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 be a thrifty crafter

When I was a kid I was very thrifty with obtaining craft materials because I didn’t have the money to spend on buying new. As an adult, I’m lucky that I have the disposable income to spend on any craft materials I want or need but that thriftiness learnt as a child is still there and there are some things I continue to do to this day. Here are my tips for making the most of your craft materials:

• Embroidery hoops are probably the most expensive item of any embroidery project and although they may only cost a few pounds one way to make sure you can re-use them is in how you finish your embroidery project. If you are displaying your project in a hoop, finish the back in a way that means in the future if you don’t want that project on display any more you can take it out of the hoop and use the hoop for the next project. costs of an embroidery project finish your hoops so you can re-use them. This blog post outlines 4 ways to finish the back of an embroidery hoops - just avoid the gluing method if you want to use the hoop again in the future.

• Embroidery projects need fabric to stitch on. I regularly use old fabrics such as sheets, curtains and shirts that aren’t good enough to go to the charity shop. I cut around any stains or tears and make use of as much of the fabric as possible.

• Keep thread offcuts for use in future projects. There are two ways I keep thread offcuts, the first is if there is a long length of several strands left, I rewind this onto the thread bobbin I cut it from. For shorter lengths and single strands, I have a jar where I store these for when I need a tiny amount of a colour or for use in an abstract embroidery project.

• Store things well. There is nothing more sad than opening a bag of yarn and finding its been nibbled by moths. This has happened to me and although I tried to rescue as much of the yarn as possible the grainy deposits the moths left meant much of it was unusable. I now store all my yarn in sealable bags and have moth balls dotted around the storage boxes.

• Keep anything and everything! This is only a good tip if you have the space. That ribbon from around the Christmas cracker, a necklace that broke, buttons from a shirt that you had to send to the fabric recycling. They could all be used in future craft project.

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How to stitch on canvas

Displaying a finished piece of embroidery in a hoop is the default as it is a simple way to finish it off and put it on display. This does mean that they are not viewed as pieces of artwork in the same way that a painting in a rectangular frame might be.

Finishing in a hoop also restricts the size and form of the work. So I’ve been experimenting with stitching on pre-stretched canvases. You can buy these quite cheaply in shops such as B&M and Flying Tiger.

Here are some of my thoughts of how you translate embroidery to canvas.

Wide wooden frame

Canvases are stretched over a wooden frame that is about 1 inch wide. This restricts the area for stitching and although you can get creative with the angle of your needle when stitching in the areas above the frame, this border needs to be taken into account in the design.

Large warp and weft

The canvases I’ve bought have wide warp and weft threads. This means that it can be hard to stitch really delicate designs as you normally stitch in the tiny hole that is the intersection between warp and weft threads. However, canvas is also a fairly even weave fabric meaning that modern designs with geometric shapes work well.

Using thicker threads

Canvas is a thick fabric which can be hard on the fingers. But it also means it can hold the weight of thicker threads such as yarn.

I found that using chenille needles rather than crewel needles worked best when stitching on canvas as the thicker needles gave better grip and the larger eye accommodated thicker thread.

Pre-stretched

As the canvas is pre-stretched it means that if it becomes loose it can’t easily be re-stretched to make the fabric taut (which is needed for great looking embroidery). Canvas can become loose if it is heavily worked so choosing a design with fewer stitches will help prevent the canvas going loose.

Changing the fabric

You can take the canvas off and use the frame to stretch other fabrics. I’ve experimented with replacing the canvas with a very open weave linen stretching the new fabric over the frame and holding it in place with drawing pins while I stitched. Once the piece was finished I re-stretched the fabric and attached it securely using a staple gun. I worked in this way as I don’t have a roll frame embroidery stand.

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What additional supplies are useful for embroidery?

When starting out with embroidery you need just a few supplies (that I cover here). But if you are hooked and want to do more and more embroidery what other supplies might it be useful to invest in (or ask for as gifts).

Thread storage

If you’ve stitched a few projects you’ve probably got a growing stash of threads. Investing in some thread storage really helps in finding the colours you need (and ensuring you don’t end up buying skeins of colours you already have).

This blog post covers different storage options, but my favourite is thread boxes and bobbins.

Embroidery Stand

If you are really hooked on embroidery then you may be stitching for hours on end and finding that you get cramp in your hoop holding hand.

An embroidery stand can hold your hoop for you. It also frees up your non-stitching hand so you can use one hand on the top of the fabric and another underneath.

This stand slips under your leg as you are sat stitching to hold it still.

I tend to make sure that I take regular breaks rather than use a stand but I do use on for really large pieces which are much heavier.

Cutting mat, rotary cutter & quilting ruler

You can cut up fabric for stitching on just using scissors but if you are wanting to make life a little easier for you then a cutting mat, rotary cutter and quilting ruler makes life so much simpler.

I will buy a length of calico, wash it (so there is not shrinkage) and iron it (another great investment is to get an iron purely for your crafting). Then I’ll cut up the fabric into lots of squares for different sized hoops so I always have fabric ready to stitch on.

Daylight bulb or lamp

Especially during the winter if you are wanting to do lots of stitching then investing in a daylight lamp or bulb can be invaluable. It really helps prevent eye strain and in particular when trying to stitch darker colours such as black.

I found that the IKEA NÄVLINGE desk lamp works really well for me. It’s not a daylight bulb but can be easily angled onto my embroidery to give some extra light when I find my eyes straining.

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How using two layers of fabric can help your embroidery

My go to fabric for embroidery is a nice bit of calico. It has a nice thread count and weight to it meaning it doesn’t pucker very much when stitching.

