fishbone stitch is a fill stitch that works beautifully for leaves.
as you stitch it, a small overlap forms along the middle line of the shape, which will naturally create the center vein of your leaf.

you’ll be making slanted straight stitches, working from side to side, and each stitch will begin at the outer leaf edge, and end by crossing over the bottom edge of the stitch before it.
- start by making a straight stitch, bringing your needle up at the top point of your leaf shape (1), and then down into the center line (2).
- your second stitch will start just to the lower left of 1, and will end just to the right of 2. (this stitch is worked left to right)
- your third stitch will start just to the lower right of 1, and will end just to the left of 2. (this stitch is worked right to left)
- stitch four will go left to right, stitch five will go right to left, and so on.
each stitch will cross over the center line and the bottom of the stitch before it, creating a braided raised line in the center.

TIP: you can vary the angle of your stitches, as well as the space between stitches, to vary the look of your leaf.