For Beginners

Getting Started With the Long & Short Stitch

March 21, 2022 Anne 3 Comments

Hello, it’s been a while! I haven’t been blogging as much lately because I’ve been working on something new, but today I happily bring you a new stitch tutorial: the famous long & short stitch! I say “happily”, but if I’m honest I dreaded making a tutorial for this one. It’s such a beautiful stitch, but it’s a harder one to master. Doing it justice in tutorial photos was harder than I expected, and I had to shoot the whole thing twice. 😉 Nevertheless, here we are, so if you’re ready to take your embroidery skills to the next level, let’s dive in!

The long & short stitch is a fill stitch, used in the wonderful technique called “needle-painting”, also called “silk shading”, or “art needlework”. As the first name suggests, using this stitch feels like painting with a needle and thread. Best worked with only 1 strand of floss (cotton or silk), stitches get impeccably blended together to create realistic designs. You’ll often see animals, flowers, and other botanical subjects worked with this technique. For today, I’ve prepared a little flower petal to show you how to get started with the long & short stitch.

Long & Short Stitch Tutorial

1. First, you’ll want to thread a fine hand embroidery needle (size 9-12) ideally with 1 strand of floss. I’m using 6-stranded DMC cotton floss, and you can use more strands if you like, but the blending will be less smooth. Depending on the look you’re going for though, it might work very well. But if you’re hoping to get a really fine, paint-like blend, I recommend 1 strand only. It takes more time, but it’s worth it. You’ll want to pick at least 3 different colours that will blend together well. Use variations of the same tone if you want to create a shading effect. I’ll be using 3 different pink tones, going from light to dark.

2. Next, you’ll want to draw a shape to be filled. I just made a petal shape, and divided it into 3 sections, since I’ll be using 3 different colours to fill it. I highly recommend adding pencil guidelines to divide your shape, especially if you’re new to this technique.

petal shape drawn in pencil on white fabric

3. The next step is to outline the shape with an outline stitch, such as the stem stitch or split stitch. I’m using the stem stitch here, with 1 strand of DMC #778, the dominant colour for this petal. When you outline, choose one of the lighter colours you’ll be working with, to make sure it won’t be visible once the shape is all filled.

4. Thread your needle with the colour you’d like to use in the first row. I’m using DMC #225. Bring your needle up from the back right outside the outlined edge at the top of the petal, in the middle. Come back down to end your stitch in the second section. Work another stitch in the same way, a little shorter or a little longer, towards the right or left. Before you start making the stitches very close together, you want to leave space between them to create guideline stitches. This is to help with the stitch direction and makes it easier to fill the shape accurately. Work more stitches in this way until the first section has enough guidelines both on the left and the right side.

5. Now, we can actually fill the first row! The idea is to fill the first section completely by adding “long” and “short” stitches very closely together between the guidelines stitches. I like to work from right to left. Always start your stitches just outside the outlined edge, and down into the second row. Vary their length, ending the shorter ones just at the pencil guideline, and letting the longer ones go as far as 2/3 of the way down into the second row.

6. Continue in this way until the first row is filled, making your stitches very close to each other.

first row almost filled with long & short stitches

first row filled with long & short stitches

7. To fill the second row, thread your needle with a different colour – I’m using #778, a slightly darker pink than #225. Come up from behind through the first row, right about where your pencil guideline was.

8. I like to start in the middle, and work a few guidelines towards the right before I start filling.

long & short stitches to fill second row

9. Keep filling the second row, just as you did the first. Use guideline stitches if you need (stitches that you place ahead of time to help with direction). Always come up through the previous layer, not down into it. It gives it a much smoother effect!

second row almost filled with long & short stitches

10. To fill the last row, thread your needle with another colour (#316), and fill it much like you did the second row. Only this time, your stitches will end right outside the outlined edge.

needle going down just outside the outlined edge to stitch the last row

11. And that’s it, you’re done!!

petal completely filled with long & short stitch

A Few Notes:

As I said earlier, this stitch takes a lot of practice! Don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work too well the first time. It’s normal! It took me years of on and off practice to get comfortable with it, and even still it’s not always perfect. ^_^ It’s just how this stitch is, it requires a lot of patience and precision. But you got this, don’t worry!
There are so many different ways to shade, and so many directions you can go with this stitch! Depending on what you’re trying to fill, you might not need such precise rows, or you might need to work diagonally, or use more or less colours. You can shade from dark to light, light to dark, or really any combination that works for your design. The main takeaway with this stitch is that it’s smoother when worked with 1 strand, and you always want to come up through previous rows (or stitches), rather than down into them.
If you’re serious about needle-painting, I highly suggest you consult Trish Burr’s amazing work and resources. I already recommended one of her books in a previous post here, and she also has a wonderful website where you can buy her patterns and read her blog: Trish Burr Embroidery Blog. She’s really the expert of long & short stitch, and her designs are stunning.
Anything by the Royal School of Needlework is also fantastic, they have a few really great books on silk shading, and they offer acclaimed classes and workshops.
Lastly, just remember to have fun with it, and don’t be afraid to experiment!

