Pinterest - Sewing Tutorials

One of the wonderful things about blog land is all the great sewing tutorials. People are so generous with their time (and talent).

Here are some great tutorials I've pinned on Pinterest. Some of them involve drafting your own pattern from your favourite clothes which is what I have just started to do whilst others have a printable pattern.

Click on the source underneath each image to go straight to the blog and the tutorial.

Source: craftinessisnotoptional.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: marthastewart.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: luvinthemommyhood.com via Emma on Pinterest
Source: noodle-head.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: sewmamasew.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: sewmamasew.com via Emma on Pinterest
Source: cluckclucksew.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: skirtastop.wordpress.com via Emma on Pinterest	Source: danamadeit.com via Emma on Pinterest

Stitchery 101 – Part C

Here is Part A of Stitchery 101.
Here is Part B of Stitchery 101.

Here is the pdf pattern

In the Part B I included instructions for backstitch. There are two more stitches in the pattern – french knots and satin stitch.

French Knots

The French knots are the centre of the small flowers and to save time and thread, it is best to stitch the centre and the petals of the flower at one time. (If you have already gone ahead and stitched the petals don’t panic and don’t unpick anything – it really doesn’t matter and will have no bearing on what your finished stitchery will look like).

1. Bring the needle up from the back of the fabric in the position you want the French knot.
2. Wrap the thread around the needle twice. (Note: there is much discussion – mainly heated - on whether a true French knot has one wrap or two. I am not a stitchery nazi and I like the bulk of two wraps. Wrap as much or as little as you want or as you think is ‘correct’.)

3. Put the needle down in to the fabric a few threads away from where you came up. Don’t pull the needle though. You also need to keep the thread taught.

4. Keep the wraps against the fabric and the thread taught and pull the needle thread through the fabric.

There is your first French knot. You start and finish the thread as you normally would. See here for instructions.

Satin Stitch

Satin stitch is basically back stitch but the stitches lie next to each other. Your needle will always come out of the fabric on one side of the shape (I prefer the bottom) and go into the fabric at the opposite side (again, I prefer the top). It can take a bit of practice to make the edges of the shape smooth but take your stitches slow and practice. If you make sure you are stitching (going in and out of the fabric) on the outside edge of the design line, your shape will be smooth. Keep your stitches close together (a thread of two apart – more depending on the thickness of the thread you are sewing with) to prevent seeing the fabric under the stitches.

1. Draw some parallel lines inside the shape in the direction the thread will be sewn. This helps you to keep your stitches straight.
2. Bring your needle and thread up at the bottom middle of the shape, making sure you are on the outside edge of the design line.

3. Following the lines you just drew inside the shape, put your needle into the fabric at the top middle of the shape and pull thread through.
4. Bring your needle and thread up again at the bottom of the shape right next to your first stitch.
5. Put your needle into the fabric at the top of the shape, again right next to your first stitch and pull the thread through.
6. Continue making stitches in this manner, completing one half of the design and making sure you keep your stitches parallel to the lines you drew inside the shape.

7. When one half is finished, turn your work over and thread your needle through the back of the stitches only so you can complete the other half of the design, starting from the middle.
8. When you have completed the shape, finish off your thread.

Tips for Satin Stitch.

This is one stitch that I think it is vital to use an embroidery hoop. If you don’t use a hoop it is very easy to pull too tight and pucker your fabric.
Make sure that even with a hoop you do not pull the thread too tight. It should lay flat on the fabric but will look slightly padded when finished.

After the Stitching

Now that you have completed the stitching, you need to remove any marks. If you can’t see any design marks and you haven’t used a blue wash our pen then you can probably skip this step.
If you have used a blue wash out pen you must get rid of the lines, even if they are covered by stitching. All you have to do is thoroughly wet the fabric in cold water. I fill a container with cold water (no soaps or detergents are needed) and dunk my finished piece in the water and swish it about so everything is wet. I then take it out and gently squeeze out the water without wringing it, which may distort the design. Place the fabric on a towel and roll the towel up to remove more water. The design can then be hung to dry. If it is a large piece it is best to lay it flat to dry. Keep any peg marks on the very corners of the fabric as you should not iron the piece as the pellon will flatten. If you must iron it, use a light hand.

Your stitchery is now complete.

What to do with your Stitchery?

Because it is such a small design, I am going to frame mine. The design will fit into a standard 4” x 6” photo frame which you can pick up almost anywhere. I am searching op shops for one that is a bit different.
You could add some borders around the design and make it into either a larger framed piece or a cushion. You could also incorporate it into a quilt as the centre of a block.

I hope you have enjoyed making this. If there is anything that isn’t clear in this post please let me know – it has been a long time since I have written instructions.

Happy Stitching
Emma

Stitchery 101 – Part B

Here is Part A of Stitchery 101.
Here is Part C of Stitchery 101

Note: from now on I will have all measurements in inches. Even though I live in Australia I am a quilter and in general, quilters work in imperial. Sorry if this confuses anyone. Persevere and I am sure you will get used to it quickly.

