
Duplicate stitch
Duplicate stitch is your go-to stitch if you want to embroider on the knitwear – add some colorful details and decorative elements, cover the stain or mend a hole. As the name suggests, it duplicates the plain knit stitches (stockinette stitch). You can choose to use A-shaped stitches or V-shaped stitches. It is only a choice of design.
By the way – you do not need to know how to knit to be able to embroider this simple stitch!
Other names of the Duplicate stitch
This stitch is also called Swiss Darning, as it is widely used to mend holes in knitwear. With this technique, you can recreate missing stitches (the hole) or cover the existing ones.
Applications of the Duplicate stitch:
- Knitters often use these stitches to replace knitting techniques like intarsia or Fair Isle.
- A duplicate stitch is excellent for adding decorative details to plain knitwear. With it, you can personalize a boring sweater with letters, flowers, or any other counted embroidery motive.
- Duplicate stitch is essential in mending knitwear. You can cover the stains or repair the holes with stitches and make your mend invisible. Also, you can go bold and make the mending stand out.


Embroidery tips:
Video tutorial
Watch this video tutorial below and learn how to embroider a Duplicate stitch.
What's next?
Looking for some other stitch? Head to the Stitches and Techniques part of this blog and choose the stitch you want to learn!
N.B. Some of the links may take you to the EasyToMake designs blog. This is my older hand embroidery blog. While I’m dedicating all of my energy to the Practical Embroidery blog, the previous version still has a lot of great content!