How to Embroider

Embroidery is a type of decorative needlework that uses various stitches to create designs on fabric. It can be used on clothing, linens, quilts, and for framed pieces of all sorts. Many people start learning to embroider by making samplers which often include stitched alphabets, the creator's name, the date, and perhaps some flowers or a building. After getting comfortable with the activity, they move on to more difficult and elaborate embroidery projects. Here is an introduction to embroidery that gives basic information about setting up a project which relies on the back stitch to sew your name.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Embroidery Hoop
• Embroidery Floss
• Cotton fabric
• Pencil
• Needle with a Large Eye
• Masking Tape
• Scissors

1. Choose a piece of cotton fabric that is a solid color. Probably a piece of fabric that is the size of a regular piece of paper is a good choice for your first piece. Beginners may find that a light color fabric is easiest to work with at first.

2. Proceed carefully. Since cotton frays easily, place masking tape like a frame around the outside edge of the fabric. Set it so that half of the tape's width is on the front side of the fabric. Fold the tape over so that the other half is on the back side of the fabric. Use a light pencil to carefully print your name in block letters so that it fits within the boundaries of the tape and looks centered and even.

3. Use an embroidery hoop to tighten the surface of the fabric. There should be enough tension to pull and push the threaded needle through the fabric.

4. Take the hoop apart. The piece that goes on the bottom of the fabric is a full circle. The top of the hoop adjusts usually with a wing nut that you can tighten or loosen to manage the tension. You can also move the hoop to another section of the design you are embroidering. The top of the hoop fits over the bottom with the fabric held tightly between the two.

5. Select the color of embroidery floss that you want to use to stitch your name. It should complement the fabric and be bold enough to see from a distance if you plan to frame your piece. Embroidery floss is sold in twisted skeins of cotton or silk. Each skein is made from six strands of thread.

6. Cut a length of floss about 18 inches long. Pull the strands apart so that you have two sets of three strands. This is a typical amount to use when embroidering. Thread three strands into the eye of the needle and save the rest for when the needle runs out of thread. Tie a knot at the end of the threaded needle. Do not double the thread. Just leave about three inches of thread folded over to hold the needle in place.

7. Hold the embroidery hoop in one hand. Aim the threaded needle through the fabric from the bottom to the top. It should come out at the beginning of one of the letters you drew in pencil. Now you will follow the drawn lines and cover them with thread using the backstitch.

8. Pull the thread all the way through the fabric. Insert the needle going back down into the fabric about 1/8 inch from where the needle emerged at first. Grab the needle at the bottom of the hoop and pull the thread through. This is your beginning stitch.

9. Bring the needle back up 1/8 inch away from the end of the first stitch. Follow the drawn line. Now you will follow the pencil line backwards to eliminate the gap between the end of your first stitch and the beginning of the new stitch.

10. Place the needle through the same hole it used to start the last stitch. Now the thread will completely cover the drawn line for the length of both stitches on the top side of the fabric and on the bottom of the fabric.

11. Repeat steps four through six until the thread runs out. Tie a knot on the back side of the fabric and thread the needle with more floss. By the time you finish embroidering your name using the back stitch, you will be ready to learn some of the other embroidery stitches like the cross stitch, the lazy-daisy stitch and the feather stitch.

Tips & Warnings

• Experiment with different patterns and methods to find what works for you.
• Don't leave your tools lying around. It could pose a serious threat, especially if you have children at home.