MATERIALS
Collared shirt
Stranded cotton: one skein each of ecru, light gold, dark gold, green, light pink, dark pink
Basic embroidery kit
STITCHES USED
French Knots, Satin Stitch, Straight Stitch, Variated Backstitch
NOTES
Find the template on p61. RS = right side(s).
Transfer the pattern onto the collar of the shirt using your preferred method. It’s best to use a shirt with a sturdy collar to make stitching the design easier.
If you’re working on darker fabrics and you don’t have a light source for transferring, or if the fabric you want to embroider is too thick (such as a collar), then a more complex pattern transfer is needed. For this method the pattern needs to be transferred directly onto the RS of the fabric using a carbon tracing paper, as follows...
Cut a piece of transfer paper to the dimensions of the pattern and place it onto the fabric with the carbon side facing down. Place the pattern, RS facing up, on top of the transfer paper.
Pin the pattern and transfer paper to the fabric, making sure not to smudge carbon onto the fabric, which is easy to do if you’re not careful. Using a ballpoint pen, or stylus, trace over the pattern, pressing down hard to ensure the pattern transfers to the fabric. Remove some of the pins to check that the pattern has transferred successfully; if not, repin and go over the pattern again. When the carbon outline is visible on the fabric, remove the pattern and go over the carbon outline
01 with a pencil to leave a more permanent outline. This ensures the pattern stays on the fabric once you begin stitching, as the carbon can easily be rubbed off over time.
You can now start stitching the design. Stitch the stalk and stems in Variated Backstitch using two strands of dark gold. Stitch the leaves in Satin Stitch using three strands of green.
Stitch the bottoms of the buds and the centre of the flowers in Satin Stitch using three strands of dark pink.
Stitch the petals in Satin Stitch using three strands of light pink.
Stitch the filaments on the stamens in Straight Stitch using two strands of ecru. Work the anthers on top in French Knots using two strands of light gold.
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