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CHAPTER 1
GETTING STARTED
Before beginning to stitch the designs, let's review some embroidery basics.
FABRIC
The designs in this book are stitched on a variety of colors and types of fabric. The only limitation on the type of fabric selected is that you must be able to poke your needle through it easily. Beyond that, the sky's the limit! Here are some common choices.
Quilting cotton: This is a lightweight woven fabric that comes in a huge array of colors and prints. Solid cottons will always work, but consider a light print for some of the designs, too. Tone-on-tone and low-volume prints work well. If the fabric is very lightweight, add a layer of stabilizer material to the back of the fabric for easier stitching.
Linen: Like quilting cotton, linen is a woven fabric that ranges from lightweight to medium-weight. It has more texture than quilting cotton, which adds interest to the designs. When the linen is of a lighter weight, it's best for the designs to be of a lighter, airier nature rather than selecting very dense designs. If the linen is heavier, it can be used for home decor projects such as pillows.
Canvas: The heaviest of the most common fabrics is canvas. It, too, is woven, but it's so heavy it can sometimes be difficult to pass a needle through it. If you have trouble, try using a thimble or rubber needle puller.
Felt: A nonwoven fabric, felt comes in a range of colors and thicknesses. It's loftier than the woven choices, and it won't bunch up if you make tight To find the center of the fabric, fold the fabric twice from edge to edge and mark the point where the fold lines intersect with a pin, chalk, or thread tack. stitches. Because it's lofty, you'll need to use several strands of floss or thicker thread so the stitches don't get lost or buried in the felt.
Whatever fabric you use, cut the piece to be at least 2" (5 cm) larger than the design on all sides.
THREAD
All the designs in this book were stitched with Anchor embroidery floss. Embroidery floss is usually made from cotton, is widely available, and comes in a huge array of colors. Most embroidery floss is composed of six individual strands. The individual strands pull apart easily so you can change the look of the stitches: one strand will produce fine and lacy stitches; six strands will produce bold, dense stitches; and three strands (a common number) will fall in between.
There are metallic and rayon flosses available, as well as some in neon (a few are used in this book) and even glow-in-the-dark colors.
Separate the strands of embroidery floss one at a time, and then recombine the desired number of strands.
If you're feeling more adventurous, there are other thread options to consider. Pearl cotton is made of twisted strands, but unlike embroidery floss, they don't separate. Therefore, it's important that you buy the right thread thickness for your project; size 8 is a fairly typical weight for embroidery. Yarn, crochet thread, and crewel thread are all on the heavy side, so you likely won't complete an entire design with them, but they could add an interesting texture to French knots or some other individual stitches.
TOOLS
Now that you have your materials chosen, let's talk tools.
Needle: Embroidery needles are made specifically for the task at hand. They have a large eye, making it easier to thread multiple strands of floss. Longer needles work well for running stitches (see Stitch Guide), while you may find that shorter needles are better for making French knots (see Stitch Guide). If using a very loosely woven fabric, a tapestry needle with its very large eye and blunt point is an option.
Scissors: Any scissors type will do, but it's nice to have a couple of specific scissors at the ready. Fabric scissors are large and handy for cutting all the types of fabrics. Small, pointed embroidery scissors are best for trimming and removing threads.
Seam ripper: Speaking of removing threads, there will be times when your stitches don't turn out quite the way you'd hoped. They're part of the wonderful imperfection of something handmade. However, if you want to remove them, a seam ripper will make quick and easy work of the task.
Embroidery hoop: Placing your fabric in an embroidery hoop (or a scroll or snap-together frame, which are better for the heavier-weight fabrics) pulls the fabric taut, preventing it from bunching up as you stitch. Some people prefer to embroider in a hoop or frame, while others prefer to feel the fabric and thread in their hands while they stitch. The choice is yours, so do whatever works best for you. Hoops are available in wood, metal, or plastic and in many shapes and sizes; scroll and snap frames are a bit more limited. A word of caution: Be sure to keep the fabric grainlines perpendicular to each other to prevent eventual puckers and folds with the stitches.
TRANSFER METHODS
So, how do you get the chosen design onto the fabric? Here are a few options.
Tracing method: Trace the design directly onto the fabric, using a pencil, dressmaker's chalk, or an embroidery marker. Place the fabric over the printed design and trace the design onto the fabric. If you're having trouble seeing the design, tape both the fabric and the design onto a sunny window or light box.
