What I mean by a braid stitch is an embroidery stitch which ends up looking like you have plaited a braid with your embroidery floss. They are actually individual stitches made continuously to look like a braid.

These are all great stitches which can be used for making outlines, for decorating borders, to fill other embroidery work. There are countless ways to make these stitches, but here are the ones I think are the best 10 braid stitches.

1. Vandyke stitch

This stitch may look complicated but it is very easy to make this braid like stitch.

First, draw two parallel lines. Come up with your needle and thread from one side of the lines (at A in the picture down below). Take up three or four threads from the middle a little above from where you came up.

Pull up the thread and bring your needle to the other side and you have an x shape at the top.

Now insert needle opposite to the first place you came up (D) and then come up from the other side of the line(E), a little below the first place(A).

Now bring down and come up with your needle just under the top of the x (C-B). Pull up the thread. Continue like this till and you have a beautiful braid. (Remember that every time your stitch should come under each of the x you have made) Repeating the first step as such is enough to make the braided stitch even and beautiful.

2. Herringbone stitch

The simple herringbone stitch is a perfect braid like stitch if done closely.

This is how you start the stitch. You can find more details in the post on Herringbone stitch here.

Once you have started the stitch you should subsequently start the legs of your stitch from the base of your last stitch (B). This is important to get the shape of the lattice shapes in between your herringbone stitches.

3. Interlaced running stitch

To make this braided stitch, first make parallel rows of running stitches (stepped running stitches – that are not aligned perfectly). Stepped running stitch will be having running stitches in a brick laying pattern  

Interlace another thread through these running stitches.

For a variation you can twist the thread and then interlace.

4. Cretan stitch

Cretan stitch (Closed)

Cretan stitch (Open)

The pictures given below are self explanatory enough for making this braid like stitch.

When you have done as above, your stitch will look like the below picture.

Now go to the other side and make a similar stitch.

Repeat.

5. Rosette chain stitch

You can learn more about how to do it here in the post on Rosette chain stitch.

6. Gordian knot stitch

These are individual Gordian knot stitches you make along two parallel lines.

You will be making these stitches from right to the left.

Start from the top line – Bring up the needle from the back of the fabric.

Keep the needle inside the thread as in the picture below- you will be making a thread loop with the thread coming to the front from the back around the needle.

With the loop still intact around the needle turn the needle downwards. Bring down the needle down at the top of line (A) Take up  the thread of the fabric with the needle in this vertical position inside the parallel row and come up at B.

Keep the thread tail under the needle to the left side – this will create an 8 like loop around the needle.

Pull up the needle and as you pull a knot will be formed in the center. Arrange the knot to come in between your rows

Continue making such stitches all along the lines – you can make the knots more closely than I have done for a continuous line of braid stitch.

7. Mountemellick stitch

8. Woven bar

This is made by weaving the thread between parallel stitches made along your area.

You can increase the straight stitches to a different effect.

This is made by weaving the thread between parallel stitches made along your area.

9. Braided chain stitch

To make a braided chain stitch you start making a single chain stitch.

Come up a little under your chain stitch(B in the picture above). Bring the needle through the chain stitch you have made.

Pull  it through and then insert the needle at the same place you started.

Continue making chain stitches like this.

For a variety do the same steps over the braid you have made with a different colored thread.

10. Raised chain stitch

Make straight stitches along your parallel lines.

Over this make chain stitches, preferably with another color thread.Ensure that a chain stitch is made between each and every row of parallel threads.

More of these stitches with a similar effect combining different stitches can be found at this post – Different ways to do Border embroidery designs and stitches

How to embroider flowers ; Best background embroidery stitches ; 6 best filling stitches