Choose stitches for lettering

Match line thickness and stitch length to the smallest letter spaces. Test the actual lettering size; enlarged samples hide tight turns and crowded counters.

Before you start

Prepare a small offcut of the intended ground with the intended needle and thread. Mark the practice area lightly and support the fabric without stretching its grain.

Try this example

Write a 1 cm lowercase e and a straight capital I. Compare one-strand backstitch with two-strand stem stitch; choose the combination that leaves the e opening legible.

Check your result

• Release the frame and inspect front and reverse. The thread should lie as intended without distorting the ground; shorten a stitch or change the sample before pulling harder.
• Coverage and tension depend on the actual ground, thread and stitch length. A diagram shows the route, not a universal thread quantity or tension setting.

Sources

• rsnstitchbank.org: reference
• rsnstitchbank.org: running stitch

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