Here’s the pinnable tutorial if you want to save it:

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it was helpful! Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need some help. I promise you this stitch is so worth it, and opens up wonderful possibilities. Happy stitching my friend!

Fondly,

3 Easy Ways to Transfer a Pattern Onto Dark Fabric

January 24, 2022 Anne 2 Comments

Transferring the embroidery pattern onto fabric is probably my least favourite part of the whole embroidery process…and when it has to be done on dark fabric, it’s even worse! Luckily, there are many tools out there to make this process easier. Embroidery on dark fabric can really look stunning, so don’t be discouraged by this part of the process! I’ll show 3 easy ways to successfully transfer your pattern on a dark fabric.

flatlay showing a piece of dark blue fabric, an owl embroidery paper pattern, transfer paper, and an embroidery hoop

How do you transfer a pattern on dark fabric?

There are a few different methods and marking tools that you can try for transferring an embroidery pattern onto dark fabric. The best method will depend on the fabric type and weight, and how detailed your pattern is.

In this post, I will show you 3 different ways to successfully transfer a pattern onto dark fabric, using different fabrics and patterns. I will touch on the following materials:

Carbon and Transfer Paper
Chalk
Light Source
Dressmaker’s pencil
White gel pen
Steel-Ball Stylus
Ballpoint pen

1. Transfer Your Pattern With Carbon or Transfer Paper

This is probably my favourite method for dark fabric. It’s also probably the easiest, if you can find good carbon paper, or transfer paper. Carbon paper has a waxy side and the transferred lines aren’t as easy to erase. Transfer paper, on the other hand, is cleaner and the lines are easy to remove. I’ve been using the wax-free DMC Transfer Paper made for embroidery, and really like it (you can find it on the DMC website). It comes in different colours, so you can choose a colour that will be visible on dark fabric, like this yellow. The marks easily rub off with a cloth, or even just with your finger. This is a bit of a downside since it means they don’t last very long, but there are solutions!

To transfer the pattern, start by placing the carbon/transfer paper colour side down against your fabric, and then tape your pattern over it.

owl embroidery pattern taped to carbon paper, face down on dark blue fabric, with a pencil and stylus laying beside

Using a ballpoint pen or a steel-ball stylus, go over all the pattern lines, applying a good amount of pressure to transfer them. I like the stylus a lot since it’s “cleaner” than the pen, but the latter works really well too.

close-up view of owl pattern lines gone over with steel-ball stylus

Peel back all the layers, and your pattern is transferred!

transferred owl pattern on dark blue fabric

You will notice that the transferred lines, although visible, are a bit pale…And as soon as I pick up the hoop to stitch, they become even harder to see. As I mentioned earlier, the marks also rub off very easily. So, I would definitely recommend having a dressmaker’s pencil or white gelly roll pen at hand to go over the lines. The branch details on this particular pattern definitely needed a little help!

Different Marking Tools

I really like the white gel pen, but be mindful that the marks are really hard to remove. The dressmaker’s chalk pen is a better option if you think you’ll want to erase any lines later. Also, the gel pen doesn’t roll easily depending on your fabric choice. I used a dark blue linen fabric that is a bit loosely weaved for this transfer, and had a bit of trouble getting the pen to glide. Since the pattern isn’t too detailed though, it works just fine for what I needed.

close-up of the embroidery project in the hoop, showing tree lines drawn in white gel pen and an embroidered moon

*The products I’ve linked are not affiliate links, just genuine recommendations of tools I enjoy using.

2. Transferring a Pattern With Chalk

A quick alternative to the carbon or transfer paper if you don’t have any is to use some chalk instead. Print or create a reverse version of your pattern, and go over it with chalk. I’m using a piece of white tailor’s chalk (used for marking fabric), and going over the pattern lines very generously. This doesn’t have to be precise, you just want to make sure to go over all the lines. I’m using a thicker, dark purple cotton for the fabric.

reverse bird pattern on paper against dark purple fabric, a piece of tailor's chalk and an embroidery hoop — Bird pattern is a free download by Diana Vingert

Place your pattern reverse side down against the fabric, and go over it again with a pencil or stylus. You don’t need to apply as much pressure as with the transfer paper since there’s one less layer.

transferred bird pattern on dark purple fabric, with stylus and white gel pen beside it

Pattern transferred! Again though, the lines are rather pale, so I suggest going over it with the gel pen.

bird pattern traced over with white gel pen, framed by the embroidery hoop over the fabric — The fabric is more closely woven than the previous one, making it really easy to trace with the gel pen.

