Satin stitch

In sewing and embroidery, a satin stitch or damask stitch is a series of flat stitches that are used to completely cover a section of the background fabric. Narrow rows of satin stitch can be executed on a standard sewing machine using a zigzag stitch or a special satin stitch foot.

In order to maintain a smooth edge, shapes can be outlined with back, split or chain stitch before the entire shape including the outline is covered with satin stitch. In traditional practice, satin stitch is employed to fill an area without the presence of an outline, resulting in smooth shapes and even lines created by the stitching.

Machine-made satin stitch is often used to outline and attach appliques to the ground fabric.

The satin stitch is a common form of needlework traditions worldwide; it is notable in North Africa, South America, Western Asia, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East. Satin stitch is also characteristic of Chinese embroidery.

Satin stitch is one of the two main types of Chinese embroidery stitches along with the Pekin knots. It is the most frequently used form of stitches in Chinese embroidery. From the ancient times to the Tang dynasty, the chain stitches were typically used in embroidery. However, other forms of embroidery techniques existed including satin stitches which dates as early as the Han dynasty.

The use of satin stitches became more frequent in the late Tang dynasty to the early Song dynasty. During the Tang dynasty, figural imagery, which was partially influenced by the growth of Buddhist imagery, first appeared; this contributed to the decline of chain stitches as satin stitches could provide better render scenes of Buddhist donor figures. Satin stitches then became the popular embroidery technique later on.

Satin stitch used in Kashmir is a variation of the Chinese satin stitch which originated from China.

Variants of the satin stitch include: