In
this part of my "Embroidery 101" you will find a general guide on
starting and finishing your sewing, plus hints and tricks that apply to many
stitches.
Click here for Embroidery 101 - Stitch glossary which has an overview of some common stitches and links to specific mini
tutorials.
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An hand embroidered appliqued fairy from one of my Christmas stockings
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This is a work in progress blog and more photos and links will be added soon.
General guide, hints and tips
Choosing
and preparing your thread
I mostly use stranded cotton thread (sometimes called embroidery floss) in my work. These have 6 strands, which you can easily split to create a finer thread. Generally I work with 3 strands, which I use undoubled (see below).
When separating stranded threads, spread them out and choose the ones that naturally sit next to each other. Ease threads apart down the length. If you find they become knotted, stop and just use the length you have already split - even if you unknot it, it is likely to become tangled or re-knotted with use.
You can also use cotton perle which is thicker and can't be split, as well as stranded and unstranded threads made from wool or silk in different thicknesses. You can also use multitude of specialist threads made from synthetic materials including metallic and fluffy yarns. Each have their own distinct look, but can be combined very effectively.
Needle size and threading your needle
Embroidery needles are different from other sewing needles. Although they are still have the same sharp point, they have a larger and longer eye to help thread multiple strands and thicker yarns. They come in different sizes that are numbered - you will need to choose the right one for the thickness of your thread, and also your fabric weave as the larger needles can sometimes be too thick to pass through tightly woven fabrics. I find number 8 is good for 3 strands of cotton thread on both felt and quilting cotton. If you are not sure which is best for your project you can buy a pack of assorted sizes to try.
Some people find threading needles by hand very easy, other don't! You may want to wet the thread before teasing the strands flat with your fingers and then try bringing the needle to the thread not the other way round. Needle threaders can be helpful, but the thin metal wire ones won't last long, especially if you find you are tugging hard to pull thick thread through a small eye.
The eye of a needle often has a "good" and "bad" side for threading (linked to the stamping direction during manufacturing). If you are having problems, try turning it round and using the other side.
Double or undoubled thread
Once your needle is threaded, you can choose to use the thread doubled, or undoubled. For a doubled thread, pull half of the length through the needle and then you sew with both threads side by side, and the needle secure in a loop at the end so it never falls off the thread. For undoubled thread, just pull the thread part way through the needle and leave it dangling while you sewing with the long length. I personally prefer undoubled lengths as they tangle less, but the needle does have a tendancy to fall off (some people put a small knot at the eye of the needle). Whatever you choose, adjust the number of separated strands for your desired final yarn thickness.
Needles also become worn - the eye becomes jagged and the end blunts - and need replacing. You may also find your favourite needle bows with use - do yourself a favour and change out for a new needle no matter how comfortable it feels, as eventually it will snap.
Securing starting and finishing stitches
There are many methods of securing your starting and finishing stitch, and most are done at the back of the work.
Most embroidery stitches start with the needle coming from the back, and a small knot in the end of the thread is very effect in stopping it pulling through. Alternatively you can do a tiny overstitch before you start - this can be from the front if your chosen stitch is dense enough to hide it, otherwise do it at the back. Once you have done a few stitches, turn over and snip off the trailing thread so it doesn't get tangled into the back of your work.
To secure your final stitch, do an over stitch or a small French knot at the back of the work. Pull the thread taut to lock the stitch, then weave needle and thread into the back of your last few stitches before cutting the tail off to help stop the thread coming loose.
For stitches that finish at the front of the work, push the
needle through to the back very close to the stitch, or
close to a neighbouring stitch for a continuation of the pattern, before securing.
Catch stitches
These are little stitches that you do anywhere in a row of any embroidery stitch to "catch" or secure top threads in place because they are shifting out of place, or to reduce the risk of looser styles of stitch pulling if a thread is snagged. You can also use them as a decorative effect - you will see this illustrated in the mini-tutorials.
To do a catch stitch, stab the needle to the back then return to the front a tint bit away from the first hole - this "catches" the embroidery thread between a few threads of the background fabric.
Thread problems
Tangled or knotted threads can cause a major problem when you work. To avoid this, don't have too long a thread length, and let your thread and needle dangle in mid-air regularly to untwist.
If your thread does knot, try and upick it carefully with the point of the needle. If this fails, cut before the knot and rethread - either to
continue if long enough or to take to the back and secure off.
With stitches that have a lot of loops and twists, you may also find multi-strand threads start to "separate" with use and don't pull through neatly as one - you suddenly notice one strand is shorter than the others. If this happens carefully tease the threads so they all lie back together - you may also want to try bringing the needle eye all the way down the length of the thread to meet the fabric before pulling it back up again.
If you find a thread repeatedly knots or separates, consider finishing it off and starting with a new length.
You may find it helpful to wax your threads - running the yarn lightly down the side of a block of beeswax sold specifically for this purpose. Do a practice run to check it doesn't mark the fabric or affect the desired fluffiness of your yarn.
Stitch tension - avoiding thread distortion and puckering of background fabric
You want your stitches to be worked with the correct tension - they need to both form the shape correctly and sit neatly on the surface of the fabric.
It's very easy to over pull the thread so that a stitch becomes distorted, and in extreme cases the underlying fabric will pucker. If this happens, use the blunt end of your needle to carefully loosen the final part of the thread until it all sits well again. This is easier done before you move onto the next stitch, but you missed it you can sometimes ease enough slack over a few stitches to compensate.
If you find your stitch is too loose, it is easily secured or tucked in place with a catch stitch - either at the time or after you finished your stitching.
Unpicking embroidery
Don't stress over small imperfections - they are part of the charm of hand sewn embroidery and should be embraced.
But if you do go wrong enough that you want to unpick your stitches, take your time. Above all, don't pull the end of your thread - you will just tighten the stitch even more. Use the blunt end of your needle to carefully unpick each stitch one at a time, in the reverse order you sewed them. You can also use a sharp embroidery scissors to snip really stubborn threads, but you will then need to unpick further stitches to get enough thread to finish off properly.
I hope this guide is useful. If there is anything you want explaining further, or something I've not covered, just get in touch here or through my Facebook page.
If you are looking for small "sew it yourself" craft kits that feature
embroidery and applique, I have just launched a range on my Etsy and Folksy shops. There are only a few at the moment but I hope to develop more over the next year.
Please respect my design and copyright © - I would be delighted if you use my creations as inspiration for your own ideas, but don't copy them directly.
