TIPS & TRICKS
As you stitch, threads may fray away from the raw edges of the fabrics. Use sharp scissors to simply snip them off. intend to display your finished hoop, you may prefer to use a vertical oval hoop so that the screw is at the top of the design for easy hanging.
Fill in medium yellow flowers’ centres 16 using a couple of small Straight Stitches in two strands of pink. Using two strands of blue, stitch the lines across the mug in Split Stitch. Make sure to start and end each row by taking the stitch through the background fabric, going over the edge of the light orange mug fabric. Then, using two strands of pink, add the handle using rows of Split Stitch.
Remove any transfer marks using a hair
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dryer or by removing the stitching from the hoop and gently ironing the back of the embroidery before remounting it ready for display. Trim away any of the running stitch that hasn’t been covered up with embroidery. Once complete, finish the back of the hoop by trimming the fabric so that it’s 4cm bigger than the hoop. Then, work a continuous running stitch around the edge of the fabric and pull it tightly to gather it at the back. Then, secure the gather with a few stitches.
Optionally, for a neat finish and to
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protect the back of the stitches, lay an oval of felt measuring 12x22cm over the back of the hoop and then tack it in place around the edge using whipstitch. Alternatively, you can use clear craft glue or hot glue to stick a panel of card over the back of the hoop.
GEORGIE EMERY
Georgie graduated from Loughborough University with a BA Honours in Textiles, for which she specialised in printed textiles. Her work combines freehand machine embroidery techniques with more traditional stitching methods, and she loves to create colourful, lively designs.
After her studies, life went in a different
direction and for several years Georgie had little time for her needle and thread. She has recently re-engaged with her love of
the craft and – making up for lost time – is
now rarely seen without her embroidery. She always carries a project in her handbag, even taking them abroad on some of her travels to South Korea, Borneo, Italy and France, where she is always on the lookout for new ideas for patterns and projects.
Georgie lives in Gloucestershire, draws her inspiration from nature and loves to experiment with a variety of techniques.