What is stranded embroidery thread?

I’m conscious that in my patterns I regularly refer to the number of strands of thread that I recommend using for different elements of a pattern. But if you are just getting started with embroidery you may be wondering what is meant when a ‘strand’ is referred to.

Stranded embroidery thread, often referred to as floss, is a type of thread commonly used in hand embroidery. Unlike solid threads, stranded thread is made up of multiple fine strands that can be separated and used individually, offering flexibility over the thickness and detail of the stitching. The most well-known brand of stranded embroidery thread is DMC, but many other brands offer similar products.

Typically, a skein of stranded thread is made from cotton and contains six individual strands. You can choose to work with all six or separate them and use whichever number suits your project. This ability to break down the thread into smaller strands is what makes it so versatile for embroidery.

Most commonly stranded thread is made from cotton, but you can also get stranded thread made from silk or wool.

Most projects I create I stitch with 2 strands of floss, or 1 strand if I want finer detail.

This blog post shows how using different numbers of strands with a range of stitches can affect the finished look.

And in this blog post I share my tips for preventing tangles when working with strands of thread.

How to manage your backlog of craft projects

If you are anything like me, you see creations on Instagram, Pinterest, in books and magazines and want to make them all!

I currently have more than 10 projects I want to stitch, and some projects are quite big and ambitious. I felt I needed a bit of a system because I was just stitching the latest project rather than those that I’ve wanted to stitch for ages.

I use a Kanban board. You probably do a form of this already and just don’t call it a Kanban board! Basically it is a series of steps each project goes through. Each step has a heading and projects move from one heading to the next as they complete each step.

For example, the headings I have are

• Idea - a project idea or design I want to stitch. This is a good place to park all of your ideas and it then helps you remember ones you loved but forgot about.

• Prepared - all the materials for the project including the pattern or design have been gathered ready to start. I have this step as I found I had loads of ideas but some of them weren’t getting made as I hadn’t got round to sourcing the materials. When my ‘in progress’ pile is getting low I look at my ideas and shop my stash and then acquire the missing materials. Each prepared project goes in a bag with the pattern, fabric, hoop, and a threads so it is ready to pick up and start. This step is also a great way of using up as many materials as possible.

• In progress - the project has been started. I’ve found that having this step has highlighted just how many projects I have on the go at once. Having visibility of this has helped me concentrate on getting the stitching for projects completed.

• Needs finishing - the stitching has been completed and it needs framing and hanging. I’ve found that a lot of my makes have got stuck at this stage so by highlighting this it reminds me to get my finished works on display

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What to do if you don't like what you've stitched

Sometimes something you have stitched just doesn’t look right either because of the stitch or the colour of thread used. Putting the project to one side and coming back to it with fresh eyes can solve it, but more often than not you’re gonna have to admit it’s time to cut out those stitches. Try and let go of thoughts about how much time you spent stitching that section and focus instead on how great it will look when you’ve re-stitched it!

But how do you remove those stitches with the least fuss possible?

1. Gather Your Tools

Before you begin unpicking, make sure you have the necessary tools on hand. Here's what you'll need:

• Seam ripper or scissors - A seam ripper is specifically designed to cut through threads without damaging your fabric. The pointed end can carefully cut individual stitches, while the small blade helps lift threads from the fabric. If you don’t have a seam ripper then you want your smallest pointiest scissors.

• Tweezers - Once you've snipped the stitches with the seam ripper/scissors, tweezers will help you grab hold of the loose threads and pull them out (you can do this with your fingers but you can’t always grab onto the smallest remnants of thread).

2. Identify the Stitches to Unpick

Before you begin the unpicking process, make sure you know exactly which stitches need to be removed. You don't want to end up pulling out stitches you wanted to keep! It may be that the section you want to remove is next to a section that you want to keep which will require particular care.

3. Start removing

With your seam ripper or scissors you will need to make that scary first snip.

• Work in small sections - It's always best to tackle small areas at a time. If you try to remove a large section in one go, it can be harder to control and may cause unnecessary damage to the fabric or you may accidentally remove stitches you didn’t want to cut out.

