The Collaborative International Dictionary
Featherstitch \Feath"er*stitch`\, n. A kind of embroidery stitch producing a branching zigzag line.
Wiktionary
n. A kind of embroidery stitch made of open, looped stitches worked alternately to the right and left of a central rib. vb. To make stitches of this kind.
Wikipedia
Featherstitch or feather stitch and Cretan stitch or faggoting stitch are embroidery techniques made of open, looped stitches worked alternately to the right and left of a central rib. Fly stitch is categorized with the featherstitches.
Usage examples of "featherstitch".
As it extended, I brought out a line of goods suitable for kings, and a nobby thing for duchesses and that sort, with ruffles down the fore hatch and the running-gear clewed up with a featherstitch to leeward and then hauled aft with a back-stay and triced up with a half-turn in the standing rigging forward of the weather-gaskets.