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running stitch

American  

noun

  1. a sewing stitch made by passing the needle in and out repeatedly with short, even stitches.


running stitch British  

noun

  1. Sometimes called: gathering stitch.  a simple form of hand stitching, consisting of small stitches that look the same on both sides of the fabric, usually used for gathering

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of running stitch

First recorded in 1840–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Ms. Agha uses two forms in particular — a running stitch and a blanket stitch — often in tandem with collaged materials.

From New York Times • Jun. 24, 2022

As I got started, I immediately loved that sashiko requires no special skills—it is a basic running stitch, which is the one stitch you know if you, like me, didn’t realize stitches have names.

From Slate • Jul. 22, 2019

The appearance on the right side will be of regular space as in the running stitch.

From Textiles and Clothing by Watson, Kate Heintz

The material to be sewn was held in clamps which moved it forward between the pincers to form a running stitch or moved it alternately backward and forward to produce a backstitch.

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

They are sewed together with a running stitch, making a seam upon the wrong side.

From Quilts Their Story and How to Make Them by Webster, Marie D. (Marie Daugherty)

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