A DIY Tutorial on how to add Cross Stitch to your crochet. This is an embroidery cross stitch that adds a lot to your handmade items.

Have you ever tried to cross stitch on anything other that Aida or Linen? I know a lot of us have used waste cloth to stitch on clothing and such but what about stitching on crochet. I was i…

Sashiko Stitch Instructions for beginners A trend in embroidery: Sashiko stitching and visible mending. This ancient Japanese craft is easy to learn. It gives quick results and makes stunning textile pieces. In this tutorial we explain the basics you need to know about Sashiko stitching. We share our recommendations for Sashiko materials. You will also

There are a number of ways to prepare your finished cross stitch or embroidery for framing. One of the easiest is to use self-stick mounting board, also called press-on board or simply, sticky board. Sticky board is thick cardboard with a high-tack adhesive on one side. It's acid-free so sticky board is safe for all kinds of needlework, and the adhesive is repositionable so it is particularly forgiving and easy to use.

Is your cross stitch project turning into a mess? Here are some quick, helpful tips and tricks on how to cross stitch neatly.

Cross Stitch Single Crochet Free Pattern is super easy to make and just a little twist on a single crochet and what a fantastic affect! You grab the yarn with your hook instead of yarning over. New stitches are always a must try for crocheters, especially when those stitches are too fun and you are seasoned […]

Colonial knots are so versatile and I use them a lot in my embroidery. They look great in clusters of knots. But at the same time can add delicate details as single knots to all type of designs such as flower centres or to dot your I’s. Finishing and securing your Colonial Knot. If you

Sashiko Stitch Instructions for beginners A trend in embroidery: Sashiko stitching and visible mending. This ancient Japanese craft is easy to learn. It gives quick results and makes stunning textile pieces. In this tutorial we explain the basics you need to know about Sashiko stitching. We share our recommendations for Sashiko materials. You will also

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of those links I may receive a small commission. Last week I had the privilege of taking over the Craft Yarn Council’s Instagram page for WING IT! I had to spontaneously come up with a project that could be completed in a da

Also known as: Hungarian Braided Chain Stitch The braided chain stitch is worked almost the same way as the heavy chain stitch. There is only a slight difference in the way the needle is taken under the existing loops, thus giving it a totally...

Check out this list of embroidery stitches that work great for filling areas. From the obvious satin stitch or chain stitch to more unique stitches.

How are you enjoying your time without buzzers and beepers in your hands? Mighty relaxing, isn't it? Now maybe you're remembering what it's like to have time for YOU. To refresh. To be tactile. That's what my patterns and stitching tutorials are all about. We all need that time. Time for the next three stitches in the sampler. Cross stitch. Feather stitch. And fly stitch. Now, I haven't used feather stitch in the tree sampler. I was saving that to add as a decorative border at the end of the work, so if you are stitching up that sampler, you'll only have two stitches today, unless you are using a large enough hoop to make the border. If you have used a 7" or smaller hoop, you'll have to move it around a bit to make the border or use a larger hoop if you can. Cross stitch This is a dream of a stitch and you'll see why people make whole pictures out of cross stitch. It's easy, can outline, can fill, and has a very simple and homey look about it. It's vintage, retro, and geometric modern all at the same time. Bring the threaded needle up from the back side of the fabric at the lower end of one diagonal. Take the needle back down at the other end of the diagonal line. I used 3 strands here. Repeat this line of diagonals all the way across. When you get to the end of the row, bring the needle up at the bottom point of the diagonal line leaning the other way. And head back the way you came, covering these diagonal lines in the same way. When you get to the last one, bring it to the back and knot or hide the thread. Feather stitch When you look at all the lines drawn, it looks complicated, but it's really just a bunch of Vs connected at the points. Bring the threaded needle up at the top left of the first V and insert it back into the top right of the same V. Bring the needle back up at the point, catching the loop of thread and pull through. I used 3 strands for this stitch. This is now the top left of the next V. And then you just make the next stitch the same way. Insert the needle in the top right point, pull through a bit, bring it up at the point, and pull through catching the loop to make the whole V. At the very end, take a small stitch to the back to secure the point and knot or hide the thread end. Fly stitch Oh dear! Isn't this like the last one? Yes, chickies! It is so much like the last stitch we learned. That's what makes embroidery so easy! But in fly stitch, instead of joining the stitches up, they are separate. Bring the threaded needle up at the top left and continue as if this was a feather stitch. But once you make the V, you bring the thread back down like a little tail and it becomes its own stitch. And then you make the next one the same way. These can be made in a row and pretty much connected, long or short tails, or further apart, so they show up like little seed pods, bird tracks, or flying geese. Back of the work: NOTE: It doesn't matter if you start feather and fly stitches from the left or right tips. I tend to start from the outer tip in a row of feather stitch. It's really up to you. Same goes for cross stitch. You can work the diagonals from left to right and then come back right to left, or vice versa. Here's the Alice Brooks-style tree sampler using cross stitch and fly stitch. As I said, I'll be adding the feather stitch border at the end, so you'll have to wait for the big reveal on that. Cross stitch on the fence - 4 strands. DMC 783 Fly stitch as birds - 3 strands. DMC 310 Well, aren't you clever! You've stitched half a sampler already! That's it for today! See you tomorrow. Remember to share Embroidery School with your friends.