Tissue-paper method: Trace the design onto tissue paper with a pencil. Pin or baste the tissue paper onto the fabric and stitch the design through the paper onto the fabric. As each design section is completed, gently tear away the tissue paper. When finished, use tweezers to pick out any remaining tissue-paper bits left behind. This is a good method if using a textured fabric or felt.
Stick-N-Washaway by Pellon: This is a printer-ready sheet that eliminates the need for directly marking the fabric. Simply print the design on the sheet, remove its paper backing, and adhere the printed sheet to the top surface of the fabric. Stitch the design onto the sheet and fabric, and when the stitching is complete, wash away the sheet in water of any temperature. First, test the product in your printer before beginning to make sure the ink washes away with the sheet. All of the samples in this book were prepared with this method.
STITCHING
Now that you have gathered all the tools and materials needed and you've transferred your design to fabric, it's time to start stitching! Cut a length of thread 18" to 30" (45.5 cm to 76 cm). If you're new to embroidery, keep the thread on the shorter end of this range to avoid frustrating knots and tangles.
To press your embroidery, first, cover the ironing board with a thick terry towel to avoid flattening the embroidery stitches. Iron the embroidery on the wrong side, using a pressing cloth and iron temperature appropriate for the fabric and thread used.
Next, secure the thread to the fabric. There are two ways to do this.
Simple knot: Make a small knot at one end of the thread. Cut the tail close to the knot. Start with the needle under the fabric, then bring it through the fabric at a starting point. The knot will be on the back of the fabric.
Waste knot: Make a good-sized knot at the end of the thread and insert the needle from the right side and within the area that will eventually be covered by the stitching. Work several elements of the design, covering and securing the thread on the back of the work at the same time. Then carefully cut off the knot.
When you're ready to end the working thread, stop with the thread and needle at the back of the fabric. Stitch through the backs of previously worked stitches for about 1" (2.5 cm), then stitch through those same stitches in the opposite direction. Cut the thread. The stitches will be secure with no knot to form a bump!
Remember to avoid leaving thread tails of any length on the back of the stitched piece, and do not carry stitching threads across unworked fabric areas. Keep the design backs tidy.
STITCH GUIDE
To create all the designs in this book, you'll need to know a variety of stitches. You can take some time to learn all the stitches that follow. Or learn the basics (such as backstitch, French knot, satin stitch, and stem stitch) and then refer back to this section for any special stitches used in a particular design.
BACKSTITCH
Backstitch is an outlining stitch, producing a solid line that will easily bend around curves when the stitches are kept short.
1 Bring the needle up at A, one stitch length from the start of the design line, and down at B at the beginning of the line.
2 Bring the needle up at C, one stitch length ahead of A, and down in the hole previously made by A.
3 Bring the needle up at D, making sure to maintain the same stitch length as before, and down at C. Continue in this stitching pattern of back one stitch and ahead two stitches.
BACKSTITCH
Basket stitch is a good fill stitch when working between two lines, as for a branch or stem. The crisscross design adds texture and interest.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B, on the opposite edge and below the level of A. Bring the needle up at C, directly across from B on the opposite edge. Insert the needle down at D, above B, and up at E, between A and C. Insert the needle down at F.
2 Bring the needle up at G and down at H.
3 Continue to fill the space with crisscross diagonal stitches. If background fabric is visible between the stitches, it is called an open basket stitch, and if no fabric is visible, it's called a closed basket stitch.
BULLION STITCH
A bullion stitch is a stitch that can be used individually or grouped to form a filling.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B, and then up at A again. Do not pull the needle through the fabric.
2 Wrap the working thread counterclockwise around the point of the needle five or six times or enough times to cover the distance between A and B.
3 Place your thumb on the wrapped threads to hold them in place and gently pull the needle through the wraps, taking care not to disturb them.
4 Insert the needle down at B and continue to gently pull the working thread until the bullion stitch lies flat.
BUT TONHOLE STITCH
Buttonhole stitch is an edging stitch that can also be worked as an outline. The stitches are snugged up closely to each other. If they are spaced apart, then this stitch is known as the blanket stitch.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B, above and slightly to the right of A; bring the needle up at C, directly below B, keeping the working thread under the needle.
2 Tighten the thread to complete the stitch. Insert the needle down at D and up at E, directly below D, again with the thread under the needle.
3 Continue working stitches, keeping the stitch height and spacing as even as possible.
CHAIN STITCH
Chain stitch can be used as an outline stitch or worked in rows as a lacy filling. It is made by working a series of connected looped stitches.
