Sewing Stitches Used in Medieval Clothing

Compiled by Jennifer L. Carlson

These have been generally sorted by date then by stitch and region. The compiler's used the the terminology that is in each source in question.

STITCH TYPE DATED TO LOCATION ITEM SOURCE
Braiding stitch Danish bronze age Thorsberg Mose, Denmark Cloth fragment with oversewing in stitch resembling braiding stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 72
Button Danish bronze age Boremose, Denmark Leather cape I; leather buttons made by winding a strip of leather round a wooden peg, like a toggle fastening Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 18
Buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Denmark (general) Reference to skins and textiles Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 279
Buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Bredmose, Denmark Coarse cloth. 2 seamed edges oversewn with buttonhole stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 28
Buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Aalestrup Bog, Denmark Pieces of woven fabric sewn in buttonhole stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 44
Buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Haraldskae Mose, Denmark Fabric II. Fringed edge oversewn in buttonhole stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 58
Buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Hvilehoj, Denmark Remains of fine cloth. Fragment with buttonhole stitch. Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 118
Couched cord Danish bronze age Denmark (general) Reference to skins and textiles Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 279
Feather stitch Danish bronze age Huldremose, Denmark Checkered skirt Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 51
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Krogens Molle Mose, Denmark Hooded cape Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 15
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Roummose, Denmark Sheep skin cape Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 42
Hem Stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin cape C. Hem stitch in gut or sinew Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin cape B. Cape sewn in hem stitch with skin thread Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Baunso Mose, Denmark Skin cape A. Sewn in hem stitch with gut or leather Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 39
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Baunso Mose, Denmark Skin cape B. Hem stitch used for piecing Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 39
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Refstrup Hovedgaard, Denmark Skin cape with hem stitched seams Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 56
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Haraldskae Mose, Denmark Fabric I. Borders single-turned and hem stitched Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 58
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Vester Torsted Mose, Denmark Fragment of skin garment. Sewn with hem stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 66
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Vrangstrup, Denmark Two cloth fragments III. Edge turned over and sewn in hem stitch with 2-ply sewing thread Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 96
Hem stitch Danish bronze age Huldremose, Denmark Skin cape. Sewn with hemstitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 52
Herringbone stitch Danish bronze age Huldremose, Denmark Skirt Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 280
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Denmark (general) Reference to skins and textiles Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 279
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin cape C. Overcast stitch in gut or sinew Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Huldremose, Denmark Skin cape. Sewn with overcast stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 52
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Auning Mose, Denmark Piece of cloth with overcast edges Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 54
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Refstrup Hovedgaard, Denmark Skin cape with overcast seams Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 56
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Mogelmose, Denmark Skin jacket with overcast stitches in leather thread Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 56
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Haraldskae Mose, Denmark Skin cape. Skins joined with overcast stitches Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 58
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Ronbjerg Mose, Denmark Tunic sewn with overcast stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 66
Overcast stitch Danish bronze age Vester Torsted Mose, Denmark Fragment of skin garment. Sewn with overcast stitch; overcast stitch around cut out portion Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 66
Running stitch Danish bronze age Krogens Molle Mose, Denmark Hooded cape Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 15
Running stitch Danish bronze age Aardestrup, Denmark Skin cape. Running stitched seams Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 33
Running stitch Danish bronze age Roummose, Denmark Sheep skin cape. Running stitched seams Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 42
Running Stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin cape C. Running stitch in gut or sinew Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Running stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin cape B. Cape sewn in running stitch with skin thread Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Running stitch Danish bronze age Arden Mose, Denamrk Fragment with running stitches Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 280
Running stitch Danish bronze age Boremose, Denmark Cape I. Running stitched neck hem Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 18
Running stitch Danish bronze age Boremose, Denmark Cape II. Running stitch seams Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 18
Running stitch Danish bronze age Baunso Mose, Denmark Skin cape A. Sewn in running stitch with gut or leather Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 39
Running stitch Danish bronze age Baunso Mose, Denmark Skin cape B. Hem stitch used for piecing Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 39
Running stitch Danish bronze age Karlby Mose, Denmark Skin remnants D and E. Pieces of skin sewn together with running stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 47
Running stitch Danish bronze age Huldremose, Denmark Skin cape. Sewn with running stitch Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 52
Running stitch Danish bronze age Haraldskae Mose, Denmark Skin cape. Skins joined with running stitches Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 58
Twisted buttonhole stitch Danish bronze age Osterbolle, Denmark Fragment Hald, M. Ancient Danish Textiles, p. 280
Back stitch (probably) Pre-Viking or Viking era St. Andrew's Parish, Orkney Island, Scotland Hood. Decorative band sewn to body of hood with "regular" stitches Henshall, A. Early Textiles, p. 13
Chain stitch Pre-Viking or Viking era St. Andrew's parish, Orkney Island, Scotland Hood. Mend under chin - chain stitches in double thread, 5 per inch, at point of weakness, framing an area of darning Henshall, A. Early Textiles, p. 13
Darning stitch (twill) Pre-Viking or Viking era St. Andrew's Parish, Orkney Island, Scotland Hood. Mending; stitching copies the twill weave in a heavier and darker yarn Henshall, A. Early Textiles, p. 13
Hem stitch Pre-Viking or Viking era St. Andrew's Parish, Orkney Island, Scotland Hood. Raw edges of seam turned over twice and hemmed down on the outside; edges framing the face turned over twice onto the outside making a hem 1/2 inch wide; lower edge of the cloth turned outwards and hemmed to edge of decorative band; upper decorative band whipped to upper edge of lower band Henshall, A. Early Textiles, p. 13