Also known as: crewel stitch, stalk stitch, point de cable Through my research, I found out that stem stitch is crewel stitch. It is one of the easiest to be done and perhaps even one of the first stitches to be taught to any beginner. But, many...

How to cross stitch over multiple threads? Cross Stitching over multiple threads Sometimes you read in a pattern: "Stitch over 2, or stitch over 3, over 4, etc. If you are new in the world of cross stitch, or if you always stitched on Aida cross stitch fabric, you might wonder what it means to

Seriously, it's so cool.

I love to make bookmarks – because I love to read so much, I can never have to many and I also enjoy giving them as gifts. Tucked into the perfect book, they add just the right touch. One thi…

The split stitch is a lovely outline stitch. It's raised a bit from the surface of the fabric, and it has a lovely, almost-braided look to it. It also forms a more continuous line - unlike the backstitch where you can see the individual stitches. Here's how to split stitch. See how easy it is?

The Celtic weave crochet stitch is a popular criss-cross stitch that flawlessly weaved in and out. It can be used in patterns like scarves, hats or blanket.

As you probably know, I am very fond of the embroidery technique called long and short stitching, and I hope more and more people fall in love with it and see that it is actually not that scary and not that hard. Well, it is not that easy either and it requires some time and patience to get friendly with it. But it is totally worth it, isn't it? By today I actually have plenty of material on this blog about long and short stitch as well as needle painting. So I decided to gather it all up in this post for easy access! Save it to Pinterest or your browser bookmarks because if I ever write something new on the topic of needle painting or long and short stitch, I will be adding it here :) Long and short stitch tutorial Let's start with the basics. I recommend you going to the long and short stitch tutorial and trying to replicate every step from there. There are some tips at the end of the post, so make sure you check them out as well. Personally, I believe the two crucial points for your long and short stitch to take off are: keeping a consistent direction of stitches varying the "levels" where you start your stitches When there is a certain inconsistency in the direction of your stitches, it usually stands out and breaks the general “flow” of your stitching. Unless, of course, you make a conscious decision to break that flow for a certain artistic purpose. As for the second point... In my personal opinion (which kind of differs from many other artists) is that it is not the length of the stitches per se that should be varying. But rather, the “levels” at which you start the stitches. And this is something I have learnt on my own and found it much easier, to be honest. I speak about it in more detail in my online needle painting course since it is easier to explain in the video while actually showing you how it works. But in short, you can, in fact, keep the length of your stitches the same or they can end at the same level. It doesn't really change anything. The most important is where you start these stitches. And for your blending to be smoother, you need at least 2, but better 3-4 “levels” where you start these stitches. And then make them as long as you like, just make sure they end significantly below the mark for the next row (I will link a separate post on that below, called “getting your rows right"). Now, suppose you already worked the little petal from the tutorial. Congratulations if yours looks the same! If it doesn't that's totally fine, we all need some time to reach that point. I mean, I wrote that tutorial not at the beginning of my embroidery journey, you know what I mean? But let's be real, an exercise like that is quite an isolated practice. The real questions and issues will arise when you actually use it in your practice. And for your practice to go smooth, I have prepared a series of needle painting tips that I will also list below. Long and short stitch practice If you need some ideas on where to actually get this long and