The Back Stitch & Half Back Stitch

I sew my seams in the back stitch and baste my gathers 

with a loose back stitch, that way every gather gets caught. 

I love the back stitch.  It's easy to sew, it makes a very strong 

seam.  I've drawn a seam line on some linen and I'm using a

 button hole thread just so it shows up well.

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How to sew the full back stitch.

Knot your thread and insert your needle from

 underneath, a stitch away from the beginning of the 

seam line.  Pull the thread all the way through.

Insert the needle to the right, one stitch away,

 on the stitch line.

Bring your needle out, one stitch away, to the left.

This makes the first stitch on the seam line.

Insert you needle in the left side of the first stitch,

the same hole the thread is in.

Bring your needle out one stitch away to the left.

Pull your thread through

Now there are 2 stitches.

Keep repeating.  I "get a rhythm" when sewing this 

stitch.

This stitch looks very neat on top.

However, it's not too pretty on the back, but

it's a solid strong stitch.

To tie off your thread, on the back side,

put your needle through a couple of threads,

 wrap your thread around the needle a couple times

pull tightly and clip the thread end.

This is how it looks from the inside.  If you try

to pull this seam apart, the fabric will tear.

This is how to make a half back stitch.

Bring you needle up from the back.

Insert your needle 1/2 stitch to the right.

Bring it out a full stitch away to the left.

Insert the needle a 1/2 stitch away to the right.

Bring it out one full stitch away on the left side.

Keep repeating and get you rhythm going

and you'll make nice even stitches!

Both stitches are very neat looking and strong.

Sew easy.  Give it a try.