Open Hem Tutorial – PDF

I’m excited to bring you this fully illustrated guide on how to stitch an open hem. The open hem is found on traditional sewing all over the world, but has been particularly popular on Dutch – and especially Frisian samplers. It’s a very handy and versatile technique to finish embroidery pieces.

The open hem taught in this booklet is the one seen on samplers from the 16th-century onwards. It uses square corners and not mitred corners (as mitred corners are never seen in traditional embroidery pieces).

Note that the open hem is a pulled thread embroidery technique and therefor only suitable for linen / evenweave materials. It cannot be worked on Aida fabric.