1 Bring the needle up at A; hold the thread down with your thumb and insert the needle down through the same hole.
2 Bring the needle up at B, inside the thread loop, and pull the thread gently to form a small loop. Insert the needle back down in the hole at B.
3 Bring the needle up at C to complete the next loop in the chain.
4 Finish the final loop with a small tack-down stitch; note that a single loop held down with the tack-down stitch is called detached chain or lazy daisy stitch (page 17).
COLONIAL KNOT
Somewhat similar to a French knot (page 16), a colonial knot is made by wrapping the thread around the needle in a figure-eight pattern.
1 Bring the needle up at A and wrap the thread around the tip of the needle in a figure eight.
2 Tighten the thread around the needle and insert the needle down very close to A. Holding the wraps on the fabric surface, pull the thread through the knot and fabric. Tighten the knot again, if necessary.
COUCHING
In couching, a separate thread, often decorative, is laid on top of the fabric and secured down with another separate thread. This can be accomplished with one or two thread colors or types.
1 Bring the decorative thread up at A and lay it along the design line.
2 Hold this thread in position as you work, keeping it fairly taut. (Alternately, you can bring the needle down at the end of the design line, but do not secure it. This keeps the laid thread out of the way but allows you to tighten or loosen it throughout the process.) Bring the securing thread up at B and down at C on the opposite side of the laid thread.
3 Bring the needle up at D and down at E. The distance between the securing threads is determined by the effect you desire, usually about (6 mm) between C and B is a good starting point. Continue until the entire length of laid thread is couched down. Take the remaining end of the laid thread to the wrong side and secure both threads.
FEATHER STITCH
Feather stitch can be used for outlines, borders, or fills.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B (at the same height as A). Bring the needle up at C with the thread held below the needle. The distances between A, B, and C should be equidistant.
2 Insert the needle down at D and up at E, again keeping the thread under the needle. The distances between C, D, and E should also be equidistant.
3 Continue working in this way, always keeping the working thread under the needle. Secure the last loop with a tiny tack-down stitch.
FERN STITCH
Fern stitch is an easy stitch that creates a feathery effect, resembling a fern frond, and is ideal for plant leaves, borders, and line designs.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B.
2 Bring the needle up at C and down in the same hole as A.
3 Bring the needle up at E and down in the same hole as A. Continue in this way to complete a stitch line.
4 Bring the needle up at D and down in the same hole as A. This completes a single fern stitch.
FISHBONE STITCH
Fishbone stitch is a fill stitch that is ideal for leaf and petal shapes. The stitches interweave at the center line, creating an appearance of a fish skeleton, if spaces are created between the lateral stitches.
1 Bring the needle up at A and down at B, making a small straight stitch along the center line.
2 Bring the needle up at C at the left edge of the shape and down at D, slightly overlapping the base of the first stitch and at the center line
3 Bring the needle up at E at the right edge of the shape and down at F, again overlapping the base of the previous stitch.
4 Bring the needle up at G and down at H. Cover the entire design shape in this way. The stitches can be either tightly grouped together so there are no gaps between them or spaced apart.
FLY STITCH
Fly stitch can be used singly, as a scattered filling, in rows as a border, or as a close filling. The tack-down stitch that secures the thread loop can be short to resemble a V or long to resemble a Y.
1 Bring the needle up at A, hold the thread loop down and insert the needle down at B, a little to the right and level with A. Bring the needle up at C, below and halfway between A and B, keeping the thread under the needle.
2 Tighten the thread and insert the needle down at D to make a small tack-down stitch.
FRENCH KNOT
French knots can be worked singly, in rows, or grouped together to create a textured surface.
1 Bring the needle up at A and wrap the thread counterclockwise once or twice around the needle.
2 Holding th e wraps firmly, insert the needle down adjacent to A.
3 Holding the wraps against the needle and fabric, pull the thread through the wraps and tighten the knot. If you wish the knot to be larger, add more thread strands. However, do not make more wraps, causing the knot to fall over and resemble a comma rather than a spherical knot.
LATTICE STITCH
Lattice stitch, also known as trellis square filling, creates a grid of straight stitches.
1 Sew rows of evenly spaced horizontal stitches over the area to be covered. They should lie smoothly against the fabric without pulling or being loose.
2 Sew the vertical stitches, also spaced equally apart. If your stitches are long, work small tack-down stitches at the thread intersections for stability.
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Tula Pink Coloring with Thread"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Tula Pink.
Excerpted by permission of Fons & Porter.
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