabric.

Start by making a small stitch. Bring your needle up to the front of the fabric at A, and down at B. Next, bring your needle up one stitch away (C).
Take your needle and loop it through the first stitch D and down at C.
Bring your needle up at E.
Do this again. Loop your needle through the first stitch F. From here on out, you'll loop through two prior stitches, making a heavy chain stitch.
Take your needle down at E and take a little stitch to G.
Loop your needle through two prior stitches H.
Down at G and take another little stitch to I.
Continue looping through two prior stitches.
And finish each stitch.
At the end of your line, take your needle to the back of your work and tie off your threads. Here is the finished heavy chain stitch.

Notes

How to use the heavy chain stitch:

Use the heavy chain stitch for outlines. Stack the heavy lines on top of each other to fill a square or rectangle space. For round or curve shapes, start with an outside outline and then fill in from the outside to the center.