The sheaf stitch is a surface embroidery stitch that can be worked singly as a design element, in rows, or in a random or engineered (evenly-spaced) pattern as a filling stitch. It can be worked freestyle or counted using and evenweave fabric.

The stitch is composed of three vertical stitches tied together with a horizontal stitch. It gets its name from the bundled threads resembling a sheaf of wheat.

To work the sheaf stitch, make three vertical straight stitches. As you complete the third stitch, bring the needle up to the center left side of the group of stitches. Next, wrap the thread around the three threads, pulling them into a bundle. End the stitch by inserting the needle to the center right of the bundle and fasten off.

Note that in the photo the horizontal stitch looks doubled, but it is just a single wrap. The thread crossed twice across the front and once across the back, because it is started on the left side, wrapped, and then ends on the right side.

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