Chainstitches

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Loops of thread formed in a continuous chain, each one linked through the previous loop, as produced by certain sewing machines and embroidery methods
2. Interlocking looped stitches made with a single thread that form a chain-like seam in fabric, typically used in knitting and machine sewing
3. Rows of linked loops sewn with one thread so that each stitch pulls through the one before it, creating a flexible and easily unraveled seam

Etymology: "Chainstitches" is simply the plural of "chainstitch," a stitch formed by looping thread through the previous loop so that the result resembles a chain. The singular is the element doing the work here: "chain" combined with "stitch," the familiar noun for a single pass of thread through fabric. Chainstitch work, whether in embroidery, crochet, or industrial sewing, is built from many such linked loops, which is why the plural is used when speaking of several stitches or of the pattern they form.