3. Transfer your Pattern With a Light Source

I’ve covered how to transfer a pattern using a window or a lightbox before in this post, and you can do exactly the same thing if your dark fabric is lightweight and transparent enough. The green cotton I’m using here worked really well with a window, since it’s see-through enough. The sun was really strong that day and I could see my pattern lines clearly, although it doesn’t show in the picture.

All you need to do is tape your pattern to a window or light box, and then tape your fabric over it. Transfer the pattern with the gelly roll pen or dressmaker’s pencil (or any other marking tool you can see on dark fabric), and you’re done! The dressmaker’s pencil worked better with this fabric type here.

paper pattern and dark green fabric taped over a sunny window in winter

sunflower paper pattern next to transferred image in white chalk on green fabric

Embroidery on dark fabric is certainly a little trickier to prep and a little harder on the eyes to work with, but it’s definitely worth it. I hope you found this post helpful and that you will be inspired to stitch something on dark fabric now that you know how to easily transfer your pattern!

You Might Also Like:

embroidery success: 10 tips before you begin a project

embroidery books - recommendation for beginners

Fondly,

3 ways to transfer a pattern on dark fabric — Pin to save for later!

10 Easy Steps to Successfully Begin an Embroidery Project

November 15, 2021 Anne 5 Comments

Does anyone else get really impatient when it’s time to begin a new embroidery project? I just want to skip all the prep stuff and get stitching already! Unfortunately, not preparing adequately for an embroidery project will too often bring regret later on. It’s the little things that can really make a difference. Fortunately, preparing to begin an embroidery project isn’t as long or as daunting as it may seem. So if you’re like me (the impatient stitcher) or you’re new to the craft, here’s a list of 10 easy steps you can follow and prep before you make your first stitch.

10 best tips to begin an embroidery project

1. Choosing and Preparing a Pattern

The first logical step to beginning an embroidery project is to decide what you want to embroider. If you’re looking for inspiration, you can start with a quick Pinterest search, follow some talented embroiders on Instagram or browse Etsy for pretty patterns. There are also many books on embroidery that you can find that include patterns. Whether you draw your own pattern or find one you like, take a few moments to think ahead to what you want the final product to be. Will you be leaving the embroidery in the hoop to hang, or are you turning it into something else? What size do you want it to be?

Thinking ahead and having a bit of a plan before you begin your embroidery project can be so helpful and save you from disappointment later. If you bought a pattern, chances are the recommended dimensions will be included in the instructions. You can also scale a pattern using your printer’s settings to resize it however you’d like.

2. Fabric

Aaahhh, fabric! I’ve alluded to fabric choice for embroidery in two previous posts already – The Only Embroidery Tools You Need and Different Ways to Transfer an Embroidery Pattern, but it could undoubtedly fill a post all on its own. Generally, when working surface embroidery, you want a nice cotton or linen fabric. There are many different kinds and blends you can get, as well as different weights. If you choose something very light, like most quilting cottons, you can either double the fabric or use some interfacing to make it a bit sturdier. Light and medium weights are usually best suited for embroidery. I would recommend staying away from blends with too many synthetic fabrics in the mix. Hand embroidery is better worked on woven fabrics (as opposed to knits) because it’s much easier to keep the tension even and prevent puckers.

Anything stretchy and knit will be harder to embroider, and although you can definitely do it if you’re embroidering on clothes, I wouldn’t recommend using a stretchy fabric for hoop art or anything like that. Also think about how you will transfer your pattern. Some fabrics/colours are much easier for pattern transferring, so that’s something to keep in mind. Light-coloured fabrics are usually easier to begin with.

different fabrics suitable for embroidery; linen, cotton blend, factory cotton, medium weight cotton and light-weight cotton

3. Cutting Your Fabric

Before cutting your piece of fabric, I would again suggest taking a bit of time to think ahead to how you want to finish your embroidery. If you’re thinking of leaving it in the hoop, you’ll want to make sure you have enough hoop allowance to close the back when you’re done. I like to leave a good inch allowance all around when I make embroidery hoop art. If you want to finish your project another way, such as by mounting it in a frame, or turning it into a bag, needlebook, journal, or anything else, think about seam allowances and allow yourself enough fabric to work with. I can’t tell you how many times I didn’t leave enough seam allowance and had to resort to all sorts of patchwork to finish the piece! Very frustrating. So before you cut, think twice about how you plan to finish your work!

cut piece of fabric for embroidery with wooden placed on top

4. Ironing Your Fabric

Ironing the fabric before you begin stitching is such a simple thing, yet it can make so much difference! This is a step I nearly always want to skip because setting up the iron and ironing board always seem like a worse chore than it actually is. It’s done in no time, and really, who would want to embroider on crumpled fabric? Take the time to iron your fabric before you begin your embroidery project, it’s worth it!

