The Master Vocabulary Guide to Embroidery and Cross-Stitch in Spanish
Crafters and creatives, this post about embroidery and cross-stitch in Spanish is what you’ve been waiting for!
Learn how to explain embroidery and cross-stitch in Spanish easily and clearly and become your friends’ most creative Spanish speaker!
Essential Embroidery Terms
If you’re a creative mind, use these terms about embroidery and cross-stitch in Spanish to begin a conversation about this beautiful art!
| English | Spanish |
| crafts | las manualidades |
| design | el diseño |
| embroidery | el bordado |
| french knot | el nudo frances |
| hand embroidery | el bordado a mano |
| machine embroidery | el bordado a máquina |
| stabilizers | el estabilizador |
| stitches | las puntadas |
| stitch length | el largo de la puntada |
| thread | el hilo |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Me encanta hacer manualidades, por eso hago bordados a mano.
I love making crafts, that’s why I hand embroider.
Puedo enseñarte a hacer muchas puntadas.
I can teach you to make a lot of stitches!
Compré muchos colores de hilo. ¡Ya quiero usarlos!
I bought lots of thread colors. I can’t wait to use them!
Embroidery Tools
| English | Spanish |
| embroidery floss | la seda de bordado |
| embroidery hoop | el bastidor |
| embroidery needles | las agujas de bordado |
| fabric | la tela |
| scissors | las tijeras |
| water soluble marker | el marcador soluble |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Compré un nuevo bastidor porque quebré el anterior.
I bought a new embroidery hoop because I broke the previous one.
¿Cuál es tu tela de bordado favorita?
What’s your favorite embroidery fabric?
Asegúrate de comprar un marcador soluble; si no, echarás a perder tu tela.
Be sure to buy a water soluble marker or else you’ll spoil your fabric.
More Embroidery Fabrics
| English | Spanish |
| aida cloth | la tela aida |
| canvas | la lona |
| evenweave fabric | la tela tejida |
| hardanger fabric | la tela hardanger |
| linen | el lino |
| satin | el satinado |
| silk | la seda |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Prefiero usar lona que tela tejida; es más resistente.
I prefer to use canvas over evenweave fabric; it’s more resistant.
Intenté bordar en seda pero fue muy difícil.
I tried to embroider on silk but it was too hard.
Are you a true crafter? Check out: A Spanish Guide to Holiday Cookies
Types of Embroidery
There are lots of techniques that can entertain you for years to come! But here are some of them for you to teach your Spanish-speaking friends how to embroider and cross-stitch in Spanish!
| English | Spanish |
| backstitch | la puntada trasera |
| buttonhole or blanket stitch | el punto festón |
| chain stitch | la cadena |
| cross stitch | el punto de cruz |
| running stitch | la puntada hilván |
| satin stitch | el punto satin |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Déjame enseñarte cómo hacer la cadena.
Let me teach you how to do the chain stitch.
Para iniciar, debes aprender a hacer la puntada hilván.
To begin, you have to learn how to do the running stitch.
Cross Stitch in Spanish
Cross stitch, el punto de cruz in Spanish is the most common method to embroidery beautiful designs using templates as a guideline to create the image you want!
Terms To Explain
Here are some terms to explain the easy steps for cross-stitch in Spanish!
To Use Templates – Usar plantillas
Usa todas estas plantillas; ¡harás diseños increíbles!
Use all these templates; you’ll make amazing designs!
To Come Up – Pasar la aguja de atrás hacia adelante
Para iniciar, pasa la aguja de atrás hacia adelante sin jalar el hilo.
To start, come up without pulling the thread.
To Take (the Needle) Down Diagonally – Introducir la aguja en dirección diagonal
Luego, introduce la aguja en dirección diagonal.
Then, take the needle down diagonally.
To Take (the Needle) Up Through the Inferior Hole – Pasar la aguja en el agujero inferior de atrás hacia adelante
Para formar la cruz, pasa la aguja en el agujero inferior, de atrás hacia adelante.
To make the cross, take the needle up through the inferior hole.
Chain Stitch in Spanish
I learned this stitch when I was a kid! It’s one of the easiest stitches and it looks really nice as a decoration for your crafts! Let’s take a look at how to talk about it in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| around the needle | alrededor de la aguja |
| decorative stitch | la puntada decorativa |
| short stitches | las puntadas cortas |
| to decorate | decorar |
| to give (texture) | dar textura |
Terms To Explain Chain Stitch
To Pull the Thread Around the Needle – Pasar el hilo alrededor de la aguja
Para formar la cadena, pasa el hilo alrededor de la aguja.
