Sewed with a needle by pushing it backward through fabric to create a strong, durable seam.
From 'back' + 'stitch', combining Old English 'bæc' (back) with 'stitch' from Middle Dutch 'steken' (to pierce). The technique emerged as sewers developed methods to reinforce seams by overlapping thread paths.
Backstitch is actually one of the strongest hand-sewing techniques—sailors and cobblers used it for centuries because it creates a seam that's nearly impossible to unravel, even if one thread breaks!
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