Photo by Stephanie Staton |
In the time span of an afternoon, it’s possible to give your favorite linens a new look with these embroidery patterns. Use them to breathe new life into old pillow cases, table runners, placemats, aprons and more breathe, or stitch them on new fabrics for a great gift with a personal touch!
To get started, print the embroidery pattern of your choice and transfer it to fabric using your preferred method. (One option is to print the design on transfer paper and then iron it onto the fabric.) Then use a set of simple stitches to embroider the design. You might choose to only stitch outlines of the picture or you can fill in the design using a satin stitch.
Here are some stitches that might be helpful in completing each embroidery project. (See diagrams on the PDFs for visual instructions.)
- Tight Back Stitch
Insert needle through underside of fabric at point A. Take one stitch back, inserting needle downward at point B. Bring needle back up at point C. (A to B and A to C should be equal distance.) Repeat with point C becoming A and point A becoming B. - Running Stitch
Insert needle through underside of fabric and back down to make stitch of chosen length. Come back up, leaving a gap between stitches. - Satin Stitch
Insert needle through underside of fabric. Run thread across shape, insert needle in top of fabric, and return up next to initial threading. - French Knot
Insert needle through underside of fabric where you want knot. Wrap thread twice around needle. Insert needle down through fabric close to first threading. - Cross Stitch
Insert needle through underside of fabric at point A, and down at point B. Bring needle back up at point C, crossing the first stitch and inserting it down at point D.
For more stitching guidelines, print and read “6 Simple Stitches Every Crafter Should Know.”