5. Transferring the Pattern

Once you have a nicely cut and ironed piece of fabric and your pattern ready to go, it’s time to transfer the pattern onto the fabric. That’s also a topic that can cover many blog posts, and luckily I already wrote a full post on it: Different Ways to Transfer an Embroidery Pattern. It covers two different ways of transferring a pattern on light-coloured fabric: using a light source and the reverse transfer method.

lavender embroidery pattern transferred onto piece of light fabric

6. Using a Hoop

Now comes the time to pop the fabric into the embroidery hoop! I love this step, haha. If you plan on leaving the embroidery in the hoop, pick a size that will nicely fit your pattern. If you don’t plan on framing the embroidery with the hoop, I still recommend choosing a size that fits the pattern so you don’t need to move it as you embroider. When you’re working a big pattern though, you might need to move the hoop as you work each area.

An embroidery hoop is made of two rings: the outer ring, larger, usually has a little screw at the top, and the inner ring is smaller and fits inside the outer ring. Simply loosen the screw and the two rings will separate. Center your fabric over the inner ring, good side up, then place the outer ring over it, securing the fabric in place. Tighten the screw while adjusting the fabric until it is sitting nice and taut. There should be no ripples or puckers.

Some wooden hoops may have slightly uneven rings, which can cause uneven tension. It’s super annoying, and I recommend using another hoop, or binding it with fabric until it’s even. I wrote more about hoops and different kinds/sizes in the post The Only Embroidery Tools You Need.

close-up view of embroidery hoop ring with a hand resting on the screw

fabric placed in the hoop nice and tight, with embroidery floss bobbins beside and stork scissors

7. The Right Needle

For some reason, I always find the idea of finding the “correct” needle somewhat overwhelming…probably because I have too many needles and they’re in such a state of disarray that locating the right one really feels like looking for a needle in a haystack! But it doesn’t have to be that way! If you start by keeping your needles well-organized (in needlebooks, cases, or even small boxes), locating the right one will be so much easier.

As for the “right” one, this will depend on your project. If you start by purchasing a pack of “embroidery” or “crewel” needles, you will be fine for working surface embroidery. There are usually a few different sizes per pack so that you can use a longer or shorter needle if you prefer, or one with a bigger or smaller eye depending on how many strands of floss you like to work with. I like the DMC needles #3-9 for embroidery, which you can find in most craft stores.

pack of dmc needles and acorn needlecase with lots of needles spilling out

8. Embroidery Floss

This is a bit embarrassing, but when I first started embroidery, I didn’t know that you could separate the floss strands! Stitching small details was a mystery to me. Clearly I missed the part where they tell you that embroidery floss indeed comes in separable strands! The big brands like DMC and Anchor come in skeins of about 8 meters long made of 6 separable strands. While you can definitely choose to embroider with all 6 strands, knowing that they are separable will definitely be helpful 😉. Depending on your project and the style you prefer, you can use only 1 or 2 strands if you like! It’s perfect for working small details, as I finally figured out eventually. If you’re picking out the colours yourself, I recommend pulling out more than you’ll need to try different combinations. This is best done during daylight since thread colours look a little different at night!

skein of embroidery floss pulled out a little bit to show separable strands

9. Practicing Stitches

Now that you’ve got your pattern transferred to your fabric sitting nicely in the hoop, and a threaded needle ready to go, it’s time to begin stitching at last! The first stitch is the best part of a project (or is it the last?). If you’re unsure how you should begin and end your stitches, I have a full post on it with lots of helpful photos here. As you embroider, whether you’re following a pattern with instructions or following your heart’s desire, don’t hesitate to stop and practice a stitch if you need to. Ripping stitches out of a main project is sometimes necessary, but a great tip to avoid this is to practice something on a piece of scrap fabric first. If you get to a stitch that you don’t know how to do, or you feel like trying something new, practice first! You can have a look at the following tutorials if you need help with any of these stitches:

5 embroidery stitches to learn as a beginners — Straight stitch, running stitch, backstitch, splitstitch, stem stitch

the chain stitch easy tutorial — Includes the lazy-daisy stitch

10. Personalize!

My last tip to successfully begin an embroidery project is to not be afraid to add your own personal touch! Change up the colour palette, use different stitches, add a quote or a touch of ribbon, and use materials you already have to really make the piece your own. I like to use some ribbon, lace, beads, and other bits and pieces in my projects, and it’s an excellent way of really making it unique. Even if you’re a complete beginner, don’t feel “bound” to pattern instructions. Follow the basics of embroidery, yes, but don’t be afraid to personalize. It’s immensely satisfying, and really opens the door to creativity.

embroidered lavender pattern stitched in two different ways with different colours, one of them in a frame, and a little sprig of dried lavender in between the two pieces — My “Lavande” pattern embroidered with different colours. You can shop this pattern here!

