How to Stitch an Encroaching Satin Stitch
The encroaching satin stitch can fill in shapes and cover an entire area of fabric. It's common in fine embroidery, especially Croatian traditional embroidery on silk. This stitch consists of many juxtaposed flat stitches. The stitch is encroaching because the tops of the flat stitches fit between the bottoms of the previous row.
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Instructions
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1
Outline the shape that you want to fill in. A back stitch, split stitch or chain stitch in a dark color are the most likely choices for outlining.
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2
Start filling with the satin stitch from the top of the shape, moving left to right.
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3
Tie a knot in the end of your thread and begin the first row just below the outline of the shape. Pull the needle through the fabric from back to front, stitch straight up and pull the needle back through the fabric from front to back just beneath the outline stitch.
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Continue the flat stitch row, pulling the threaded needle from back to front at the bottom of the stitch, stitching upward and finishing the stitch at the top. The length of the stitches may vary around the edges of the shape if the outline is irregular, but keep the bottom of the row straight across.
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Repeat the flat stitch until you finish the first row.
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Start the second row moving in the opposite direction, from right to left. Again use flat stitches, stitching from bottom to top. Take care to position each stitch of the second row between 2 stitches of the first row. Fit the top of each flat stitch just between the bottom ends of the 2 stitches above it.
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Repeat with the next row when you finish the second, this time moving from left to right again. Continue to move back and forth with the encroaching satin stitch until you have filled in the entire desired area.
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Check when you are finished that no fabric is showing through the satin stitch.
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Tips & Warnings
Be careful around the edges of the shape that you are filling in. The outline may have an irregular shape. With your first and last rows of satin stitch, and other rows that are near the edge, you may need to vary stitch length in spots to maintain the uniformity of the row.
