Feather Stitch

Intermediate Embroidery

A branching, feathery embroidery stitch made of alternating looped stitches down a central line, used for decorative borders and stems.

Bring the needle up through the fabric at the top of your line.
Insert the needle down a short distance to the right and slightly below your starting point, then bring the tip back up in the center, directly below the start.
Catch the working thread under the needle's tip before pulling through, so it loops down into a V shape.
Insert the needle down a short distance to the left this time and slightly below the last stitch, then bring the tip back up in the center again, catching the thread under the tip the same way.
Continue alternating right, then left, working down the line, so the stitch branches outward like a feather or fern.

Alternating sides with every stitch — right, then left, then right again — is what creates the branching, feathery look; repeating the same side in a row just makes a lopsided chain.
Keeping even spacing and consistent stitch length down the line matters more here than in most embroidery stitches, since any unevenness reads immediately in the branching pattern.
Feather stitch is a favorite for crazy quilting because it decoratively covers a seam line while adding texture at the same time.