Braided Chain Stitch

Braided (also known as ‘Hungarian’) Chain Stitch creates thick, textured lines.

I like to stitch it from top to bottom.

For this tutorial, I used 2 strands of thread out of 6.

1. Braided Chain Stitch starts similarly to Reverse Chain Stitch: begin with a tiny anchor stitch (just a couple of millimetres long).
2. Move down the line a stitch length (between 0.5cm - 1cm); then pass your needle under your tiny anchor stitch, staying at the front of the fabric.
3. Go back down the same hole that you came up from. This creates your first link in the chain.
4. Bring your needle back up another stitch length down; then pass it under your anchor stitch again (just like the first one).
5. Go back down the previous hole; but leave your thread loose! Use your fingers or needle to create a loose circle shape.
6. Bring your needle up another stitch length away; then pass it halfway underneath the link in your chain. Your needle should rest on top of your loose circle thread, and under the chain link thread.
7. Leave your needle halfway underneath the chain link, then take your thread and pull it tight. This is the second link in your chain.
8. Finally, pull your needle all the way through.
9. Repeat: go back down in the last hole you came up through. Again, leave the thread loose and create a circle. Bring your needle back up a stitch length away; then pass your needle halfway through the last link in your chain. With your needle lying in place, take the loose thread and pull it tight; then pass your needle all the way through.
10. Continue like this down the line. Sometimes your thread won’t want to lie flat in a circle shape - use your needle or a finger to hold it in place instead.
11. To finish a line, make your last stitch length short (just a couple of millimetres). Go under your last chain link; tighten the thread, then go back down your last hole and pull the thread tight. Tie off and you’re done!