Needlepoint guide

Backstitch in cross stitch: outlines, lettering and French knots

Updated October 5, 2026 by Khokhar Sab

In cross stitch, backstitch is a line of small straight stitches worked on top of the finished crosses to outline shapes and write letters. A chart shows it as a solid line. Use 1 strand for fine lines unless the pattern says otherwise, and stitch it after all the cross stitches. French knots are dots made by wrapping the thread around the needle, usually twice.

What backstitch does in a cross-stitch design

Cross stitches fill squares, so on their own they give a blocky picture. Backstitch adds the thin lines that a grid of Xs can't: outlines around shapes, whiskers, stems and lettering. Crewel Ghoul describes it as adding definition to the edges of cross stitch, along with small details and text.

On the chart, backstitch is a solid line. It can run along the edges of squares or cut across them from corner to corner. The key tells you which floss color each line uses.

How many strands to use

Crewel Ghoul says 1 or 2 strands are usually enough if the pattern doesn't say. On 14-count Aida, DMC's charts use 2 strands for the crosses and 1 for backstitch. One strand gives a fine, crisp line. Two strands give a bolder outline that stands out more.

DMC also suggests outlining in a darker shade of a color already in the design rather than black, for a softer look.

How to backstitch in cross stitch

Do all the cross stitches first. DMC recommends this so the backstitch sits on top and doesn't get covered. Then, for each line:

1. Bring the needle up one stitch length along the line from where it starts.
2. Go back down at the start of the line. That makes the first stitch.
3. Come up one stitch length ahead of where the thread last came out.
4. Go down in the same hole as the end of the previous stitch. Each new stitch reaches back to meet the last one, which is where the name comes from.
5. Repeat to the end of the line, then weave the tail under stitches on the back.

A stitch often covers one square, but charts also draw longer lines. Crewel Ghoul notes that you can't always use the same length: shorter stitches make curves smoother, and you may need to adjust where lines meet. DMC adds that on Aida you can pierce the middle of a square to follow a curve more closely. Keep the tension even, since pulling too tight puckers the fabric.

How long each backstitch should be

Stitchers don't agree on this. Siri of Sirious Stitches notes that some never go past one square, some stop at 3 to 5 holes and some stretch as far as the line needs. Longer stitches look smoother but sit looser over the crosses. Crewel Ghoul's worked example shows a practical rule: end each stitch where it meets another line, even if that means stitches of different lengths along the same stem.

Diagonal lines usually cover more than one square per stitch. If a chart line ends in the middle of a square on Aida, both Crewel Ghoul and Sirious Stitches suggest a sharp embroidery needle so you can pierce the fabric. On evenweave stitched over two, there is already a hole in the middle of each square, which is why DMC says curves are easier on evenweave.

Two other ways to work the line

• The sewing method. Crewel Ghoul describes working in hand, without a hoop: the needle goes down and comes back up in one motion, which is quicker than stabbing up and down.
• Double running stitch. Sirious Stitches describes working a dashed line of running stitches out along the line, then coming back and filling the gaps. It looks the same as backstitch on the front and the back.

For a bolder line, DMC suggests either more strands or two rows of backstitch side by side. DMC also shows designers using broken, dashed outlines for a softer, sketched look.

How to make a French knot

A French knot is a small raised dot, used for eyes, flower centers and the dots on letters. The chart shows it as a dot or a small symbol, and the key gives the color. Mary Corbet of Needle'n Thread gives five tips:

1. Wrap twice. Bring the needle up, wrap the working thread around it two times and keep the wraps close together. More than three wraps tends to make loose, uneven knots.
2. Leave a little space. Take the needle down just beside where it came up, not into the same hole. In the same hole, the knot can pull through to the back.
3. Hold the tension. Keep the wraps snug on the needle with your other hand, but not so tight that the thread thins.
4. Pull slowly. Ease the needle through the wraps, especially once you let go of the thread. Yanking makes misshapen knots.
5. Try a milliner needle. Its eye is no wider than the shaft, so it slides through the wraps more easily than a tapestry needle.

How much floss backstitch uses

Backstitch uses more thread than the length of the line suggests, because the thread also travels on the back. The floss calculator counts about 3 inches of single strand for every inch of line, plus its usual 55% allowance for starts and ends.

Compared with crosses, an inch of 1-strand backstitch uses about as much thread as 4.3 full cross stitches in 2 strands on 14-count, or 5.6 on 18-count. Finer fabric makes each cross smaller, while an inch of line stays an inch.

So 100 inches of outline in 1 strand needs about 465 inches of single strand, roughly 25% of one 8 m skein. In 2 strands it is about 930 inches, or 49% of a skein. An outline that long fits easily in one skein. For a design with a lot of backstitch, add the line length in the calculator's backstitch box.

One skein covers about 406 inches of outline in 1 strand, or 203 inches in 2 strands. Past that length, buy a second skein of the outline color.

Tips for neat lines

1. Work one continuous line at a time and finish it before starting the next, so the back stays tidy.
2. Don't carry the thread a long way across the back between lines. It can show through, especially on light fabric.
3. If a line looks wobbly, unpick it and stitch it again with shorter stitches.
4. On a large piece, leave backstitch until the end. Sirious Stitches points out that moving a hoop or frame over it can snag the lines.

New to cross stitch? The beginner's guide covers starting a thread and reading the chart. When the piece is finished, the framing guide explains washing and mounting.

Sources and further reading

Crewel Ghoul's back stitch in cross stitch tutorial shows the stabbing and sewing methods. Mary Corbet's 5 tips for successful French knots explains each tip in detail. DMC's advice on outlining comes from its article on using backstitch to accentuate cross stitch. Sirious Stitches covers stitch length and double running stitch in backstitch: outlines and thin details.

Video tutorial

"How to Back Stitch and Make French Knots on Cross Stitch Patterns" by Cutesy Crafts, on YouTube. The video loads only when you press play.