short stitching practice while not feeling too lost, I have several Stitch Alongs already completed and ready for you to start whenever you want! The benefit of these Stitch Alongs is that you have detailed step-by-step pictures for virtually every stage of working a design so the visual support is quite strong. (By the way, if you have any suggestions for a new Stitch Along, feel free to drop your ideas in the comments) I will list all the current Stitch-Alongs from this blog in the order of difficulty (from the easiest to the toughest): Cecelia Rose Trish Burr's Pansies Trish Burr's Magnolia If you want more guidance in your learning and prefer video material over pictures, make sure to check out the Needle painting for beginners course. There we work special exercises imitating various realistic situations you can encounter in long and short stitching and all of the material is presented in detailed video lessons. Long and short stitch tips And, like I said, while you start practicing your long and short stitching, inevitably, there will be new questions and confusing moments. I'm trying to cover them little by little and I made a special tag for these posts: needle painting tips. You can go to the tag and check them out there, but for better convenience, I will list all of the posts here (and I will be adding the new ones here too, that's why I encourage you to save it): Color blending tips (color theory and case study on which color combinations work better) Leaves practice (another case study on color combinations) Levels of long and short stitch (a case study on the “levels” of starting your stitches) Diagonal shading (step by step guide) Shading in patches (step by step guide) Shading on shading, is it worth it? (contemplating on one of the ways of multiple-row long and short stitching and looking at the pros and cons) Must watch Youtube tutorials (I wonder if you noticed how much I LOVE visual learning) Importance of correct direction (a case study with examples and tips) Filling a shape with long and short stitching (it can be used as a filler in a solid color too) Secret behind getting your rows right (how to make sure that your rows will correspond to the pattern) Youtube video of a process More layers = better shading? (does the number of rows and colors affect the result of your shading?) So here's your guide! I know this pile of information can be overwhelming but don't get discouraged, okay? Just learn it step by step and continue your practice. You will reach your goal as long as you move even if it is an inch a day. And, most importantly, enjoy! :)

Learn how to do lazy daisy stitch - great for flowers!

Stem Stitch is my favorite hand embroidery stitch, because it is so versatile and so attractive. The poor stem stitch doesn’t get the attention it is due, in my opinion – most folks tend to stitch lines today using backstitch, running stitch, and chain stitch, more than they do with stem stitch. But stem stitch ...

How to frame your embroidery work in an embroidery hoop Framing your cross stitch project in an embroidery hoop is a quick and modern way to frame your cross stitch piece. An it is a very affordable way as well! There are different ways how to frame your embroidery work in an embroidery hoop.

Here we are! The first post in the series. As we explore embroidering crochet fabric, please do leave me any questions or comments you have. I love to experiment and will work out any answers I don’t already have. Two notes: All photos may be clicked to reach larger versions. To keep the front page … Continue reading Embroidery on Crochet 1: Basics and freehand stitching

Flowers are by far, one of the most popular things to embroider. And rightfully so! There are so many different embroidery stitches for flowers that lend themselves well to their shapes and silhouettes. In...

lastic canvas is a type of canvas for cross stitch and embroidery which is made from thin plastic. This material is a popular choice among embroiderers, particularly those who are new to the world of crafting. It is relatively inexpensive and easy to work with. Plastic canvas patterns is a super idea for creation beautiful and intricate things.

