How to Do Lazy Daisy Stitch (Step-by-Step)
Lazy daisy stitch is a simple looped stitch that creates small petal shapes. It is really just a single detached chain stitch that is held in place with a tiny anchoring stitch at the tip. It is perfect for quick flowers, leaves, seed shapes and other delicate details in hand embroidery.
How to do lazy daisy stitch (step-by-step)
- Bring your needle up at the point where you want the base of the petal to sit. Insert it back down into the same hole, leaving a small loop of thread on the surface.
- Bring the needle up just outside the loop and catch the loop under the needle to form the petal shape (1).
- Gently pull the thread so the loop lies neatly on the fabric, then make a tiny straight stitch over the tip to anchor it in place.
Once you’ve mastered the basic loop, you can start arranging lazy daisy stitches to build simple motifs. Two stitches worked close together form an embroidered heart (2), and a cluster of three, four or five around a single point makes an instant flower (3). It’s a lovely stitch for filling space and adding delicate details to your embroidery.
More about lazy daisy stitch
Lazy daisy stitch is one of the most popular stitches for floral embroidery. Each stitch becomes a petal or leaf and you can work them singly or in clusters. Because it only uses a small loop and an anchoring stitch, it is quick to learn and very beginner friendly.
You can use lazy daisy stitch to create five-petal flowers, sprigs, seed shapes or heart motifs. It works beautifully alongside back stitch and satin stitch in simple modern embroidery designs. If you would like a project to try it on, many of my floral embroidery kits include petals and leaves made with this stitch.
Ready to practise lazy daisy stitch?
If you would like some projects to try lazy daisy stitch on, I have a range of beginner friendly embroidery kits and patterns that include petals and floral details made with this stitch.
Tips for lazy daisy stitch
- Keep each loop roughly the same size if you are creating a flower shape.
- Anchor the tip of the loop with a small straight stitch to hold it neatly in place.
- Work gently so the loop does not twist as you pull the thread.
- Try grouping lazy daisies in clusters to create quick flowers and leaves.
- This stitch works beautifully for petals, sprigs, tiny hearts and scattered decorative shapes.