I hope these 10 easy tips will help you seamlessly begin your next embroidery project! Whether you’re following someone else’s pattern with instructions or making up your own, taking the time to go through all these little steps before stitching will make a difference. I even like to jot down notes as I embroider (things like what colours I’m using, modifications to the pattern, etc) so I can refer to them later. Happy embroidering my friend, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments! I’d love to help.

Fondly,

embroidery success: 10 easy tips to begin an embroidery project — Pin to save for later!

Different Ways to Transfer an Embroidery Pattern

October 18, 2021 Anne 2 Comments

There are several ways to transfer an embroidery pattern, and the “best” way will often depend on your choice of pattern and fabric. Today, I will show you my two favourite ways to transfer an embroidery pattern that work perfectly with pale fabric of a light to medium weight.

different ways to transfer embroidery patterns

About Fabric

Fabric choice could fill an entire blog post on its own, as there are several things you will want to consider when choosing fabric for embroidery. I’ll be honest, I’m not usually too picky about it, and will definitely embroider on whatever suitable scraps I can find. Of course, for bigger, detailed projects, you will want to choose a quality fabric. But in many cases, choosing fabric doesn’t need to be too complicated. Most cottons and linens are suitable for embroidery, and easy to find at your local fabric store or online. I definitely recommend all natural fiber fabrics if possible, and staying away from anything stretchy or knit (unless you’re embroidering on clothing, which could also fill a whole new blog post!). Ideally, you also want the fabric to be closely woven so that your stitches will remain secure.

For the purposes of this tutorial, I will show you two different ways to transfer a pattern. I will be using a piece of off-white cotton muslin for the first method, and whiter, thicker cotton for the second method. Both ways will work with any light-weight or medium-weight cottons and linens that are pale enough to mark with a pencil (or other marking tool of your choice).

Transfer Your Pattern With a Light Source

If you’re new to embroidery or only stitch projects once in a while, a nice clean window and a pencil are all you need to successfully transfer your pattern onto fabric. Nothing fancy needed!

If you’re using your own hand-drawn pattern, I suggest going over it with a pen or fine-line Sharpie to get a darker outline. If you’re using a printed pattern, the outline will already be dark enough to see through the fabric.

1. Tape your pattern directly on the window. I recommend using masking or washi tape, something that’s easy to remove and won’t rip your pattern.

cute mouse embroidery pattern taped on a window

2. Then, center your piece of fabric over the pattern and tape in place.

fabric taped over embroidery pattern on the window

3. Trace your pattern on your fabric with a mechanical or HB pencil.

embroidery pattern successfully transferred onto the fabric

Remove everything from the window, and your pattern is successfully transferred!

Notes on Marking Tools:

There are several different marking tools that you can use to trace embroidery patterns. My favourite one is the mechanical pencil because I’ve found it’s what gives me the most precise outline. A 0.5mm mechanical pencil is ideal for transferring detailed patterns because you can trace very thin lines with it. The downside is that pencil marks are not always easy to remove from fabric, but since the lines are so thin, it’s usually easy to cover them entirely with stitches.

The water-soluble and heat-erasable pen are also widely used for transferring embroidery patterns. I’ve never used the heat-erasable pen, but I love the water-soluble pen. It glides on the fabric much easier than the mechanical pencil, and the markings are easily removed with water. However, the tip is much less precise than a pencil’s, and the markings often reappear even after removing them with water. This makes it rather unsuitable for embroidery pieces that are never washed.

Transferring a Pattern With a Light-Box

The method for transferring a pattern onto fabric with a light-box is essentially the same as with the window. If you’re serious about embroidery and/or do a lot of it, investing in a light-box is really worth it. I got mine for only 17 $ CAD on Amazon and use it all the time! It’s very basic and does nothing but light up when I plug it, but that’s all I need it for. There’s no on/off button, no settings, nothing but a big light that comes on when you plug it. It’s very bright, and very efficient. Unfortunately that specific one is no longer available on Amazon, but I found a similar one, linked for you here.

light box from amazon, plugged in and lighted — (I need to clean it lol)

As with the window method, simply tape your pattern onto the lightbox, and then tape your fabric over the pattern. Turn on the lightbox, trace with a pencil (or other marking tool) and you’re done!

pattern being transferred onto fabric with lightbox turned on

pattern successfully transferred on the fabric using the lightbox

This is a really good alternative to the window and isn’t dependent on daylight, which is nice for wintertime when it’s dark so early in the day!

Interested in this pattern? You can shop it in my Etsy here!

The Reverse Transfer Method

This method is especially useful if you’re using a thicker or broader-weave fabric that is hard to see through with the above methods.

In this case, what you want to do is start with a reverse image of your pattern. Many embroidery pattern PDFs for sale often come with a reverse image of the pattern as well. If you have one included with your pattern, print it to your desired size. If there isn’t one or if you’re using your own pattern, use a piece of tracing paper to create a reverse copy.

