backstitch

American  

[bak-stich] / ˈbækˌstɪtʃ /

noun

1. stitching or a stitch in which the thread is doubled back on the preceding stitch.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to sew by backstitch.

backstitch British  

/ ˈbækˌstɪtʃ /

noun

1. a strong sewing stitch made by starting the next stitch at the middle or beginning of the preceding one

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verb

1. to sew using this stitch

Etymology

Origin of backstitch

First recorded in 1605–15; back ² + stitch ( def. )

Example Sentences

The attendees laughed, but after the joke faded, I noticed my mother looking around thoughtfully, working to understand the new backstitch in the family thread.

From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2020

An infant's slips quilted with a single tiny backstitch in a regular design of interlaced squares, stars, and rounds.

From Two Centuries of Costume in America, Volume 1 (1620-1820) by Earle, Alice Morse

I turned it over with a backstitch on the selvage edge.

From The 30,000 Dollar Bequest and Other Stories by Twain, Mark

To join the seam in the back— Insert one thickness between the other two ends, and backstitch closely.

From Make Your Own Hats by Martin, Gene Allen

A story persists that about 1818-1819 a machine that formed a backstitch, identical to the one used in hand sewing, was invented in Monkton, Vermont.

From The Invention of the Sewing Machine by Cooper, Grace Rogers