How to work chain stitch

Secure your thread to the back of your work with an away waste knot, and bring
the needle through to the right side on the line you want to follow. Go back down
as close as possible to your starting point and bring the needle back up a short
distance along the line of the pattern. Before you pull the needle right through the
fabric, make sure that the working thread is underneath the needle.
Then pull the needle through forming a loop or chain on the surface.

Re-insert the needle, next to where it comes through the fabric, inside the loop of
the first chain and again, bring it up further along the line. Tuck the thread under
the needle and pull it through to make the second chain stitch.
Continue in this manner until the line of chain stitch embroidery is complete.

Whipped chain stitch

After you have completed the chain you can whip another thread through each
stitch, either with the same coloured thread or a contrasting one. This gives a
raised line with a little more definition. Let's use it for the vein of our leaf we
worked above.

Thread a blunt tapestry needle and secure your thread to the back of any existing
stitches or use a waste knot.

Bring the needle to the front of the work at the end of the row of chain stitches.
Gently slide the needle underneath the two loops of the first chain.
Continue along the row always sliding the needle underneath from the same side,
to form a rope effect. This whipping thread does not go through the fabric at all,
except at the beginning and end of the row. If we were to use a sharp needle it
could accidentally pierce the fabric, which is why we changed to a tapestry needle.
This is the effect we end up with when a contrast thread is used.

Lazy daisy stitch (or detached chain)

Lazy daisy or detached chain stitch starts in the same manner. If your fabric is
marked to show where these stitches will go then bring the needle out just before
the line. Make sure the thread is under the needle before you pull it all the way
through, as before.
This time instead of taking the needle down inside the loop, push it through the
fabric just outside the chain to tie it down. Then bring the needle back up in
position for the next stitch. Don't pull the thread too tightly or you will end up with a
loop that looks like a straight line rather than a oval.
This stitch is often used to create flowers. When all the detached chain stitches
are in place you can fill the centre of the flower with French knots .
Lazy daisies can also be worked in ribbon embroidery. The sample worked here
used 2mm wide Offray embroidery ribbon and measures about 1 inch across at its
widest point.

Check out the embroidery stitches for flowers page for more ideas for using this
versatile stitch.