The Bosnian or Bosnia Stitch is a zig zag stitch that can be used as a row or border stitch, or repeated so you can fill a space. The French refer to this stitch as a fence stitch or barrier stitch. The Bosnian Stitch is worked right to left along parallel lines. It can be used in both hand embroidery as well as in counted cross stitch embroidery. Embroiderers of what was then called Yugoslavia frequently use the Bosnia Stitch as a Filling.
Considered a flat stitch, it is stitched with an up-and-down motion, a great stitch for crazy quilting. I can see using it to define a seam line on a garment as a design element, or even to add surface design to an art quilt.
How to Embroider the Bosnian Stitch
The Bosnian stitch is worked right to left with straight stitches, then return to the beginning with slanted stitches.
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Materials
- Fabric to embroider
- Embroidery thread or floss
Tools
- Embroidery hoop
- Embroidery needle suitable for your choice of thread
- Embroidery scissors
- Fabric marking pen or pencil, I used a Frixion pen
Instructions
- Hoop your fabric. Draw two (2) parallel lines where you'd like your stitch. I used a Frixion pen. NOTE: Always test your fabric marking tool on a scrap of the fabric you will use to make sure it comes out!
- Bring your needle up on one of the lines where you'd like to start your stitching line (A), and then back down at B.
- You take a slanted stitch on the back, bringing your needle back up at C. To really show the stitch, make sure to leave a gap between A and C.
- Take your needle back down to form a straight stitch on the top of the fabric (D), and then back up at E, about the same distance away from C, as C is from A. To keep an even look to the stitch, try to keep your straight stitches parallel to each other. (Or, try something your own way! There is no embroidery police! :))
- Continue making straight lines on the top of your fabric and bringing your needle up on the bottom line for the next stitch.
- Work this parallel stitching until the end of your line. Take your needle down at the top of your line.
- Now, bring your needle up at the bottom of that same stitch (G) and stitch angled to the right to the top line and take your needle to the back (H).
- Do this again, bringing your needle up at the bottom of the straight line (I), and down at the top of the next straight line (J).
- Continue stitching in this method until you get to the last stitch. Take your needle to the back and tie off your thread.
- Here is the final Bosnian stitch embroidery sampler!
- Remove your marked lines. I took my sampler to the ironing board and gave it a shot of steam and the marks disappeared. Here is the finished sampler with no marked lines.
Recommended Products
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- PILOT FriXion Clicker Erasable, Refillable & Retractable Gel Ink Pens, Fine Point, Assorted Color Inks, 10-Pack Pouch (11336)
- Bohin Crewel Embroidery Needles, Size 7, 15 Per Package
- Valdani Perle Cotton Embroidery Thread Size 8 Vintage Hues Collection
- kai 5 1/2 inch Embroidery Scissors, Black Handle
- Caydo 6 Pieces Embroidery Hoop Set Bamboo Circle Cross Stitch Hoop Ring 4 inch to 10 inch for Embroidery and Cross Stitch
Here is another sampler of the Bosnian stitch.
Here is a sampler I completed with variations of the Bosnian stitch:
The first three rows are the same, but I stitched with different weights of threads.
- Rows 1-3: Black pearl cotton in sizes 12, 8 and 5
- Row 4: I used different color threads, one for the straight stitches on the first direction and then a different color for the return.
- In Row 5: I doubled a variegated thread which makes the stitch thicker, plus the variegated gives the stitch more depth.
- Row 6: I stitched the slanted lines twice, to give it a different look, came back after my straight line with a bottom up stitch, and then went back again with a top down stitch. This definitely looks like a fence post! I understand how the French call it the Fence Stitch.
Check out all of the embroidery tutorials on Create Whimsy!