Here’s a quick way to make a whole field of embroidered flowers: the lazy daisy stitch. It’s another variation on that versatile chain stitch. Instead of the loops forming a line, they radiate out in a circle from a center point like flower petals. Five or six loops make a full flower, depending on how narrow or wide you make your petals. I’m filling the embroidered Hebrew letter bet in the photo above with lazy daisy flowers using light and dark pink thread punctuated in the center with yellow French knots.

How to Embroider the Lazy Daisy Stitch

Bring the needle up at A, as in the diagram above. Insert the needle close to A and bring it up a stitch length away, using your left thumb to hold the thread close to the fabric. Pull the needle and thread through the fabric, and when the looped stitch approaches the right size, release the thread from under your thumb.

Insert the needle on the outside of the loop and bring it up at B. This will anchor the first stitch and position the needle for the next stitch.

Continue until you’ve completed all the petals of your lazy daisy.

If you want to add French knots to the center like the flowers in the letter bet, you’ll find instructions for that stitch here.

Maria Bywater is the author of Sew Jewish: The 18 Projects You Need for Jewish Holidays, Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebrations, and Home. She teaches hands-on Judaica sewing workshops.