You’ve found the perfect pattern, you have a crewel needle, some stranded embroidery thread, a piece of fabric and an embroidery hoop. Your pattern has been transferred onto your fabric and you are ready to start…so now what?

Your next decision comes down to the end use for your piece of embroidery. If your design will be backed by another piece of fabric or hidden with batting or framed, it is fine to use a small knot in the end of your thread. If you are embroidering onto a handkerchief or doily, where the back will be visible, it is preferable to work your ends into the back of your stitches.

But I have  a special trick to share with you that solves this dilemma. There’s no knot and no working in of ends. This technique is perfect when using 2 strands of embroidery thread and is particularly useful when working Redwork designs.

Discover my trick here:

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com

One of the challenges of learning how to embroider is knowing  where to find hand embroidery designs. If you are new to hand embroidery it is best to choose a design that is simple with only a few different stitches.

Sometimes hand embroidery designs can be discovered in the most unlikely places. The key is to be always on the look out. Most sewers tend to look in obvious places such as the local library. These can be wonderful places for finding books with hand embroidery designs in them. Most libraries offer magazines and these are also a good source.

Retail shops also offer some lovely embroidery books suited for beginners and the more advanced. They will be full of patterns and inspiration for you.

Local craft shops are another logical choice. However we shouldn’t limit ourselves to these places, inspiration for hand embroidery designs can be found all around us. We just need to look and keep our eyes open. I often find the inspiration for a new hand embroidery design in unusual places.

Kid’s coloring books are a good place to start. If you have children or grandchildren this won’t be too much of a problem, they always seem to have them strewn around their bedrooms. Alternatively you could buy some for your home reference library. They are also fabulous for finding applique patterns and the best news is that they are very inexpensive.

If you have a passion for vintage hand embroidery designs, you should keep a look out for garage sales or auctions. I have often come across the most incredible hand embroidery designs amongst boxes of old sewing supplies.

Community school and Church fairs can also be a good place to look, they often have trash and treasure stalls.

Modern technology has also brought us the internet which means we have literally hundreds of hand embroidery designs right at our fingertips. Some embroidery designs can be downloaded for free, while others can be purchased quickly and easily online in an epattern format.

Ebay has also brought buyers and sellers closer together. It’s great to think we can recycle our hand embroidery patterns so that others can use them time and time again. The lesson is to always be on the look out. Inspiring hand embroidery designs can be found everywhere, I know there is one right now waiting for you to find it!

Click here for a free hand embroidery design

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com

An important factor to consider when learning how to embroider is your choice of embroidery thread.

If you are new to hand embroidery I would recommend that you choose a stranded embroidery cotton, such as DMC. There are lots of different threads on the market and the choice can be overwhelming. Stranded embroidery cotton is easy to work with and comes in a huge range of colors. It is purchased in hanks.

DMC stranded cotton is made up of 6 finer strands. Your embroidery pattern will normally tell you how many starnds to use, two being the most common. It is important to match the number of strands with the right size needle. If you are having difficulty pulling the needle through your fabric, chances are you are using too many threads for the size of your needle.

Keeping your threads clean and tidy is important. Getting into good habits from the start will help to reduce tangles. It is good idea to purchase a thread box. A thread box is made up of small compartments and bobbins which are normally plastic or cardboard. Wind the embroidery thread onto a bobbin and label the bobbin with the brand of thread and the number.

This is a must. There is nothing more annoying than running out of a thread and then trying to match it.

My other tip for embroidery thread is to resist the temptation of cutting the length too long. Whilst this reduces the number of times you need to thread your needle it will increase tangles when you are working. A good rule of thumb is to measure from the tip of your fingers to your elbow.

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com

Once you have your design transferred onto your fabric, the next decision to make when learning how to embroider is your choice of needle.

Just like a carpenter, choosing the right tool for the job is imperative to the quality of what is produced. It is no use using a screw driver in place of a chisel to carve a piece of timber, and it is no good using a tapestry needle instead of a Straw needle when working Bullion stitch.

When learning how to embroider take notice of what the pattern instructions recommend you use for a certain stitch. This applies to the size of the needle as well. The higher the number, the smaller the eye of the needle. Good quality, hand embroidery patterns should guide you. Although don’t worry if yours doesn’t, I have included the most common hand embroidery needles here for you.