• Assess the stitch - depending on the type of stitch used, some will be easier to remove than others, but generally insert the pointed end of the seam ripper or scissors under the centre of the stitch between the thread and the fabric. Be very careful not to cut into the fabric beneath.

• Continue cutting and removing stitches - After cutting one thread, continue working your way along the stitch line. If it is an area of stitching you have only recently completed, you may remember the order of stitches that you made meaning you can just pull the stitches out rather than having to cut through every stitch.

4. Pull Out the Threads with Tweezers

Once you've snipped the stitches, you’ll likely have lots of loose threads or thread fuzz still caught in the fabric. Gently grasp the loose threads with the tweezers and pull them out one by one. Be careful not to pull too hard, as you don’t want to rip or distort the fabric. If a thread won’t come out then you may need to go back and snip some more thread.

5. Remove Any Leftover Thread Fragments

After you’ve pulled out the majority of the stitches, there may still be small remnants of thread or thread fuzz stuck to the fabric. You can use your tweezers to remove these or carefully trim any remaining threads with small scissors. It’s important to make sure the fabric is completely clear of any stray threads before you start stitching again. For thread fuzz, you can drag your fingernail (or the tweezers) over the surface to scrape this away. A few pieces of tape can then be used remove this fuzz from the fabric completely.

6. Check the Fabric for Damage

Unpicking stitches can sometimes cause minor damage to the fabric, especially if the stitching was tight or the fabric is delicate. Check the fabric for any tiny holes or stretched areas. If you notice any damage, try to smooth it out with your fingers or the point of your embroidery needle. You can rub the needle back and forth over the area and this encourages the warp and weft threads to move back towards their original position.

7. Start Again

Now that you have removed the incorrect stitches, you can begin again! Take your time to re-stitch the section carefully and how you visualised it.

How to decide which embroidery stitch to use

In my free patterns, I provide the basic outline and give you the freedom to select the stitches and colours to use. But how do you know which stitch to use?

All embroiderers will have their favourite stitches and it can be tempting to use those stitches in every project but here are some factors to consider the next time you start stitching.

type of design

The style and shape of the pattern can be a guide for which stitches to pick.

Floral designs tend to use stitches such as satin stitch for filled areas, line stitches such as stem stitch for stems, and decorative stitches such as French knots for the centre of flowers.

Abstract or geometric designs can work really well with different filling stitches stitched in different orientations.

Texture

Some designs include a raised element. I use French knots in this pattern to represent blossoms which are slightly raised from the branch. I love needle weaving and chain stitch to create a textured basket look on my houseplant patterns.

Area

If you have a massive area to fill, you don’t want to use French knots as it will take forever to fill the space. That’s why Satin stitch is used so much for filling large areas but long and short stitch is a great alternative. Smaller areas give you more freedom in choosing stitches.

Fabric

Most of the embroidery you do will be on cotton or similar finely woven fabrics but if you are stitching on something with a more open weave such as hessian small stitches will just disappear through the holes! Some fabric such as Aida or evenweave is so regular in its weave that it makes it perfect for cross stitches or back stitch if you are doing blackwork style embroidery. I’ve experimented with stitching on paper and stitches that don’t have many passes through the paper are particularly important when choosing which stitch to use.

Remember you may not make the right choice of stitch and if you don’t you can always get those scissors out and chop your stitching away. I’ve done that so many times during the pattern creation process when a stitch just isn’t working out in the way I intended.

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Focus on stitches for flowers

Many of my patterns feature flowers so I thought I'd share some different stitches that can be used to stitch flowers. 

• As with leaves, one of the most common stitches used for filling flower shapes is satin stitch

• For the centre of flowers, I like to use French knots or a variation on this, pistil stitch.

• Woven wheels are great for a rose like flower shape and looks great when a few are stitched together.

• Plants with tiny flowers such as heather or lavender can be stitched using bullion knots or granitos stitch.

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Focus on stitches for leaves

Many of my patterns feature leaves so I thought I'd share some different stitches that can be used to stitch leaves. They are all variations on satin stitch.