To make the chain stitch, pull the thread around the needle.
To Pull the Thread – Jalar el hilo
Jala el hilo en su totalidad.
Pull the thread completely.
To Make a Small Stitch – Hacer una puntada pequeña
Recuerda hacer una puntada pequeña para que se vea bien.
Remember to make a small stitch so it looks good.
A Short Distance Away in the Direction You’re Going – A una corta distancia hacia la dirección a la que te diriges
Pasa la aguja a una corta distancia hacia la dirección a la que te diriges.
Come back up a short distance away in the direction you’re going.
Here are some other specific instructions!
- To come back up through the middle of the stitch – Pasar la aguja hacia adelante por el medio de la puntada
- To take it back down through the fabric – Pasar la aguja hacia abajo a través de la tela
Buttonhole or Blanket Stitch
The blanket stitch helps to avoid the fabric from fraying, check out these terms to explain it clearly!
Terms To Explain
Make Two Parallel Lines – Hacer dos líneas paralelas
Para guiar tu bordado, haz dos líneas paralelas.
To guide your embroidery, make two parallel lines.
To Start in the Superior Line – Empezar en la línea superior
Empieza pasando la aguja por la línea superior.
Start by coming up through the superior line.
To Move to the Inferior Line – Bajar a la línea inferior
El siguiente paso es bajar a la línea inferior.
The next step is to move to the inferior line.
To Take (the Needle) Down on the Superior Line – Pasar la aguja hacia atrás en la línea superior
Ahora, debes pasar la aguja hacia atrás en la línea superior.
Now, you have to take the needle down on the superior line.
To Fray – Deshilachar
Es importante que aprendas esta puntada para que tu tela no se deshilache.
It’s important that you learn this stitch so your fabric won’t fray.
Running Stitch
This stitch is excellent for framing your works of art in fabric after you’ve made your cross-stitch patterns. Here’s how to talk about it in Spanish.
| English | Spanish |
| framing | el enmarcado |
| long stitches | las puntadas largas |
| sewing | la costura |
| to leave a space | dejar espacio |
| up-and-down method | el método arriba-abajo |
Terms To Explain
Regular Sewing – Costura convencional
La puntada hilván se realiza como la costura convencional.
The running stitch is made like regular sewing.
To Insert the Needle to Make a Stitch – Insertar la aguja para hacer una puntada
Esta puntada se inicia insertando la aguja desde abajo y luego desde arriba.
Start this stitch by inserting the needle from below and then from above.
To Move the Needle Forward in the Fabric – Pasar la aguja hacia adelante de la tela
Con cuidado, debes pasar la aguja hacia adelante de la tela.
Carefully, you have to move the needle forward in the fabric.
To Move (the Needle) Forward Leaving a Space – Pasar hacia adelante dejando un espacio
El paso más importante es pasar la aguja hacia adelante dejando un espacio.
The most important step is moving the needle forward leaving a space.
Satin Stitch
The satin stitch makes your embroidery projects look more full and with a splash of color! The satin stitch fits in the group of filler stitches (las puntadas de relleno.)
Terms To Explain
Explain how your crafts look amazing using these terms!
To Add Color – Agregar color
Aprender a usar la puntada de satín le agrega color a tu bordado.
Learning to use the satin stitch adds color to your embroidery.
To Fill in (Letters and Shapes) – Llenar letras y figuras
Llena las letras y figuras con la puntada de satín; es más fácil.
Fill in letters and shapes with the satin stitch; it’s easier.
Go Back and Forth Across the Shape Until It’s Filled – Ir de atrás hacia adelante hasta llenar la figura
La técnica consiste en ir de atrás hacia adelante hasta llenar la figura.
The technique consists in going back and forth across the shape until it’s filled.
Outline the Shape and Then Fill It In – Hacer la orilla de la figura y luego llenarla
Si eres principiante, haz la orilla de la figura y luego rellénala.
If you’re a beginner, outline the shape and then fill it in.
Back Stitch – Puntada trasera
| English | Spanish |
| drawings | dibujos |
| easy to read | fácil de leer |
| outlines | orillas |
| text | el texto |
| uniform | uniforme |
Example Sentences
La puntada trasera es perfecta para dibujos y texto.