Crewel Needles – are the most common needle used for hand embroidery. A number 9-10 is recommended for 1-3 strands of floss or embroidery thread. Crewel needles have a large eye which makes threading multiple threads easy.

If you have trouble threading a needle for embroidery, chances are you are using a Sharp needle. It has a much smaller eye and should be used when using a machine cotton thread for mending or attaching a binding on a quilt.

Straw needles are longer in length and the shaft of the needle is the same width as the eye. This needle is used when embroidering Bullion stitch, the stitch used to form Grub roses.

Tapestry needles are thicker and have a big eye for threading wool. Generally they should not be used with floss or embroidery thread.

Quilting and Applique needles are short and fine and have a small eye for threading a single length of quilting thread, neither should be used for hand embroidery.

If you are learning how to embroider, it is a good idea to make yourself a needle case. That way your needles are safely stored and you will be able to select your needle of choice quickly and easily. I recommend that you make labels on each page of your needle case so that you can identify each needle. This will make sewing your next embroidery project much easier.

For more information about needles for hand embroidery, click here.

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com

One of the most common mistakes that people make when learning how to embroider is that they don’t use an embroidery hoop. And there are others who admit that they have tried to use a hoop but they found it awkward. So I thought I would shed some light on the matter.

Using an embroidery hoop for hand embroidery is very important because it helps to keep your stitch tension correct. As a teacher of hand embroidery, I have come across many women who have wanted to improve their hand embroidery skills but expressed that they were not able to use an embroidery hoop. With a little persuasion I had them use one of my hoops only to find that they loved it and did not want to give it up.

Was it that I had a magical hoop?

No, not at all. The secret is to use a hoop that is small. One of my favorite embroidery hoops is only 5″ across. Many beginners learning hand embroidery for the first time fall into the trap of buying a large hoop. Many then go on to find it both awkward and cumbersome to work with.

I understand that buying an embroidery hoop can be daunting. They come in many different sizes. I would recommend a timber one, although there are also metal and plastic on the market.

A small hoop this size is ideal:

You will notice that the hoop is made up of two circles. One is placed underneath your fabric and the second pulls the fabric taut over the top. The screw is used to secure the fabric in place. Although remember to loosen the screw and remove your embroidery when you are not working on it. If you leave the hoop in place for a long period of item it can cause your fabric to stretch.

The good news is that embroidery hoops are inexpensive to buy. If you are thinking about learning how to embroider I highly recommend using one.

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com

One of the first things to consider when learning how to embroider is how to transfer your chosen design onto the fabric. There are a few different methods that you can use and the method you choose will depend on the thickness of your fabric.

If you are a beginner, my advice is to choose a light-colored fabric so that it is easy to see through the fabric when transferring the design.

Cream homespun fabric is a popular choice for Redwork enthusiasts, although always embroider on a quality fabric that will stand up to laundering, particularly if you plan to incorporate your design into a quilt. Don’t be tempted to opt for a cheaper fabric, it may come back to haunt you at a later time.

Your design can be transferred using a well lit window or light box. A glass coffee table with a light source underneath is also good if you are lucky enough to have one in your home. It is a good idea to tape your design so that it does not slip, check to make sure it is straight. Next place your fabric over the design and tape it as well so that the grain is straight. Trace using a water washable marker pen (the markers with a fine tip are best), or a sharp, soft lead pencil.

Keep in mind that the markings will need to be removed at a later stage so don’t be heavy handed. The markings will appear darker once removed from the light source.

Another tip is to check that you are tracing onto the right side of your fabric, if you are using a cream homespun this is not a concern because both sides are the same, but if you have chosen a light colored fabric with a pattern double check the right side.

I traced a very detailed embroidery design onto a piece of a fabric for a medallion quilt a few years ago, only to discover that I had traced onto the back. Thankfully it was not obvious and so I incorporated my mistake into the quilt. Up until now my mistake was my secret, but now I have shared it with you so that it can serve as a reminder to check, check and then double check.

For more information about transferring hand embroidery designs click here. I’m looking forward to sharing some more tips on how to embroider very soon.

Warmly,
Lenna
www.stitchingcow.com