Basic

Instructions
Tips for
beginners

Embroidery House PDF

 NEVER EMBROIDERED
BEFORE?

FABRIC: YOU CAN EMBROIDER

1. 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
2. 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.
 Important tip
EMBROIDERY HOOPS STRETCH THE FABRIC
TIGHT AND CAN HELP PRESERVE THE
STRUCTURE AND WEAVE OF THE
EMBROIDERY FABRIC, WHICH IN TURN WILL
HELP KEEP YOUR STITCHES NEAT.

EMBROIDERY NEEDLE: WE SUGGEST A NUMBER 9

3. 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.
4.
EMBROIDERY FLOSS: WE RECOMMEND USING STRANDED COTTON FLOSS
TO STITCH WITH. THE EMBROIDERY FLOSS IS MADE UP OF 6 INDIVIDUAL

5. STRANDS. BEFORE STARTING CUT THE FLOSS INTO A WORKABLE LENGTH.

6. SCISSORS: PLEASE HAVE GOOD, SHARP SCISSORS READY.

PRINTABLE WATER SOLUBLE EMBROIDERY STABILIZER

 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.
PRINTABLE WATER SOLUBLE STABILIZER METHOD ( RECOMMENDED):
THIS IS THE EASIEST WAY TO TRANSFER AN EMBROIDERY PATTERN ONTO
CLOTHING.
PRINT OUT THE PATTERN ONTO A PIECE OF WATER-SOLUBLE EMBROIDERY
STABILIZER PAPER. (WE USE SULKY 8.5X11 PRINTABLE STICKY FABRI-SOLVY).
IS AVAILABLE AT MOST CRAFT STORES OR ON AMAZON.

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.
HOOPING UP

Take your hoop and loosen the

1. screws to separate the two hoops.

Place the inner hoop on a flat

2. 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.

Gently, pull the fabric taut at all the

4. perimeters.

5. Tighten the screw firmly.

While stitching, keep the fabric taut

6 and check that the screw has not
loosened.

.
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.
 HOW TO DO 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.

HOW TO DO 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.
 HOW TO DO Frensh 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.)

HOW TO DO 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.
 HOW TO DO 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 BÉ NEXT TO B (NOT A). RETURN TO THE BACK AT D,
NEXT TO A

4. REPEAT THESE STEPS UNTIL YOUR SHAPE IS COMPLETE.

● 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 yoú 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

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.
 Conclusion
Hand embroidery is such a wonderful
medium, and the styles and types of
embroidery seem to be almost endless.
Embroidery is relatively easy to start
learning because you can start by
teaching yourself simple stitches and
then build off of the skills and
techniques you’ve learned as you go.

Make time
to be
creative!

Thank you!