Embroidery flowers

Each pattern comes with a stitched reference, a pattern breakdown, and a color code key – all the information you need to paint a picture in thread! Use the stitch key at the bottom of each page to match with the color codes in the pattern (along with the required strands – or ‘str’ – of thread) and voila, you now have the map to create an endless supply of forever flowers. Working the patterns in the App may seem daunting but, with some practice, you can (and will) become a master of modern hand embroidery! Before you start, look at the pattern and take note of any stitches that would create an outline – these form the lines that you will color in with thread and should therefore be stitched first (these are not included in every pattern). Then look for the filling stitches and work these from the center outwards. Each pattern differs, but can be completed in a similar way – just make sure to start from the center of the pattern and work your way out. Once the base of the design

THREAD The embroideries have all been stitched with DMC six-strand embroidery floss (stranded cotton), but there are many other thread choices available, as well as yarns, cords and ribbons. Anything is possible, although some options are trickier than others! NEEDLES Your threading medium determines needle choice: e.g., DMC gold embroidery needles (sizes 1, 3, 5) have smaller eyes for single strands of floss, while the DMC chenille needle (size 18) has a larger eye for thicker thread types, such as cord or yarn, or for stitching with all six strands of floss. A chenille needle (size 18) was used to work all the embroideries here. Explore the options but choose a needle that has a pointed tip, rather than a blunt-tip tapestry needle. FABRIC Anything (and everything) can be embroidered onto: from linen to burlap, to silk, to paper. A favorite for modern hand embroidery, and the fabric used in this book, is a linen-look/linen-blend fabric, which can either be a combination of l

Pattern transfer, especially onto darker fabrics, can appear daunting, but with practice (and the right tools and tricks), anyone can become a transfer master. One of the easiest ways to transfer a pattern to fabric is to place the fabric over the pattern and simply trace over the pattern with a pencil or transfer pen. 1. Place the fabric in an embroidery frame (wooden hoop or PVC Q-Snap frame), and pull the fabric taut: tighten the frame until the fabric makes a sound when tapped (imagine tapping the head of a drum). 2. Take the frame and turn it upside down over the pattern, so that the fabric is pressing right against the pattern. 3. For darker fabrics, place the pattern and fabric-filled frame over an illuminated surface – such as a light box, a window or an electronic tablet – to make the pattern more visible through the fabric (1). 4. Using a standard pencil for lighter fabrics and a white colored pencil for darker fabrics, trace the pattern onto the fabric (1). 5.

If you are working on darker fabrics and you do not have a light source for the simple pattern transfer, or if the fabric you want to embroider is too thick, then a more complex pattern transfer is needed. For this method, an embroidery frame is not required, and the pattern is transferred directly onto the right side of the fabric with a carbon tracing paper (I use DMC transfer paper: see Materials & Equipment). 1. Cut a piece of transfer paper to the dimensions of the pattern and place it onto the fabric with the carbon side facing down. 2. Place the pattern, right side facing up, on top of the transfer paper. 3. Pin the pattern and transfer paper to the fabric, making sure not to smudge carbon onto the fabric, which is easy to do if you are not careful. 4. Using a ballpoint pen (or stylus), trace over the pattern, pressing down hard to ensure the pattern transfers to the fabric (1). 5. Remove some of the pins to check that the pattern has transferred successfully;

One of the best ways to show detail with modern floral hand embroidery is to split the thread into different widths, from one strand up to six strands. 1. Cut a piece of six-strand embroidery floss (stranded cotton) around 2–3ft (60–90cm) long, and slowly spread out the end of the strand between the thumb and index finger of one hand, to separate the thread into six, single individual strands (1). 2. Depending on the pattern requirements, take the desired amount of strands (1 str, 2 str, 3 str, etc.) with your other hand and begin to separate them from the main strand. 3. Slowly pull the separated strands away from the main strand, going slowly so that the thread length doesn’t knot. 4. In the image (2), a straight stitch has been worked using different widths of thread, from one strand on the left to the full six strands on the right.

1. Thread your needle (use a needle threader if necessary) with strand(s) of thread around 2–3ft (60–90cm) long. 2. Bring the needle up through the fabric, from back to front (1), and pull the thread through until there is about 2–3in (5–7.5cm) of thread left on the back of the fabric (this is called the ‘tail’). 3. Take your free hand and press down on the thread ‘tail’ to make sure the thread doesn’t pull all the way through the fabric (2). 4. Begin stitching the pattern, letting go of the tail once a few stitches have been completed.