• Leaf stitch is what I call satin stitch that is angled up each side of the leaf. This creates a ditch of stitching along the centre of the leaf much like a vein which can be covered up with line stitches such as stem stitch or split stitch.

• Fishbone stitch (and raised fishbone stitch which is a bulkier version) are similar to leaf stitch but overlap in the centre of the leaf so there is no ditch. Open fishbone stitch is another variation where a bit of a gap is left between each stitch which I think looks like a leaf skeleton.

• Long and short stitch is one of my favourite stitches. It is satin stitch broken up into sections so gives a much more textured look. Each section can be stitched in the same colour or different colours. This stitch  is used for a technique called thread painting.

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Stitch Showcase: Six-pointed star stitch

The six-pointed star stitch (also known as Dutch cross stitch) is a basic cross stitch with an extra horizontal stitch.

• Make a straight stitch in any direction.

• Imagine you are cutting a pie into 6 parts.

• About one sixth of the way around from the top of the first stitch, bring the needle up through the fabric.

• Take the needle back down diagonally opposite this point. This will create a slim X shape.

• To finish the stitch, create another stitch diagonally over the previous one.

• The length of the stitches used for each layer of the star can be the same or longer or shorter stitches can be used.

Focus on transferring or tracing patterns

Continuing the series where I pick out some of my blog posts to share with you, this month's theme is transferring or tracing patterns. Most of my embroidery patterns require you to trace from the paper or digital pattern onto fabric.  

• There are different pens you can use to trace patterns, this post covers 5 different pens you can use. And this post gives more information about my favourite pen to use.

• If you want to get better at tracing patterns then this post covers my top tips and this post focusses on being more accurate when you trace.

I've got plenty of other blog posts about transferring  (and other aspects of embroidery) so I encourage you to browse through the embroidery tips page on my website.

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Focus on hoops

Continuing the series where I pick out some of my blog posts to share with you, this month's theme is hoops. 

• An embroidery hoop is one of the basic tools for embroidery but if you've not looked into the different parts of an embroidery hoop then I've outlined the anatomy of an embroidery hoop and the basics of using an embroidery hoop.

• I try and buy good quality embroidery hoops but occasionally you get one that it a bit wonky and in this blog I outline how to deal with a wonky hoop. 

• Hoops are a great way to display your finished embroidery and this blog post looks at different ways to finish the back of an embroidery hoop.

I've got plenty of other blog posts about hoops (and other aspects of embroidery) so I encourage you to browse through the embroidery tips page on my website.

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A focus on needles

It’s time to focus on one of the key tools for any embroiderer, the needle.

• There are many different types and sizes of needle available.  Picking the right needle can help make your life easier. This blog post shows five types of needles I commonly use and their different features. 

• Some people find it really challenging to thread a hand embroidery needle. In this blog post I've shared some of my tips for making this a little easier. 

• How do you keep your needles safe and stop them hurting you or other people? This blog post covers a range of different ways to store your needles when you are not using them. 

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Focus on threads

Last month I picked out some of my blog posts about fabric, so this month I've picked out a few about threads to share with you.

• Most embroidery is stitched with one or two strands from 6-stranded floss. This blog post shows you the differences when you stitch a range of embroidery stitches and vary the number of strands used.

• If you've ever wondered why your thread tangles when you work, take a look at my tips for avoiding tangles. 

• How do you start off with a new thread when embroidering? Everyone will have their favourite method but this blog post goes through different techniques for starting off with a thread.

I've got plenty of other blog posts about threads (and other aspects of embroidery) so I encourage you to browse through the embroidery tips page on my website.

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Focus on fabric

Here are a few blog posts about fabric that you may find useful. I stitch all my pattern samples on calico but that doesn't mean you need to do the same.

• This blog post gives some ideas of the range of different fabrics you can use for embroidery, some are more suitable than others, but the experimentation is part of the fun.

• Depending on the fabric you select using a second layer might be needed. In this blog post I share 3 situations when this is particularly useful. 

• Whatever fabric you use it's important to get the fabric taut in the hoop and I share some of my tips in this blog post.