The back stitch is perfect for drawings and text.
Utiliza el punto atrás; es más fácil de leer.
Use the backstitch; it’s easier to read.
El punto atrás es una puntada muy uniforme.
The backstitch is a very uniform stitch.
Terms To Explain
To Come Up from Where the Previous Stitch Started – Sacar la aguja adelante de donde inicia la puntada anterior
Lo importante en esta puntada es sacar la aguja adelante de donde inicia la puntada anterior.
The important part of this stitch is coming up from where the previous stitch started.
To Come Back and Come Up Where the Next Stitch Starts – Volver y sacar la aguja donde debe iniciar la siguiente
Lo siguiente es volver y sacar la aguja donde debe iniciar la siguiente puntada.
The next part is to come back and come up where the next stitch starts.
Embroidered Objects
Show off your embroidery skills by planning your next project! Use these words to talk about embroidered and cross-stitched objects in Spanish!
| English | Spanish |
| caps | las gorras |
| cardigans | los cárdigans |
| coats | los abrigos |
| dresses | los vestidos |
| hats | los sombreros |
| jackets | las chaquetas |
| shirts | las camisas |
| shoes | los zapatos |
Example Sentences in Spanish
Mira, le hice un bordado a mano a mi chaqueta.
Look, I hand-embroidered my jacket.
Me gusta hacer bordados en camisas. ¿Quieres que lo haga en la tuya?
I like to embroider shirts. Do you want me to do it for yours?
Mis zapatos eran blancos, así que les hice un bordado.
My shoes were white so I embroidered them.
See also: 10 Creative Ways to Practice Your Spanish Writing Skills
Embroidery and Cross-Stitch Verbs in Spanish
Embroidery is a fine and delicate art! That’s why I want you to express yourself more clearly with these verbs and phrases about embroidery and cross-stitch in Spanish!
To Cut (Fabric) – Cortar la tela
Asegúrate de cortar suficiente tela para un bordado grande.
Be sure to cut enough fabric for a big embroidery.
To Loosen the Screw (of the Hoop) – Aflojar el tornillo del aro
Para empezar, debes aflojar el tornillo del aro.
To begin, you have to loosen the screw of the hoop.
To Separate (the Hoops) – Separar los aros
Luego, separa los aros para colocar la tela.
Then, separate the hoops to place the fabric.
To Lay (the Fabric) – Colocar la tela
Coloca la tela correctamente, para que esté estirada.
Lay the fabric appropriately, so it is straightened out.
To Push (the Top Hoop) Down – Empujar el aro superior hacia abajo
Fija la tela empujando el aro superior hacia abajo.
Secure the fabric by pushing the top hoop down.
To Tighten the Screw (of the Hoop) – Apretar el tornillo del aro
Aprieta el tornillo del aro, pero no demasiado para no arruinarlo.
Tighten the screw of the hoop, but not too much so you don’t ruin it.
To Thread (the Needle) – Enhebrar la aguja
¿Me ayudas a enhebrar la aguja?
Can you help me thread the needle?
To Pull the Thread (Through the Needle) – Pasar el hilo a través de la aguja
Pasa el hilo a través de la aguja despacio.
Slowly, pull the thread through the needle.
To Bring the Needle (to the Front) – Pasar la aguja hacia adelante
Pasa la aguja hacia adelante y jala el hilo.
Bring the needle to the front and pull the thread.
To Bring the Needle (to the Back) – Pasar la aguja hacia atrás
Pasa la aguja hacia atrás para completar la puntada.
Bring the needle to the back to complete the stitch.
To Separate Strands – Separar los hilos
Antes de iniciar, separa los hilos para hacerlos más delgados.
Before you start, separate the strands to make them thinner.
To Make a Knot – Hacer un nudo
¡No olvides hacer un nudo en el hilo! Sino, perderás todo tu trabajo.
Don’t forget to make a knot to the thread! Or else you’ll lose all your work.
To Draw (a Pattern) – Dibujar un patrón
Si eres principiante, dibuja un patrón para guiar tus puntadas.
If you’re a beginner, draw a pattern to guide your stitches.
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What do you mean “expand my social circle” with Spanish? Let me explain! Year by year, the amount of Spanish speakers increases in the United States and all over the world. This diverse language not only has several variations all over Latin America but it is also becoming part of many United States households and workplaces!
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