BASIC

Instructions
The ABCs of Embroidery:
Detailed Guide
for Beginners
PatternsAndStitches
NEVER EMBROIDERED

before?
TOOLS & MATERIALS
Fabric
You can embroider the designs on a wide variety of
fabrics. The best are cotton and linen. Wash and iron
your fabric before getting started.

Embroidery Hoop
It is preferable to work with an embroidery hoop,
especially with flat fabrics. However, some clothing can
difficult the use of it. In those cases you may prefer to
work without a hoop.

Do not forget please that the hoop is very useful to keep

your fabric taut while stitching the pattern. Also, it can
help you frame your art creation once you’ve finished.

You can acquire hoops in a very wide variety of sizes,

starting from 3” and up to 12” depending on your local
market.

Embroidery Needle
We suggest a number 9 embroidery needle. Cut the
thread and separate the strands. Now thread the
needle with the 3 strands, conserving a 4” to 6” tail at
the end.

Embroidery Floss
We recommend using stranded cotton floss to stitch
with. The embroidery floss is made up of 6 individual
strands. Before starting cut the floss into a workable
length.

Scissors
Please have good, sharp scissors ready.
 TRANSFERRING YOUR PATTERN
There are several ways to transfer your pattern to the fabric. Below, we list them
from the simplest to the hardest:

Carbon paper method:

Print your design on A4 paper. Then place a piece of carbon paper upside down over
the fabric and put your design on top of the carbon paper. Finally, using a pencil and
pressing firmly, draw the design.

Light method:
This option can be very useful when embroidering on white fabric. You can use your
laptop, PC monitor or even a glass table. Place your fabric over the printed design
and it can be seen through the fabric. Then draw the design with a pencil or a
washable pen. If you want to modify the final scale of the design, the laptop or PC
monitor will be the best way. Just be careful, don’t press to firmly your pencil to
avoid damage.

Day light method:

If you are going to use a light-colored fabric, through which the pattern is
clearly visible in the daytime, simply, use your window, attach the design to the
window, then put the fabric over it and draw the visible lines.

Marking by eye:
If you are a good drawer just by observing, take a minute to observe the
proportions of the pattern and draw it whit a pencil or a washable pen directly to
the fabric.
Iron transferring:
Outline the contours of the design with a special iron-on pattern pen (or pencil), flip
it, put on the felt and iron it with steam. Do not forget that the patterns are not
symmetrical, they should be printed in a mirror mode. Sometimes, the design can
be transferred without the use of an iron-on pen, just by ironing the back of the
pattern previously printed on a laser home printer.

Making a circle for finishing the embroidery:

Put the hoop on a cardboard or felt and draw a circle from the inner frame. This will
be needed to finish the back of the embroidery. Using the scissors, cut the circle,
and put aside.
 HOOPING UP
1.Take your hoop and loosen the screws to separate the two hoops.
2. Place the inner hoop on a flat surface, place the fabric on top (and centered)
of the inner circle with the pattern side up.
3.Place the outer hoop on top, press the fabric with the outer hoop until both hoops
are together. Then tighten the screw gently.
4.Gently, pull the fabric taut at all the perimeters.
5.Tighten the screw firmly.
6.While stitching, keep the fabric taut and check that the screw has not loosened.

EMBROIDERING
Use DMC Mouline threads.
Choose your favorite color. You can find the complete list with thread codes at the
end of this book.
DMC thread consists of six strands. We recommend using two if you are
embroidering on a 3” hoop. On hoops of 5-6” inches, it is best to embroider with two
or three strands.
Take one strand 13” long and tie a knot.
 HOW TO DO BACK STITCH
Unlike the conventional forward motion, back stitch is made by taking the thread
backward. Using this technique curves can be mapped very well. Also, there are
no spaces between each stitch, giving it a continuous appearance.

The back stitch looks beautiful when it uses small stitches and maintains
consistency in the lengths. The length of the stitch depends highly on the size of
the pattern though. A small pattern will call for smaller stitches than a bigger
pattern.