• If you want to try something completely different, how about stitching on canvas, I share some tips in this blog post.

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How to trace embroidery patterns more accurately

If you’ve ever tried tracing an embroidery pattern onto fabric, you will know that there are some challenges to replicating the design accurately. Here are my top tips to improving the accuracy of any embroidery pattern you trace. 

• Use a thin air/heat/water erasable pen, the thinner the better will allow you to trace more accurately

• Trace slightly inside the pattern lines. When you are stitching you will want to cover the lines (even if you are using an erasable pen) and if these are on or outside the pattern then it will make some elements thicker

• For really thin or small elements such as stems or flower buds, think about whether you need to trace all the lines. For example on a stem, do you need to trace both lines or is one line up the middle enough guidance for direction and you can refer to the pattern for thickness as needed

• Some elements don’t need to be traced as accurately as others, for example in my cornflower pattern the cornflowers are stitched a little bit freeform so the outline shape doesn’t need to be exactly as drawn

• The fabric can slip when tracing meaning that elements are wonky or out of line - trace each element in turn and check the positioning

• The pen can get caught on the warp or weft threads of the fabric, often on curved sections meaning the traced line isn’t

How to make time for embroidery

We all have busy lives, it is important to find time for hobbies and embroidery is a great way to relax. There are three situations when I’ve found I’m able to set aside time for embroidery (or any craft project).

When watching TV

I’ve always crafted in front of the TV right back to when I had a side hustle at school making beaded friendship bracelets. In my years of crafting in front of the TV the main thing I’ve learned is that it has to be a programme you can listen to rather than watch. Anything with subtitles, a new programme where you are not yet familiar with the characters and sports such as tennis are definitely not good choices.

In online meetings

I work from home and some of the meetings I attend I need to be present at but not always have something on the agenda and therefore don’t need to be on camera. These meetings and also webinars where I’m required to listen (rather than interact or participate) I embroider. In fact I find that stitching away, especially during a webinar, helps me to listen and focus on what is being said rather than getting distracted by my emails or other pieces of work.

When travelling

One of the first things I pack when I’m off on a long train ride or if I’m flying somewhere is a craft project or two. I live in the North of England and if I need to take a train to London for a work meeting, I’m delighted by the knowledge that I’ll get 3 hours of solid crafting time. Just a note that if you are flying with a craft project then you do need to know about any rules around flying especially with scissors in your hand luggage.

Is it better to trace embroidery patterns or use pre-printed ones?

If you browse for embroidery kits and patterns they fall into two groups, those that you trace onto fabric yourself or those where the pattern is printed directly onto fabric. But which is best?

At Embellished Elephant I offer some kits where the pattern is traced and some kits where the design is pre-printed onto fabric, this is because some designs are more suited to one method or another.

The advantages of tracing an embroidery pattern yourself is that you can customise the pattern as you trace, adding or changing elements. But it does take a bit of time to trace, especially more complex patterns. It can also be tricky to trace the design exactly as it is shown in the pattern, especially in any small or thin elements. But there are techniques that can be used to combat these issues. For many designs I prefer the flexibility that tracing an embroidery pattern gives.

For pre-printed embroidery designs there are two main types, those that have just line drawings and those which are full colour designs. 

With those that are just line drawings these leave very little scope for changing or adapting the design. In some of these designs the lines you are to stitch over can be quite dark and/or thick meaning that they still show through even when you have stitched over them. These line drawing styles of pre-printed designs are also not very forgiving if you are a beginner and your stitching is not perfectly accurate.

If I am using (or creating) a pre-printed design, my preference is for full colour designs. This approach means you don’t have to follow specific lines and the colour can mask any gaps in stitching which a dark line or white background can show through. These types of pre-printed designs allow more freedom to change the stitches, colours or which areas you stitch on.

This is why for the designs I select to pre-print on fabric I chose designs with full colour backgrounds rather than simple line drawings.

In terms of whether it is better to trace or use pre-printed embroidery patterns, it really does depend on the design and personal preference. If you’ve only ever used one method why not give the other a go. 

