How to Make a Candlewick Christmas Ornament

Candlewicking is a form of white-on-white embroidery. This particular style of embroidery is called candlewicking because Colonial American women used the same thread for this type of needlework that they used to make the wicks for their candles. Candlewicking is done using mostly French or colonial knots, and accents are done using a backstitch. Overall, candlewicking is an easy and fun type of needlework that allows you to see results quickly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small square piece of white muslin or cotton fabric
• Fabric marker
• Paper
• Black marker
• White perle cotton floss
• Size 22 or 24 embroidery needle
• Small embroidery hoop
• 1-inch-wide lace

Make the Pattern

1. 

   Decide what you want to replicate on your ornament. For Christmas, you could do a cross, star, snowflake, snowman, gift or any number of holiday-themed patterns. The pattern below reflects a snowflake.

2. Draw the pattern onto a plain sheet of paper. Retrace the design covering the straight lines with dots, since candlewicking is made up of French knots. Use a few straight lines to accent the design.

3. Place your fabric square over your pattern. Use a fabric marker to trace the pattern onto your fabric.

Make the Ornament

4. 

   Place fabric in embroidery hoop.

5. Make French knots over each dot in your pattern. To make a French knot, wrap cotton floss around the needle three times, and then carefully pull the needle through to the other side of the fabric.

6. Create accent marks using the backstitch. To do this, simply pull your needle through the front of the fabric at one side of the line, move the needle to the other side and pull the thread through to the back. This will create a straight line of thread on your fabric.

7. Remove the fabric from the embroidery hoop. Rinse the fabric in cool water to remove fabric marker. Allow fabric to dry flat or dry the fabric with a blow dryer.

8. 

   Measure the lace around the outside of the embroidery hoop. Cut the lace, and put both the fabric and the lace inside the embroidery hoop. The lace should rise above the embroidery hoop. Fold it over to provide a lacy border. Tie a bow out of a piece of the remaining lace and sew it to the bottom of the fabric.

Tips & Warnings

• If you prefer to download a pattern rather than make your own, do a search for free candlewicking patterns or check out the link below.

Resources

• Free Candlewicking Patterns