Embroidery Floss Projects

Embroidery floss is a great crafting thread which is available in an array of bright colors. These threads are available in 100% mercerized colorfast cotton and often come in skeins. Besides the obvious use in embroidery, you can use embroidery floss for such colorful projects as friendship bracelets or a variety of festive ornaments.

Braided Friendship Bracelet

Select three colors representing your friend's likes and personality traits. For example, blue is used to represent loyalty, pink is for kindness, green for a reliable individual and orange for a cheerful disposition. Measure and cut several strands of each color (7 to 8 inches for the average wrist after braiding). Tie a knot in one end and use a piece of masking tape to temporarily hold the knot. Braid your three floss strands. Knot the other end temporarily as well. Loosen the original knot in order to slide the opposite knot in, so that your friend can adjust and tighten the bracelet.

Christmas Angel Ornament

In a variation on traditional yarn dolls, you can make an angel using thick hanks, or full skeins, of embroidery floss. Take a hank of white or ecru embroidery floss and lay flat on your work surface. Separate at least three- to four-ply color strands from the skein and form a three-inch loop for hanging the ornament by tying the ends to form a loose knot. Insert a hank of floss through the knot. Slide a decorative pearl or bead at the top of the loose strands and form the head. Wrap a strand of floss about one to two-inches from the top of the head-bead and tie a loose knot to secure the neck. Take another hank of floss and slip through the back of the neck strand to develop the arms. Make sure both arms are even and wrap another strand on each arm end for the angel's hands. Wrap three or four strands around the waist and tie. Spread the floss below the waist as the angel's skirt. Tie all loose knots and attach decorative trim such as beads, pearls, tulle or ribbon for the wings with a hot glue gun.

Easter Egg

For each "egg," partially inflate an oval-shaped balloon and tie at the end. The larger the balloon, the more floss will be required and the larger your egg size. Soak your floss in fabric stiffener poured in a dish or cup. Let the floss soak a few minutes. Use latex or plastic gloves and remove the excess stiffener by gently squeezing the floss through your fingers.

Wrap the floss around the balloon. Combine a few colors or just use one solid color. Keep wrapping your floss colors until you are happy with your pattern. Tie a string around the balloon's knot and hang to dry overnight.

The following day, push a straight pin carefully into the balloon and allow the air to release. The balloon will naturally crinkle and it will also remove any stiffener from the inside of the floss. Pull the balloon gently through an opening in the floss. Display your eggs in a basket or hang on your Easter tree.

References

• "Embroidery for Little Miss Crafty: Projects and Patterns to Create and Embellish"; Helen Dardik; 2009
• Makingfriends.com: Embroidery Floss Friendship Bracelet
• Twila Lenoir, allfreerafts.com: Embroidery Floss Angel Doll

Resources

• Makingfriends.com: The Basic Knot Technique