Trace over the reverse image with a pencil. (You definitely want to be using a pencil in this case!)

reverse pattern traced over with mechanical pencil

2. Then, place the pattern good side up over your fabric (so the reverse side is touching the fabric), and go over your pattern again. You can use the pencil again, or a stylus. Don’t worry about being precise, because you’ve already traced the design neatly on the reverse side and that’s what will be transferred!

pattern taped over the fabric, traced again with pencil to transfer the design

3. Remove your pattern, and go over any lines that might have come out too pale.

pattern successfully transferred onto the fabric

I love this method for thicker fabric that isn’t see-through enough to use a light source!

Interested in this pattern? You can shop it in my Etsy here!

I hope this post was helpful, and don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions at all, I would be happy to help! Darker fabrics and different marking tools will be covered in future blog posts.

What’s your favourite transfer method?

If you enjoyed this post, you might also find these useful:

how to start and end embroidery stitches

embroidery tools to begin your embroidery journey

And if you’re looking for some FREE embroidery patterns, be sure to have a look at my “freebies” tab. There you’ll find all the posts that include free downloadable freebies, such as the “Apple Jelly” jar bonnet pattern, and a charming branch of wisteria. Happy stitching!

Fondly,

The Best Embroidery Book Recommendations For Beginners

October 1, 2021 Anne 1 Comment

A few people have been asking for embroidery book recommendations for beginners lately, so I thought, why not make a post about some of my favourite ones? I know I said in my last post that I would be concluding the Garden Bouquet project next, but I’ve had to push that to Monday, October 4^th. It will be a Grand Affair and Saturday was going to be too busy to sit down and have a cup of tea with you all. So Monday it will be! I still wanted to post something this week though, so this is like a bonus post!

my best recommendations for embroidery book

One of my favourite past-times – aside from the actual embroidery – is to go to the library to browse the craft books section. That was how I came across several wonderful books about hand embroidery some years ago, and how I mostly taught myself how to stitch. I love using books to learn new skills. Even though the Internet can be a wonderful wealth of information on so many hobbies, sometimes it’s just nice to do something that doesn’t require a screen. Hence, books.

Below is a short list of some of my favourite hand embroidery book recommendations (and a few blogs I love). I’ve used all of them and own two of them (the ones pictured). They were all incredibly helpful one way or another, so here’s a little break-down to help you decide which might be best for you.

Best Embroidery Book Recommendations for Beginners:

1. Embroidery Techniques & Patterns by Marie-Noëlle Bayard

book copy of Embroidery techniques and patterns by Marie-Noëlle Bayard

I was lucky enough to buy this wonderful book for only three dollars at a charity shop several years ago, when I began to be more serious about learning embroidery. This was the book I used to teach myself the basics, and I highly, highly recommend it. It has tons of stitches, all grouped by “families”, so that you can practice one type of stitch a few different ways before moving on to the next one. Ranging from the very basic stitches such as the stem stitch, all the way to the more complex ones such as the Palestrina stitch (haven’t used that one yet), the book covers all the stitches you will need, and more.

inside peek of Embroidery Techniques & Patterns

It features step-by-step photos of each stitch being worked, and it’s very easy to follow and well-explained. Each section also has a project with some instructions and a pattern to transfer. I haven’t done any of them, but there’s a wide variety of projects, from a cross-stitch wall hanging to curtains with drawn-thread work.

A very thorough, informative book that covers more than just the basics, and allows you to discover tons and tons of new stitches and techniques.

Available for purchase on Amazon.

2. A-Z of Embroidery Stitches by Country Bumpkin Publications

This is a very colourful and inspiring collection of embroidery stitches, with very clear step-by-step photos on how to work each stitch. I wrote in my Goodreads review that it had a really great French knot tutorial and really helped me during one of my first projects. The book is quite detailed, and provides useful information on things like fabric choice and working with hoops. There are even tips for left-handed stitchers! That can be hard to find sometimes as most stitchers tend to be right-handed, but this book has you covered if you’re left-handed.

The coloured photographs are beautiful and easy to follow, and it feature different stitches than in Embroidery Techniques & Patterns. Definitely another great book to peruse if you want to teach yourself many different stitches.

You can find it on Amazon, Chapters, and Barnes & Noble.

3. Long & Short Stitch Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers by Trish Burr

If you’re interested in needle-painting (also called silk shading or art needlework), then you simply must have a look at Trish Burr’s breathtaking work! She’s the expert on all things needle-painting, and there’s no one better to learn from than herself. The long & short stitch is what’s principally used in needle-painting, and this book will show you everything you need to know to get started! It has both beginner and more advanced projects, full stitch diagrams, thread keys, and instructions. You definitely don’t want to miss this book if you want to learn needle-painting and love botanical-illustration style flowers. Everything in this book is simply gorgeous.

See it directly on Trish Burr’s website, or buy it at Chapters , or on Amazon.

