Hand embroidery BORDER DESIGNS (25 easy to stitch ones)

There are many beautiful hand embroidery border designs you can use on the borders of shawls, dress hems, handkerchiefs, sleeve hems, necklines, saree borders –  I have just listed some of my favourites. They are made by combining some  basic embroidery stitches like the lazy daisy stitch, running stitch and blanket stitch.

When these simple stitches are combined together and worked in beautiful coloured thread the work takes on a different beauty altogether.

Decorative border stitches

The embroidery borders given here can be used on its own as a single row or made into two or three rows . You can add some more embellishments like beads, sequins to make them more pretty. The whole list is a suggestion and meant to tickle the creativity in you to combine and create more designs suitable for working on borders

Hand embroidery border designs

1. Open Cretan stitch border

Cretan stitch is done and then detached chain stitch or lazy daisy stitch is made above and below.

2. Eyelet stitch border 

Here Algerian eyelet stitch is done alternatively in two or three rows to make a pretty border. You can add a bead to the center of the eyelet .

3. Looped arrow head stitch Border design

An arrowhead stitch is done first and then a contrasting coloured thread is looped through the head on top and bottom. Work more even number of rows of this stitch for a better effect. 

4. Butterfly chain stitch Border design

Butterfly stitch is done with chain stitch . 

5. Rose Bush border

This border consists of french knot flowers, fly stitch stalk and detached chain stitch leaves

6. Mexican stitch border

This stitch is made by lacing thread through rows of running stitches. You have to work atleast 5 rows for this border to work effectively

7. Flower chain border

This border is made by making detached chain stitch flowers with french knot center and 3 fly stitches made  in between 

You can substitute the flower with Bullion knot roses – checkout the tutorial to make bullions knot roses and some easy bullion knot stitch embroidery designs

8. Lazy daisy border 

Lazy daisy stitches are combined with laced running stitch 

9. Blanket stitch border

Blanket stitch is worked in a row ( You can also make graded blanket stitch – checkout how to do variations of blanket stitches) and eyelet stitch flowers are added.

10. Herringbone Stitch Border A tied herringbone stitch is done here. Checkout the tutorial to do a herringbone stitch

11. Double chevron stitch

Chevron stitch is worked in two rows to make this beautiful border. Beads or sequins can be placed in the center. Checkout the tutorial to do chevron stitch 

12. Maiden hair border

Maiden hair stitch is combined with french knots to make this creeper border design

13. Gift Box Border

Border of PrA borderoxes – Four sided stitches are combined with bows made of lazy daisy stitches here . Checkout the tutorial to make a four sided stitch

14. Herringbone with star stitch

A bead or french knot can be done on the middle of each flower . 

15. Beaded borders

Bead embroidery stitches make the most beautiful border designs. Checkout the tutorial to make 9 simple but beautiful bead border designs and this post on different ways to attach beads on fabric 

16. Holbein stitch / Kasuti Embroidery

Checkout the detailed post with tutorial to sew Holbein stitch / Kasuti embroidery stitch. Checkout the tank top pattern where this is used.

17. Chikankari border

Chikankari work which uses a number of stitches in its design makes a great border esign especially when made on sheer or thin fabrics. Checkout the tutorial for the chikankari embroidery work

18. Pattern Darning

Pattern Darning or the Japanese Kogin-zashi embroidery can make for beautiful embroidery patterns. Checkout the post on Pattern Darning for more details

19. Chicken Scratch Embroidery borders

This is a type of embroidery best suited for borders done on Gingham ( chequered fabric) A beautiful lacey effect can be worked by doing this embroidery. Checkout the tutorial to do chicken scratch embroidery here

20. French knot Border

French knots are very versatile. It can outline, it can fill embroidery designs, it can also give you simple but stunning borders. When worked in rows with complimentary colours they can look beautiful. Check out the tutorial to make the french knots

21. Zardosi Border designs.

You can do 3 dimensional borders with the help of metallic bullion thread in gold and silver. They make very striking and very ornate borders. You can combine any of the 10 stitches given in the zardosi embroidery work tutorial to create your border design. 

22. Rosette Chain Stitch Border

Checkout the tutorial to make rosette chain stitch for more details on how to make this simple border. The rosette chain stitch is a variation of the twisted chain stitch

23. Fly stitch Border

Fly stitch, when made in several stacked rows, one row straight and the other row upside down, looks like a cross. This can be used as an easy to make pretty border when combined with a back stitch and french knots. Check out the tutorial for Fly stitch and its 7 variations for directions on how to do this stitch.

24. Gordian Knot stitch Border

A Gordian knot stitch is also called a braid stitch. You can learn more about other braid stitches and the different knot stitches here.

25. Mountmellick stitch Border

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