As the name implies, the Lazy Daisy Stitch is an easy and fun way to embroider simple flower petals, leaves, and raindrops. It is a traditional stitch in flower embroidery. Sometimes it is called different names. If you scatter the stitch, the Lazy Daisy (also called Detached Chain Stitch or Single Chain Stitch) makes a playful fill. If you already know the Chain Stitch, this will look very familiar! This is one of my favorite hand embroidery stitches.
This stitch is perfect for beginners, and isn’t just for flower petals! The elongated loop stitch can mimic a leaf and other motifs in more complicated embroidery designs. It’s a super-fast and easy stitch, just looping your thread around your needle.
The daisy stitch is part of the looped embroidery family. It is a series of single or detached chain stitches around a center point. Vary the thread and stitch length to make flowers of different shapes and sizes. One strand of embroidery floss makes a very delicate flower; silk ribbon embroidery to creates a statement with your stitching! They can all join in the center or leave a center circle to fill with other stitches like a satin stitch or French knots.
Lazy daisies are common in smocking as a decorative element.
How to Embroider the Lazy Daisy Stitch
The Lazy Daisy Stitch is one of the basic embroidery stitches every stitcher should know. Happy little stitched flowers can embellish clothes, linens, and accessories.
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Here are step-by-step photos for making this simple stitch.
Materials
- Embroidery thread or floss
- Fabric to stitch
Tools
- Embroidery needle suitable for the thread or floss chosen
- Embroidery hoop
- Embroidery scissors
Instructions
- Start by bringing your needle up at the center of your flower (A). Put your needle back in the fabric next to (a couple of threads away from) where you brought it up - do not pull the thread tight.
Bring your needle back up at the other end of your flower petal (B). Loop the embroidery thread around the tip of the needle and gently pull the thread to form the flower petal at the end of the loop. .
- Take a tiny stitch back down just on the other side of the loop (C) and back up at the center (D). This makes a teardrop shape.
- Put your needle down in the center again a couple of threads away from your exit point (D), and up at the length of the next flower petal. Loop the thread around the end of the petal. (E).
- Continue for your third petal in the same way.
- Continue around the flower to make as many petal shapes as you'd like.
- And here is a finished Lazy Daisy Stitch with five petals.
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Here is a quick video tutorial showing you how to stitch lazy daisy stitches.
What are the steps for the lazy daisy stitch?
This is really an easy embroidery stitch. Bring your needle up to the front of your fabric, loop the fabric around your needle tip and then place the needle back in your fabric where you’d like the loop to end. To make it a daisy, you make these stitches in a round forming a flower.
What type of stitch is the lazy daisy stitch?
This stitch belongs to the loop stitch family of stitches because you loop your thread around the tip of your needle.
How many strands of floss do you use for a daisy stitch?
It depends. What do you want your flower to look like? For a delicate look, use one or two strands of floss and make 8-10 loops for your flower. For a bold flower look, use all six strands and make 5 large loops. I use both 6-strand embroidery floss, as well as Perle cottons (in all sizes) to make flowers.
Adjust your needle size for the number of strands or type of thread you are using.
What is the daisy flower stitch used for?
Flower designs are an easy way to embellish clothes, linens, or even for embroidery art! It’s a personal favorite of mine and an amazing way to decorate textiles. Most of all, have fun!
- Use the stem stitch to make stems for your flowers and add French knots to the center.
- Make a single detached stitch as small leaves along a stem.
- Try different thread colors to add more visual interest to your work.
Check out all of the hand embroidery projects and inspiration on Create Whimsy!
See our video on how to make the lazy daisy stitch on our Youtube channel.