4. Colour Confidence in Embroidery by Trish Burr

book copy of Colour Confidence in Embroidery by Trish Burr

Yes, I’m listing another book by Trish Burr, because I find this one so useful too, and wish I had it sooner. This one is less about how to learn the long & short stitch, and more about how to accurately choose colours for your embroidery. It has pages and pages of useful colour schemes and everything you should know about colours; how to pick them, how they affect your embroidery, how to shade them correctly, etc…Even if you’re not as interested in realistic-looking needle-painting, the book is still a wealth of information if you need some help with colour palettes and preparing a project of your own design. It has helped me tremendously so far when picking shades for a project and using them appropriately to achieve a realistic floral effect.

inside pages of Colour Confidence in Embroidery by Trish Burr

Plus, there’s a whole section of patterns with diagrams and stitching instructions, featuring beautiful flowers and colourful birds. Some previous knowledge of needle-painting is definitely helpful for those projects, which is why I also strongly recommend Long and Short Stitch Embroidery.

See it on Trish Burr’s website, or buy it at Barnes & Noble, Chapters, or Amazon.

Blogs:

Blog posts and tutorials are also a wonderful way to learn a new skill. Sometimes, you don’t need or want an entire book to practice just one stitch, or follow a long Youtube video to complete a project. Sometimes a good old blog post is the best way to go (not biased at all, LOL). Below is a short list of some of my favourite embroidery blogs that I highly encourage you to check out!

Mary Corbet’s Needle n’ Thread:

Who in the embroidery world hasn’t ever consulted the Queen of All Things Embroidery? Most of us have definitely learned a thing or two from the one and only Mary Corbet over at Needle n’Thread, for the simple reason that she somehow manages to cover everything under the sun about hand embroidery! Her website is truly phenomenal. There’s everything and anything you could possibly be looking for, from basic stitch tutorials to sew-alongs, book recommendations, and other super useful posts, such as tips to create your own patterns, and what kind of needle you should be using. If there’s one blog you don’t want to miss, it’s this one!

Stitch Floral:

This is an absolutely beautiful blog dedicated mostly to floral embroidery and needle-painting. If you want to learn the long & short stitch and perfect your skills, Stitch Floral is also a wonderful place to start. Amina is lovely, comes up with the most beautiful colour combinations, and offers easy and informative posts. There’s also some bonus freebies on her site, and many posts full of helpful tips and tricks. Very inspiring, stunning work!

Wild Olive:

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love to stitch the occasional Mollie Johanson pattern, because they’re just so irresistibly cute. If you like Things With Smiley Faces, Wild Olive is the perfect blog to check out! It’s full of cuteness, freebies, and fun craft ideas. Most projects are super beginner-friendly, quick and easy to stitch. Mollie’s patterns are my favourite to stitch when I just want to relax. They bring me so much happiness, and are just plain fun! Totally recommend if you’re looking for some easy projects to begin with.

embroidery book recommendations and vintage teacup

There are so many more resources I could have included in this list, but this will have to do for now! If you like this kind of post, I could definitely do a Part 2 with more embroidery book recommendations in the future. You’re also most welcome to have a look at my craft-books shelf on Goodreads, where I’ve reviewed and rated several craft books of various genres.

I hope this was helpful, and happy stitching! If you have any more questions or are looking for something more specific, don’t hesitate to ask me in the comments.

Fondly,

recommendations for beginners embroidery books — Pin to save for later!

French Knot Made Easy: Stitch Tutorial

July 24, 2021 Anne Leave a Comment

Hello and welcome to another stitch tutorial! Today we are going to be looking at one of my favourite stitches ever, The French Knot. I know some people strongly dislike it or aren’t inclined to try it, but it’s really easy once you get the hang of it! And it’s SO useful. Not only does it add texture, but it’s also perfect for small details such as eyes or flower centers. I use it in nearly every project I make!

Last week I shared a raspberry embroidery project, where I combined French knots and beads to create the berries. The effect was wonderful, I thought! It made the fruits very dimensional, and the French knots are quick and easy to work. And this is coming from someone who struggles with hyperhidrosis and has a lot of trouble with bullion knots. I wrote a good hack for that one in my post Awesome Bullion Knot Hack. 😉 So anyways, the French knots are your friend! Even if your thread gets all wet like mine because of sweaty hands, they are still very manageable. (Right, so it’s very unpleasant to stitch with hyperhidrosis sometimes, but it’s doable!!)

Let’s Begin

Without further ado, let me show you how to work those fabulous French knots! First, you will begin by threading an embroidery needle and hooping your fabric. Then, anchor or knot your thread and you’ll be ready to begin.

For a list of embroidery tools you need to get started, check out this post: The Only Embroidery Tools You Need

For tips on how to start and end your stitches, check out: How to Start and End Embroidery Stitches

I used 3 strands of floss for this tutorial.

French Knot Tutorial

Bring your needle up from the back once it’s threaded and anchored.