Click here to download the pdf pattern.

Cut your fabric and pellon. Approximately 7.5” x 9.5” is a good size as it leaves you with enough fabric to handle and get into the hoop.

The easiest way to trace your design onto the fabric is to stick the design onto a window (during the day of course) and then stick the fabric over the paper. Make sure you centre the design by folding both paper and fabric in half and then in half again. Line up the creases on the paper and fabric. Use the blue wash out marker to lightly mark the design onto the fabric. Gently remove the sticky tape from the fabric to avoid fraying.

Note: The blue wash out marker is heat sensitive. Once you have marked your design do not iron the fabric as it will set the blue pen and it won’t wash out.

Place the pellon on a flat, hard surface and layer the fabric design side up on top of it.

Thread a needle with a cream cotton and baste the two together. Basting is a large running stitch. For this size stitchery we only need to baste 2 rows horizontally and 2 rows vertically. Space them out evenly. This will keep the pellon in place and make sure your finished work will lay flat.



Place the basted pellon and fabric into the embroidery hoop. The fabric needs to be taught but not stretched.

We are now ready to begin stitching.

This design is mainly back stitch and we will complete all the back stitching first.
Take your stranded cotton and cut a piece about as long as your forearm. Separate the strands of cotton so you only have two and thread them onto your needle and tie a knot in the other end.

Back Stitch

1. Come up from the back and pull the thread through. (Point A)


2. Bring the needle down about a quarter inch away from point A along the design line. (point B)

Pull thread though so that it lays flat on the top of the fabric. This is your first stitch.

3. Come up along the design line a stitch length away from point B and pull thread through (point C).

4. Bring needle down into the same hole as point B and pull thread through. This is your second stitch.

Continue stitching by repeating steps 3 and 4.

Keep back stitching until you either run out of thread or design line.

To finish off the thread make sure you leave about 4”of thread to work with. Finish a stitch with your needle at the back of your work.

Loop the needle under the thread only of the last stitch and make a loop.



Pass the needle through that loop and pull the thread through. This forms a little knot.

Loop the needle under a few more stitches after that and then trim thread.

And that’s a back stitch.

Continue backstitching the design, following the design line as closely as possible. The things that aren’t backstitched are the centre of the small flowers (they are French knots) and the heart on the birdhouse (that’s satin stitch).

Tips

When you are backstitching around curves make your stitches smaller so that they sit on the design line.



Also, the centres of the large flowers are small circles. To backstitch them, use five small stitches to give you a circle rather than a square. The petals of the small flowers are one back stitch each, but you don’t need to start and finish each stitch. It will also be easier if you leave these flowers til next week so you can do the centre at the same time as the petals.

Next week I will cover the remaining stitches as well as what to do with your stitchery once it is finished.

It has been quite a while since I have written instructions for a project so if anything is not clear please email me.

Stitchery 101 – Part A

Here is Part B of Stitchery 101
Here is Part C of Stitchery 101

I have finished my stitchery but keep forgetting to get it scanned (I promise I will do it over the weekend), so here is a beginners stitchery tutorial in three parts.

This design will fit into a standard 4”x 6”frame. It has a few different stitches for you to learn but I think it is simple and quick enough for a beginner.

You will need:


All of the items can be purchased from a patchwork shop.

Fabric – I use osnaberg but homespun, any patchwork fabric, cotton lawn, linen, or any natural fabric with a bit of weight will do. If you can, go for seeded homespun or osnaberg. You will need a 20cm x 25cm piece.

Pellon – This is a light weight batting (or wadding) that is put behind the stitchery to give it a nice quilted look. It also hides any threads that may show through from the back otherwise. It is much more forgiving than only using fabric and will make your stitchery look like it was made by a professional. You will need the same amount as the fabric – 20cm x 25cm.

Embroidery Hoop – This is a thin hoop that holds the fabric and pellon taught so your stitches lie flat. Some people don’t use them but they aren’t expensive and will make the job easier.

Thread – To make it easy I have used one colour. You can pick lots of different colours if you want. In Australia, each colour thread will cost around $1.
I have used DMC stranded cotton no 221.

Needle – You need an embroidery crewel needle, size 8 or 9.

Scissors – Small scissors are easier to use and you will be less likely to snip through the fabric when cutting the thread. Whatever size you are using, they need to be sharp, not paper scissors.

Blue Wash Out Marking Pen – This is to transfer the design onto the fabric. It is bright blue and very easy to see and will wash out in cold water. Heat will set it though so once you have marked the design DO NOT IRON THE FABRIC.

You will also need larger fabric scissors to cut the fabric and pellon, paper for the design, a dark pen or marker, cream sewing thread and a thimble if you want to use one.

Whether you prewash your fabric is up to you. I don’t because the fabric is cream and won’t run, and both the fabric and thread are good quality.