Embroidery Stitch Library + A Giveaway (CLOSED)

The Embroidery Stitch Library is up and running! If you haven't already, go take a look and let me know what you think. The library will be updated frequently with not only embroidery stitches, but patterns and projects as well (so you can have some inspiration for practicing your stitches!).

Each stitch has a step by step photo tutorial, with written instructions (in English). I have tried to make the photographs easy enough to follow that you can learn a stitch from start to finish without really needing to read the whole post.

Projects in the library link back to recommended stitches, if there is a stitch you don't know you will be able to click back and learn the stitch while you make a fun new project. There are even tutorials on creating your own patterns to embroider!

To celebrate the stitch library going live, I am hosting a giveaway of embroidery goodies! The giveaway is open worldwide and the winner will be announced Nov 5th. To enter, use the rafflecopter widget below - allow time to load.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway prizes include:

Gingher embroidery scissors
Embroidery hoop
pack of embroidery needles
package of sewing themed iron on embroidery patterns
assorted DMC embroidery flosses
1 yard of cotton muslin fabric for practicing your stitches
Misc. crafty odds and ends from my stash

Embroidered Line Drawings

With my mini series in embroidery behind us, I think it is time to start showing you some great ideas for creating your own embroidery masterpieces! Many embroidery patterns are nothing more than line drawings, so it's a great place to start if you want to try out some non traditional patterns. For this piece I chose a line drawing of a Pug puppy I found on Deviant Art by Lady Gryph.

If you happen to be good at line drawings, or have a friend that draws up a storm, that is a great way to get your very own original patterns! You can also take photographs and tracing paper and create line drawings if you aren't so artistically inclined. Simply trace around the edges of your subject matter, and any details you want to include. Keep in mind that you will be sewing it later, so less is more. You don't want so many lines that your picture is impossible to embroider, but you want enough details that people know what it is.

For this drawing, I used almost entirely backstitch to embroider my design, I just used a couple French Knots to make pupils.

I think I might turn this little guy into a quilt patch. I am going to be starting some quilting tutorials soon, as I plan on making a quilt for a new little niece or nephew I have on the way!

If any of you try out some line drawing embroidery I'd love to see it, just post it to The Craftinomicon Flickr Group!

Embroidery How To: French Knot

For my second embroidery tutorial, I decided to go for the gusto and tackle the French Knot. Once you get in some practice, this is actually really easy. However, a lot of people tend to recognize this not as the french knot, but as the dreaded french knot. The key for me has always been keeping your thread tight while making one.

French knots are mainly used for things like eyes, polka dots and the like on your patterns. If you are just practicing you won't need to draw yourself a bunch of dots as a pattern isn't necessary.

Start by pulling your thread through your fabric from back to front. Pull your thread tight, then wrap your thread around your needle as shown below (notice you are wrapping the end of the thread that is coming out of your fabric around your needle, not wrapping the end that is right by the needle). I typically wrap my thread around twice, but if you want a larger knot you can wrap three times.

The picture could be a little better, the pointy end of my needle is on the left of the frame in case you were wondering. Make sure to keep your thread tight around your needle as you go back through your fabric. You will want to get the needle close to the original point it came through, but not in the same hole.

Then, pull your needle all the way through and make sure you keep your thread tight while you pull it through to finish your knot. As I mentioned, keeping it tight is key, otherwise you get a sloppy knot.

Then, sit back and admire your knot. Isn't it cute? Here is a picture of two knots I made, the one on the Left was made by wrapping the thread around my needle three times.

If you missed it, go check out my tutorial on the back stitch here.