One Stitch Two Stitch

Embroidery 101 - The Rice Stitch

Hello again! This lesson is a variation on the cross stitch that I went over last time. The Rice stitch is basically overlaying 2 continuous cross stitches,and it's most commonly used to fill in patterns.

Step 1 - Begin by creating a continuous cross stitch.

Step 2 - Using a contrasting color, bring your needle out at A which is the bottom-middle of the first cross stitch (see pic above).

Step 3 - Take your needle from a A to B (your needle should go in the middle of the 2nd cross stitch's top.)

Step 4 - Create a set of diagonal stitches across the first continuous cross stitches (as shown above).

Step 5 - Once you have completed your diagonals, go back to create your cross stitch (for a quick how-to refresher go here).

The back of your fabric should show alternating colors of vertical lines!

Are there any embroidery stitches you would like to learn that haven't been covered here yet? Let me know and I'll create a lesson on the most popular stitch requested. Thanks! Sue

Embroidery 101 - The Cross Stitch

I'm back with another embroidery lesson. So far we've learned the back stitch and the Peking knot. This time, I'll be focusing on the cross stitch which is one of the oldest and most commonly known stitches in needlework. It can be used singularly as pretty embellishments, on a continuum for borders, or even for filling in. In this post, I'll cover the single and continuous cross stitches.

Singular Cross Stitch

 

Steps: (1) Bring your needle from the back to the fabric’s front at A. (2) Make a diagonal stitch at B (3) Bring your needle back out at C (4) And take the needle at a diagonal again to D (easy and simple in deed!)

Continuous Cross Stitch

Step 1: Create multiple diagonal stitches, follow the pattern in the above pic. Start at A, put your needle in at B and come out A; repeat as many times as needed. Make sure that the beginning of each stitch (A) aligns with (B). Suggestion - draw parallel lines on your fabric to create even stitches.

Step 2: Now go back over the first row of stitches with a new set of diagonal stitches. Take your needle from C to D and then to A; repeat until finished.

Your continuous cross stitch should look like this, with no spacing between the stitches! And the back of your fabric should look like . . .

. . . this - just vertical lines! Hope you enjoyed this lesson. Join me on my next lesson - the rice stitch which is a variation of the cross stitch! Talk soon, Sue

Cupcake Pillows Update

I've added my cupcake pillows to my SeeSueStitch shop. I'm working on more, but I was eager to add the ones I had finished. Click on my shop's name for details! Sue

This Weekend

. . . literally flew by. Friday came and went. Saturday afternoon was dedicated to attending my school's annual festival. That evening, my bf and I had some friends over, and we all enjoyed some tasty bbq (courtesy of my bf!) and some gooey brownies a la mode (courtesy of me!). On Sunday, my bf and I had a beach day. Lots of sun and well-needed relaxation. Throughout the weekend, I was able to sneak away to my craft room and work on my new embroidery project. Here are some pics:

 

I'm hoping to finish these by Tuesday. How was your weekend? Was it relaxing, busy, or crafty? Sue

Embroidery 101 - Peking Knot

This stitch is an alternative to the traditional French knot, and can be easily mastered. It was the customary stitch used in old Chinese embroideries. Due to its diminutive size, this stitch is also called the blind stitch or forbidden knot. It works wonderfully to fill in areas of a pattern or, can be used alone. Whichever way you use it, the Peking knot is definitely a great addition to have in your bag of embroidery tricks!

 Step 1: Begin by bringing your needle from the back to the fabric’s front. Have you thread form a C shape as showm in the picture.

 

Step 2: With your left thumb and forefinger, twist the thread to form a loop. Make sure that the thread that trails is beneath the emerging thread.

 

 Step 3: Place the needle inside the loop as close to where the thread originally emerged. Push the needle only about a quarter through the fabric.

 

Step 4: Pull the thread to tighten the loop around the needle (how loose or tight your knot is depends on you!).

 

 Step 5: Keeping the thread taut, pull the needle through to the back of your fabric. It should look like this . . .

Happy Stitching! Sue

My Embroidery Take on a Cupcake

I've caught the embroidery bug again. After I finished these brooches, I was inspired to come up with new cute embroidery design, so I started doodling in my sketch book and came up with a yummy cupcake. Here are some pics:  

 

 My cupcake naturally transformed itself into the sweetest pillow (pun intended!). I christened it a Yum Yum because of its cute lip-licking expression. It's definitely a keeper! For this coming week, I've decided to make a set of them in different prints, can't wait! Talk soon, Sue

Embroidery 101 - The Back Stitch

As promised here are the custom brooches I had been working on, all finished now! And as promised, this post will be dedicated to teaching novice embroiderers some basics in needlework. The first stitch lesson is learning the back stitch, this stitch is the one I used to embroider the names on the brooches. It's the most basic stitch and it's the most commonly used on embroidery patterns.

Step 1: You can start by drawing a straight line on some fabric. Bring your needle from the back to the fabric's front at A.

 

Step 2: Take your needle to the back at B and then have your needle re-emerge at C. Be sure that the lengths between A and B and A and C are the same. This will allow each stitch to look consistent with one another.

 

Step 3: Pull the embroidery thread all the way through. Avoid pulling your thread too tight since this will cause the fabric to bunch.

Step 4: Now take your needle back to A (through its same hole) and have the needle re-emerge at D (same way as Step 2). Again, be sure to keep the stitch length consistent.

Repeat Steps 2-4, taking your thread back and then re-emerging. The key to a good back stitch is that your needle always enters the exact hole from the last stitch. If not, the stitches may look disconnected. Another good clue that you've mastered the back stitch is looking at the back of your fabric.

The opposite side of the stitching shoul look neat. You'll notice that the more you practice, the neater that back side will become. Neat, huh? Ready to practice?

Here are some free embroidery patterns to get you started!

Alicia Paulson - Pleasant Dishtowel Embroidery Pattern

Follow the White Bunny blog - Owl and Pussycat Embroidery Pattern

Helen Dardik - Honey Bunny Embroidery Pattern

Embroidery Love

 One of thing I really enjoy doing is embroidery. Everytime I work on an embroidered piece, I get into this trance-like state where I'm totally relaxed. I have this huge embroidery handbook that's my bible for stitching which I use very often when I'm working on my projects, but I also like to improvise and come up with my own stitches. I'm currently working on some personalized rag doll brooches for a customer. At first I was a bit hesitant because I had been so focused on crochet that I hadn't done embroidery in a while, but it was like riding a bike. The stitches came happily back to memory! Here's a some peeks on my progress:

 I began by tracing out the design. I used a back stitch for the name.

Then comes the details. Her hair is made up of Chinese knot stitch and a Drizzle stitch. I also stitched tiny butterflies!

The outer circle was made with a chain stitch.

The outermost circle is my own improvised stitch!

I'll be posting some more pics of these brooches once they're finished. I'm thinking of making a special post with some basic how-tos on needlework, so if you're interested in trying out embroidery, stay tuned! Sue