What I Should Be Doing Instead of Blogging Right Now
Satin Stitch
Made at an angle or straight across, these side-by-side stitches known as the satin stitch fill in the outlines of a design that incorporates shape or width. Insert needle from wrong to right side, coming out at 1. Insert needle at 2, and pull it back through at 3, right next to 1. Keep the stitches tight and flat to ensure a smooth finish.
When preparing to do this stitch, I recommend cutting a length of embroidery floss approximately 18″ long. First, separate each of the 6 strands, then take 3 of the strands, line them up, smooth them together & thread them through the needle.Whew! Still with me? Typing all this out makes it seem hard, but seriously, it’s not. To begin, you need to place your embroidery hoop over the area where you plan to start. Doing this will make you feel a little Grandma-esque, but keep going. It’ll be fine.Now you can start embroidering your phrase, following the simple guide above. As you finish one section, move your hoop to another until you’re done! The instructions for the backstitch are below. I use this stitch for the names & dates.
Backstitch
The backstitch is the easiest embroidery stitch. Insert needle from wrong side of fabric, coming out at 1. Insert needle at 2, pull back out at 3, and pull thread tight. Insert needle again at 1, and pull it out past 3 at a distance equal to length of the previous stitches. This is the first step for the next stitch; insert needle into 3, and continue.
Here are a few pics of my old tablecloth from my previous house. On this one, I used a lot of different colors for the different names.You’ll be amazed at how the embroidery stays true to the original writing!Here’s the signature of John Phillips, the Bible Commentary author, when he came to our house for dinner:And here’s the one of President George Bush. What? You can’t see it on this pic?I should have waited until mine was finished to post this, but I thought someone out there may be looking for a project to do over the holidays. And now I’m going to go sit by the tree & listen to Christmas music & see if I can finish mine!
Kelleigh
December 18, 2009 @ 8:27 pm
Love this, Jule! I am sure you make it look easier than it really is! Maybe I'll give it a whirl…
Amy
December 19, 2009 @ 1:45 am
yep, I love it, too. Wish I had time to do this for Christmas gifts! Oh well, there's always next year.