Stitch Guide
MATERIALS
Fabric: 20x20cm, orange, light blue and dark blue
Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of light blue, coral, cream, gold, light green, lilac, pink, red, white and light yellow
Embroidery hoop: 13cm diameter x3 Felt circle: 12cm diameter (optional) Basic embroidery kit
STITCHES USED
Backstitch, Split Backstitch
NOTES
Find the templates on p73-74.
01 PREPARATION
Transfer the designs from the templates onto their corresponding fabrics (use the project images as guides for this). We used a heat-erasable pen and a lightbox to transfer. However, you can easily use a window as a light source instead. To begin each project, mount your fabric in the hoop, ensuring the design is central and the fabric is taut.
02 YES SHE CAN
Work the whole design using Backstitch in two strands of cream. Once you’ve stitched over the entire design, work another line of Backstitch alongside the previous ones of the text to make the letters appear thicker.
03 EQUALITY
Begin by working the letters using
Split Backstitch in three strands. Starting with the ‘E’, use lilac, coral, light green, red, pink, light blue, gold, then light yellow, changing colour for each letter. Begin by outlining each letter and then work your way towards the centre in a spiral, making sure no fabric is showing through when you’re done. When working Split Backstitch with an odd number of strands, try to pierce the central strand.
04 TAKE UP SPACE
Transfer this design, using a white heat-erasable pen so it’s visible against the dark fabric. Work the whole design using Backstitch in two strands of white. Keep your stitches nice and short, and of an even length, to achieve a neat finish and smooth curves.
05 FINISHING
Once complete, finish the back of your
work by trimming your fabric so that it’s 3cm bigger than the hoop. Sew a continuous line of running stitch around the edge of the fabric and pull it tightly to gather it at the back of the hoop, then tie it off. For a neat finish and
to protect the reverse of your stitching, lay a circle of felt over the back of your hoop and tack it in place using whipstitch.