Also known as: bullion stitch, caterpillar stitch, coil stitch, knot stitch, post stitch, worm stitch, Puerto Rico rose, grub knot This is an interesting stitch used to make simple motifs. I would say that this is an ‘elongated’ knot which can be...

Learn how to do Chain stitch in 4 simple steps!

Sashiko Stitch Instructions for beginners A trend in embroidery: Sashiko stitching and visible mending. This ancient Japanese craft is easy to learn. It gives quick results and makes stunning textile pieces. In this tutorial we explain the basics you need to know about Sashiko stitching. We share our recommendations for Sashiko materials. You will also

If you don’t want to stitch your stars out of two crosses anymore, you are in the right place! In this article, I show you 10 ways to embroider stars […]

Buttonhole stitch (aka blanket stitch) is a fun stitch that'll help you create all sorts of different effects in your embroidery.

My first videos of how to start a cross stitch project, even for complete newbies to needlework. If you can count and make an X with thread, you can do it.

This blackwork embroidery tutorial will teach you the basic blackwork stitches.

A video tutorial of how to use the loop method and the pin stitch to anchor your thread when doing cross stitch or other types of embroidery.

This topic is something I've wanted to cover for a while now. It is especially beneficial for beginner embroiderers who are currently exploring long and short stitching and needlepainting. So, today's topic is actually not just “using long and short stitch as a filler”. I mean, we all know that it can be used as one, right? And we all know the main “how's” of using it as a filler: outline the shape and fill with long and short stitches. In fact, the main point that I wanted to speak about today is using long and short stitching to fill a curvy/wavy shape. Or, in other words, a shape where the direction of your stitches has to change slightly. This wording, however, is a bit too heavy for a headline and I just don't know how to phrase it better, haha. Anyway. Why is this topic important? The main problem here is that long and short stitching consists of straight stitches. And one of the characteristics of stitches is that you can't really bend or curl them. Most of the time, it is a straight line between point A and point B that we use in a lot of various ways. It is not a brush stroke that you can lay in any curvy or wavy way you want. So how can you use these straight stitches to not only fill a shape but keep the “flow” of that shape? Actually, the main trick here is the same as with stem stitch. If you go to the Stem StitchCrash Course and take a look at the last point, you will see there what I said about using it for curves. Stem stitch is a straight line, so that's why the secret is the same. Make your stitches shorter! You can start with guiding stitches, as usual, keeping their direction aligned with the shape's outline. After filling the empty space between the stitches, you can start with the second row of stitches. Now, if I'm completely honest, I lose the sense of which stitch is short and which one is long, quite soon after that. So I just vary the length of my stitches and vary the place where they come out from the previous row. If one stitch started lower, I start the other stitch higher, and so on. This is the longest that I allow myself to make the stitches in such cases. The shape didn't reach the main curve yet and is still pretty straight, so I can slack off a little bit and make the stitches longer. Also, don't forget to keep your stitching dense. Currently, there are definitely more stitches here than there were at the beginning point. As you reach the curve, make your stitches shorter. Look carefully at my stitches here and imagine that they are continued longer and longer. If you do that, you will realize that they actually would bump into the outline. That's why we make them shorter. The other rows of stitches will soften the “straightness” and will create an illusion of bending stitches. We are on a finishing line here. The shape is narrowing down and the number of stitches we use to fill it at this part is decreasing, but we still need to maintain the same density. And so, this is the final result. By the way, this is a new design I'm currently working on! It is going to feature a lot of long and short stitch and color blending so it is going to be a GREAT practice for you! :) Hope this post was helpful! Check out the other Needlepainting tips to master it better :)