Quick and easy embroidered gift
Plus a tutorial...
One of my closest friends recently became a single dad. This is his first 'Mother's' day. I decided to stitch up a quick and easy gift to help him celebrate.
[caption id="attachment_807" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Monogrammed Handkerchiefs"]
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I purchased 2 handkerchiefs - I guess I could have made them, but at $1.00 each, I was figured it was worth neglecting my handmade pledge for this project.
I wrote his initials on each handkerchief and stitched them with light blue cotton embroidery floss. I used a 3 strand stem stitch - 2 strands because it made the stitch stand out.
How to do a stem stitch: (Image credit - http://www.coatsandclark.com)
The Stem stitch is the first stitch which is taught to a beginner. Is is also known as crewel stitch, stalk stitch and South Kensington stitch. It is one of the most popular outlining stitches and the stitch most often used for working (you guessed it) stems of flowers. It is also commonly used to outline a shape. I used it on my Hearts and roses project.
Step 1. Bring the embroidery floss out at A and hold it down with your thumb. Insert the needle at B and bring it out at C, midway between A and B.
Step 2. Pull the embroidery floss through to see your first stitch (pretty cool huh? I bet you did not think that you could do that). Hold the working floss down with your thumb and insert the needle at D, bringing it out at B.
Step 3. Insert the needle at E and bring it out at D. Repeat this process, making each stitch exactly the same length - or not - the objective is to have fun.
Note:-Work from left to right, taking regular small stitches along the line of the design. The thread always emerges on the left side of the previous stitch. This stitch can also be worked as a filling stitch if worked closely together within a shape until it is completely filled.
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I purchased 2 handkerchiefs - I guess I could have made them, but at $1.00 each, I was figured it was worth neglecting my handmade pledge for this project.
I wrote his initials on each handkerchief and stitched them with light blue cotton embroidery floss. I used a 3 strand stem stitch - 2 strands because it made the stitch stand out.
How to do a stem stitch: (Image credit - http://www.coatsandclark.com)
The Stem stitch is the first stitch which is taught to a beginner. Is is also known as crewel stitch, stalk stitch and South Kensington stitch. It is one of the most popular outlining stitches and the stitch most often used for working (you guessed it) stems of flowers. It is also commonly used to outline a shape. I used it on my Hearts and roses project.
Step 1. Bring the embroidery floss out at A and hold it down with your thumb. Insert the needle at B and bring it out at C, midway between A and B.
Step 2. Pull the embroidery floss through to see your first stitch (pretty cool huh? I bet you did not think that you could do that). Hold the working floss down with your thumb and insert the needle at D, bringing it out at B.
Step 3. Insert the needle at E and bring it out at D. Repeat this process, making each stitch exactly the same length - or not - the objective is to have fun.
Note:-Work from left to right, taking regular small stitches along the line of the design. The thread always emerges on the left side of the previous stitch. This stitch can also be worked as a filling stitch if worked closely together within a shape until it is completely filled.