1. Bring the thread through A and take it in through B.

This creates one stitch.

2. Bring the thread through C and take it in through B.

This way, we are creating a stitch by taking the thread
backward.

3. Bring the thread through D and take it in through C.

Continue this pattern to finish the design.
 WOVEN WHEEL STITCH
Make an odd number of evenly distributed straight stitches, bringing the needle
up at 1 and down at 2.
Bring needle up at 3, near 2.
Weave the thread under and over the straight stitches in a circle. Continue
pattern until straight stitches are completely covered.

CHAIN STITCH
The chain stitch can be a little tricky, but once you get it down, it’s not too hard.
Bring needle up and back down at 1, leaving a loop.
Bring needle up at 2, through the middle of the loop. Pull slightly on thread
to tighten.
Bring needle back down at 2 and repeat the chain. End chain with a small
straight stitch to tack it down.
 FRENCH KNOT
Bring your needle up through the fabric at 1.
Twist the thread around the end of the needle twice, while holding the excess
thread taut with your non-dominant hand.
Turn the needle toward the spot you came up at, and bring it down at 2
(slightly away from 1.)

BLANKET STITCH
The blanket stitch is a basic embroidery stitch that is used along the edge of
fabric to finish it off in a decorative way. It’s a simple stitch that’s easy to learn
and a great starting point if you’re teaching little ones how to sew. We use it to
create a decorative finished seam on all of our felt stuffies as well as to attach
appliques.
 SATIN STITCH
A satin stitch is a series of straight stitches that fills in a shape with a smooth,
satin- like appearance. It can be used to fill in any shape big or small, and is a
great alternative to cutting out and sewing on tiny little applique details.

1. Start at the bottom left corner and push your needle up to the
top of your fabric. (point A)

2. Push your needle down at the top of the square at point B.

It will now look like this:

3. There's a way to create the satin stitch that uses less

thread by creating less bulk on the back of your fabric.
So you´ll come up at A then return to the back at B. When
you come back up you´ll come up at C and this time it will be
next to B (not A). Return to the back at D, next to A

4. Repeat these steps until your shape is complete.

 TIPS
● If your thread is getting twisted, make sure you let the twist out so that you
don't get knots. Simply let the needle drop and let the thread untwist.

● Avoid taking the thread across the back of your piece to get to a new area.
Instead, finish that section and start again in the other area so that you don't have
visible threads showing through the fabric.

● Use the “stab” technique when stitching - stab up and down vertically through
the fabric rather than at an angle.

● Try to keep an even tension for every stitch - not too tight so that the fabric
puckers, and not too loose.

● If your fabric is puckering, you need to make sure your fabric is drum - taut in
the hoop. It may loosen as you embroider, so check it regularly and tighten if
needed.

● Do not worry if you make a mistake! Carefully unpick the stitches and start
again. If you do not notice the mistake until it is difficult to unpick then carefully
cut the stitches out with the tip of your scissors and gently pull the threads out
with some tweezers.

● If your thread is fraying/breaking, you may be using a too long working thread.
We recommend cutting it to about 40-50 cm at most.

● If you are struggling to make a stitch, place the hoop down and use both hands.
This is particularly needed for blanket stitch, fly stitch and french knots. If you´re
really getting into embroidery, a hoop stand is a great investment that will really
help with this.

● When the embroidery is finished, you can hand wash your piece of art in
lukewarm water. Do not use chemical bleachers. We recommend using mild baby
soap.

● The embroidery can be washed and dried while still in the hoop.
● If there is no dirt or traces of a pencil or a pen on the embroidery, you can skip
washing and proceed with finishing the backing.
 THE BACKING

You have two options:

1. Glue the fabric to the inner frame of

the hoop and trim the excess with
scissors. Use thick glue for fabric and
wood. After that, glue a felt circle with
the diameter equal to the diameter of
the inner frame. Apply glue to the
edges of the circle only.

2. Gather the edges of the fabric and

stitch a felt circle.

Done!

PatternsAndStitches