For pre-printed patterns my floral sampler and Lisbon tiles use this approach. 

For patterns to trace, any of my floral embroidery kits are nice and simple patterns to practice your tracing skills.

Stitch Showcase: Whipped Wheel Stitch

This is a little more complex than the woven wheel stitch as in each round the thread is wrapped around the base stitches. Try experimenting with a half wheel shape to create a fan like effect. Most commonly this is stitched with the woven lines pushed together to create a fully filled shape, but it can also be stitched in an open approach to create a spiders web.

• Start by laying down the base stitches, there can be an odd or even number of base stitches

• Bring the thread up at the centre of the wheel

• Pass the thread under the nearest base stitch and then over and under the base stitch to create a whole wrap around

• Repeat with each base stitch and keep on going round and round until the base stitches are completely covered

• At the end, or if the thread runs out and needs to be changed, take the thread down through the fabric after completing one wrap. It should be slightly under one of the base threads and, if needed start a new thread from the same place.

How to turn handwriting into a work of art

Incorporating words into embroidery is something that has been happening for centuries (think stitch samplers in stately homes). There are some lovely modern embroidery patterns that make words a feature, but these generally are based on a font face, normally a script or block font.

To make an embroidery even more special you could include your handwriting or the handwriting of someone else such as a child.

I have a free guide to creating your own stitched greeting’s cards and one of the ideas I demonstrated in that is a card with the word ‘love’ on it. But you could also feature it in an embroidery on fabric. One great idea is to get your kid to write a message to a grandparent or teacher and you trace it and stitch it to make it into a unique framed memento.

Here are my tips for turning handwriting into a work of art:

• size is important - too small makes it difficult to stitch especially letters with loops like ‘e’ can get squished and difficult to read

• use small stitches for curves in letters, even smaller than you think is needed otherwise the line will come out with a jagged rather than smooth edge

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How to decide which embroidery stitch to use?

There are hundreds of different embroidery stitches so how do you decide which ones to use in an embroidery project?

Most embroidery patterns will be made up of elements involving lines, areas and details. The type of stitch to pick will depend on the element that you are stitching.

Lines or outlines

You need to consider whether you want a basic look that you get from a stitch such as backstitch or something that makes a feature from the line stitch such as split stitch. I share some of my favourite line stitches here.

Areas that need filling

These require stitches that can cover the fabric. Satin stitch is a popular stitch for filling large areas but I really like long and short stitch which breaks up satin stitch into sections. You can see a selection of filling stitches here.

Details

There are a range of stitches that can be used to highlight a feature or add texture or detail. Texture stitches such as the ones I’ve selected here can add a 3-D feel to the embroidery. Isolated stitches are those that can be stitched on their own (or in groups) to highlight a feature for example the centre of a flower. A range of isolated stitches are listed here.

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Five top tips for embroidery beginners

1. Don’t use long lengths of threads.

It is tempting to cut a really long length of thread to avoid the need to change threads part way through stitching an area. But long lengths have a habit of getting into a tangle. You can find more tips on avoiding thread tangles here.

2. Keep the fabric taut in the hoop

If the fabric isn’t stretched in the embroidery hoop you’ll end up with a saggy looking embroidery. It can be tricky to know what the right tension should be, but this blog post will help.

3. Make sure you have plenty of light

I do a lot of stitching in the evenings whilst on the sofa watching TV. It can be difficult to see the warp and weft threads of the fabric, and where the needle comes up through the fabric. Dark colours such as black, dark blue and brown are particularly difficult to stitch with if the light isn’t good enough.

4. Take things slowly

The hardest thing I found when I first started embroidering was getting the needle in the right place to create the stitch. The slower I went the more I was able to poke the needle up through the fabric several times to get it to appear in the right place.

5. Don’t be afraid to undo

If you see a stitch or even a patch of stitching that doesn’t look how you want it to, don’t be afraid to unpick it or cut it out. But remember if this is one of your first few projects don’t be too much of a perfectionist and end up not finishing the project!

PS - The picture in the header image is one of he first pieces of embroidery I completed.

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