STITCH IN TIME

With just a few simple embroidery stitches, you can transform a plain napkin into something beautiful.

You will need

✿ Threader ✿ Embroidery needle

✿ Embroidery thread in white, lilac, deep grey, green and pale pink

✿ Scissors ✿ Cotton napkin

✿ Erasable fabric pen – not essential

To make

❶ You can either stitch this design freehand or draw on the placement of the flowers with an erasable fabric pen first as a guide.

❷ Thread your needle with three strands of the white thread. Add five straight stitches to create the outline of the large flower, then work woven wheel stitch to create a raised rose.

❸ Create two smaller roses in lilac, using just two strands of embroidery thread.

❹ Fill the flowers with French knots using the deep grey thread. The larger flower has seven knots, while the smaller flowers just have one or two.

❺ Thread your needle with three strands of green embroidery thread. Then, using fishbone stitch, work the large leaf and the two smaller leaves.

❻ Still using three strands of green thread, work the branch with stem stitch. Then, work a single straight stitch for each twig.

❼ Create little French knots at the end of each tiny branch with three strands of pale pink thread, wrapping the thread around the needle one or two times to add some variety.

➑ Finally, add a few French knots around the design to finish off.

• For help with the stitches, check out Emily's guide at ohhellomaker.com/pages/box-15

Make sure the napkin is crease-free by giving it a good iron before you start stitching.