Free embroidery instructions.

Free Embroidery Instructions - Illustrated, Step by Step Decorative Embroidery Stitches

Learn Shadow Embroidery too...Click Here

The art of embroidery is old but still popular today. It’s fun to create and by knowing how to make a few simple embroidery stitches using a needle and thread, one’s ideas may be expressed in luxurious handmade articles. Try all these basic stitches; in fact make a sampler of them, using heavy dark material, linen is best, and white or golden yellow embroidery thread.

Outline or Stem Stitch — This stitch is worked from left to right. Bring needle up through fabric to right side on the line to be outlined. Holding the thread toward you as shown (or the thread may be swung to the left away from you), take a short slanting back stitch along stamped line. Make the next and each successive stitch from right to left and bring the needle out to the left at the end of previous stitch. Repeat along Line, keeping stitches small and uniform.

Whipped Stem Stitch — Outline design in outline stitch; then, in contrasting thread, whipstitch over the stem stitch.

Running Stitch—This stitch is used for outline and padding. The needle is carried in and out of material making small up and down even stitches. Take several stitches on needle before drawing it through.

Threaded Running Stitch—Outline design in running stitch, then weave a thread in and out of running stitch. A contrasting thread may be used if desired.

Whipped Running Stitch — Outline design in running stitch, then whip stitch over running stitch.

After you have learned to make each of these stitches and have become intrigued with the idea of embroidery, you will want to make something useful and pretty right away. The wide selection of thread available on the market today makes it much easier to create something different from the ordinary. You may wish to embroider with metallic thread, nylon or rayon threads, pearl cotton, as well as regular embroidery floss which comes in a rainbow of colors. Contrasting color gives an interesting effect. Embroidering with wool yarn on felt jackets, purses, belts, glass cases, etc., is very pretty. You can make guest towels, pillow slips, aprons, washcloths, luncheon sets and many other gift bazaar items.

All stitches are started on the wrong side of material by making two or three small stitches one over the other to anchor thread—never make a knot.

Chain Stitch—Bring thread to right side of material, hold thread toward you with left thumb, take a stitch into same hole where thread was brought up, forming a small loop. Do not pull thread tightly. Bring needle out a short distance forward and over the loop. Make a second loop overlapping the first one. Continue along marked line.

Back Stitch—Take a small running stitch, insert needle at end of running stitch, thrust needle through to wrong side and over twice as much space as original stitch on wrong side; bring needle to right side and repeat.

Threaded Backstitch—Outline design in simple backstitch, then weave in and Out with one or two contrasting threads.

Crossed Backstitch or Shadow Embroidery—On the right side, this stitch resembles two rows of backstitch and on the wrong side the catch stitch. Slant the needle the same as if making a catch stitch, make a single back stitch, first on the lower side and then diagonally across on the upper side. Work this stitch on transparent material so the crossing of threads show through to right side. This stitch is often called herringbone stitch when crosses are worked on right side.

Continue