With one hand (I’m right-handed so I’ll do this with my left hand because my dominant hand will hold the needle), hold the thread up a little, slightly above where it came up the fabric. With your dominant hand, hold your needle behind the thread, perpendicularly.

Wrap the thread twice around the needle. For best results, you always want to wrap only twice. If you want your knot to be bigger or smaller, reduce or add the number of strands you work with. Wrapping more than twice usually only creates a mess. You can wrap clockwise or anti-clockwise, it doesn’t really matter.

Pull the thread to tighten the wraps a little. You want them to be tight enough that they both rest against each other, but loose enough to be able to move the needle.

While still holding the thread with one hand, let your other hand guide the needle to go through the fabric again. Position the tip of the needle just beside the point where you first came up. You don’t want to be in exactly the same hole, or the knot won’t hold, but you want be as close as you can get.

tighten the wraps and angle the needle to take a stitch

As you angle the needle upwards to go through the fabric, relax your hand holding the thread just a little, allowing the loops to slide down the needle.

When they get to the bottom, hold the thread tight to tighten the loops against the needle shaft again, and keep holding the thread! Usually at this point, I like to use one finger to hold the thread down against the fabric to make sure those loops stay wrapped tight around the needle.

hold thread with one hand and pull the needle through with the other to make french knot

While you hold the thread, pull the needle through. It will go through the loops and the fabric. Hold on to the thread with your finger until the needle goes through completely. You can let go once the needle is fully on the other side, and just keep pulling the thread all the way.

Once the needle is pulled all the way, you end with a beautiful, tidy knot like this!

You can repeat the steps to create as many knots as you want, all close together, or further apart depending on what you’re stitching.

When I worked on my raspberries, I wanted my French knots to be close enough together, with a few spaces for adding beads later.

first embroidered raspberry with french knots

Final Thoughts

There are so many possibilities with this stitch, and I think you will have a lot of fun with it if you try it and practice a few times!! I know it sounds a bit convoluted when detailed out like this (this is a stitch that is very quick to make, but writing it out makes it seem a bit long!), but it’s really not as bad as it might sound. A video tutorial would probably be best suited for this stitch, and I hope to make one someday soon! I’m not very equipped for making videos at the moment, but it’s something I’d be interested in trying if there’s enough interest. Let me know if you think that would be helpful for you!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial, and please let me know if you give it a try! If you already know how to do it, do you also really like it? What other stitches would you be interested in learning? Let me know in the comments!

In the meantime, check out my other stitch tutorials!

Straight stitch, running stitch, backstitch, stem stitch, & split stitch

You can find all stitch tutorials under the “Tutorials” -> “Stitches” section in the menu, or by clicking the images above.

Happy stitching my friend, and I hope you have fun with the French knot!

Fondly,

Cookie	Duration	Description
__cfduid	1 month	The cookie is used by cdn services like CloudFare to identify individual clients behind a shared IP address and apply security settings on a per-client basis. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information.
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

THE LATEST

For Beginners

Long & Short Stitch Tutorial

A Few Notes:

Here’s the pinnable tutorial if you want to save it:

How do you transfer a pattern on dark fabric?

1. Transfer Your Pattern With Carbon or Transfer Paper

Different Marking Tools

2. Transferring a Pattern With Chalk

3. Transfer your Pattern With a Light Source

You Might Also Like:

1. Choosing and Preparing a Pattern

2. Fabric

3. Cutting Your Fabric

4. Ironing Your Fabric

5. Transferring the Pattern

6. Using a Hoop

7. The Right Needle

8. Embroidery Floss

9. Practicing Stitches

10. Personalize!

About Fabric

Transfer Your Pattern With a Light Source

Notes on Marking Tools:

Transferring a Pattern With a Light-Box

Interested in this pattern? You can shop it in my Etsy here!

The Reverse Transfer Method

Interested in this pattern? You can shop it in my Etsy here!

If you enjoyed this post, you might also find these useful:

Best Embroidery Book Recommendations for Beginners:

1. Embroidery Techniques & Patterns by Marie-Noëlle Bayard

Available for purchase on Amazon.

2. A-Z of Embroidery Stitches by Country Bumpkin Publications

You can find it on Amazon, Chapters, and Barnes & Noble.

3. Long & Short Stitch Embroidery: A Collection of Flowers by Trish Burr

See it directly on Trish Burr’s website, or buy it at Chapters , or on Amazon.

4. Colour Confidence in Embroidery by Trish Burr

See it on Trish Burr’s website, or buy it at Barnes & Noble, Chapters, or Amazon.

Blogs:

Mary Corbet’s Needle n’ Thread:

Stitch Floral:

Wild Olive:

Let’s Begin

French Knot Tutorial

As you angle the needle upwards to go through the fabric, relax your hand holding the thread just a little, allowing the loops to slide down the needle.

Final Thoughts