When I change things up and use a different type of fabric especially thinner cotton or satin fabric I’ll add in another layer (normally after I’ve stitched a few stitches and discovered that they aren’t behaving quite the way I was expecting).

But when might using two layers of fabric be useful.

Fabric not being held tight by the hoop

Sometimes you’ll have a hoop where you’ve tightened the screw as far as it will go but your fabric is still not staying taut.

This may be that the fabric is thin or slippery, or it could be that the inner and outer hoops are slightly misaligned and not as close fitting as in other hoops (such as the one pictured)

If you don’t have another hoop you can use instead, then adding another layer of fabric means that there is just a little bit more for the hoop to grip onto.

Using thicker threads and/or embellishments

Although it may not seem like it when you are stitching, each stitch adds some weight to the fabric. The more stitches there are, the more weight and the more likely the fabric is to pucker.

Beads and sequins also add weight to the fabric and can lead to puckering or sagging fabric.

Adding an under-layer of fabric helps to carry some of that weight. If you are using particularly heavy threads or embellishments then you may want to use a thicker under-layer or even add a third layer of fabric or use interfacing.

This piece had several different cords couched on the front meaning a bit of extra support was needed at the back.

Using lots of isolated stitches

There are some designs such as this kit where there are lots of stitches isolated from one another. When stitching a piece like this you could start and tie of a thread after stitching each individual but that ends up being a hassle. The easier thing is to stitch each colour in one go but you end up with thread trails between each stitch which can show on the front of the fabric.

Adding a second layer of fabric helps to hide these thread trails and make it less likely that they can be seen from the front of the fabric.

And if you do use a second layer of fabric what can you use? I tend to use a bit of muslin or a thinner weight calico but you could use any woven fabric.

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What fabrics can I use for embroidery?

You can embroider on so many different types of fabric, it really depends on the project you are working on and the effect you are trying to create. All of the fabrics below are woven rather than knit (stretchy fabrics) as stitching on stretch fabrics requires some different techniques.

Here are some of the woven fabrics that I’ve tried and tested.

Calico

I use calico for many of my kits. It’s a fabric with a bit of weight to it meaning it can hold the weight of the stitches.

Cotton

When I’m not stitching on calico, cotton is my next fabric of choice. I most often stitch on old shirts or offcuts from dress making that are in my stash.

The benefit of cotton is that you can get some great patterned fabric that you can use. This fabric is an old white shirt that I dyed and then embroidered on.

But cotton fabric comes in different weights - very lightweight fabric such as cotton lawn won’t hold the weight of the stitches on their own. Using a second layer of fabric under the first layer helps solve this problem.

Evenweave

The clue is in the name - this type of fabric has an even number of warp and weft threads per inch. It means that if you stitch is five holes in length you can count this number of holes for every stitch you make to get stitches of identical length. It’s the fabric used for techniques such as blackwork and hardanger but you can also use high count evenweave fabrics for standard embroidery too (higher count means more warp/weft threads per inch and smaller gaps in between).

Linen

Much like calico, linen can take the weight of the stitches on their own.

However, linen creases and frays quite a lot so you need to be prepared to deal with that when stitching on linen.

Hessian

I’ve been experimenting more and more with hessian recently and much like evenweave there are a set number of warp and weft threads per inch but the weave of the fabric is very open.

It’s great if you want to stitch with yarn as the holes are large enough to fit the yarn through without too much tugging needed.

Felt

Felt can be great to embroider on as it doesn’t fray so it great for projects that may have a raw edge like decorations or brooches. I’ve also used it for larger pieces as it can hold the weight of stitches.

The thickness of the felt means that if you are using an embroidery hoop you’ll probably have to loosen the screw much more than you are used to to accommodate the extra bulk.

Denim

I’ve had a few pairs of jeans that are no longer wearable and not suitable for the charity shop which I’ve cut up and are in my stash, but you can also embroider on still intact garments!

I’ve experimented a couple of times with stitching on denim. I love the finished look but it is a tough fabric to work with because of the thickness and close weave. In this sample I stitched with yarn which was tough going on the fingers.

I’d also recommend checking whether there is any stretch to your denim and putting any sections with stretch to one side for now.

Canvas

I’ve picked up a few of these pre-stretched canvases from the local pound shop. You can embroider on them as is (I’ve also removed the fabric and used the frame to stretch my own fabric over). The main thing to consider with these canvasses is the width of the frame meaning that it is difficult to stitch right up to the edge so that has to be taken into account in your design.

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How to get your stitches the same size

There are some designs where you want stitches to be an identical size to give a polished finished. But how do you achieve this? Here are five techniques that might help.

By eye

I have to admit this is normally the method I use. I feel fairly confident about judging small distances. I tend to stitch slowly and make sure that with each stitch I’m happy with the position of the needle before I complete a stitch. I also look back at the past few stitches to check I’m happy with the consistency and unpick if anything looks out of place.

For slightly longer stitches I use the needle and my finger to help judge the length of the stitch.

Use a ruler

This can really help with getting the right stitch length but you still need to make sure the position of the needle is accurate.

Working with a ruler can also be a bit cumbersome (even if it is my trusty WWF ruler I’ve had for 25 years).

Draw guidelines

This is a great alternative to to ruler especially if you are able to remove or stitch over the guidelines that you make. It means you don’t need to keep picking up/putting down the ruler with each stitch.

The type of guideline you use will depend on the stitch you are making but if I use this method I tend to use tiny dots rather than full lines as these are easier to stitch over.

In this picture the guidelines are pre-printed onto the fabric which makes it even easier!

Marks on your finger

I saw this ingenious method on Instagram as a tip for stitching blanket stitch. I’ve not tried it myself yet but in taking this photo I did find that I had to hold the hoop a bit funny to get the markings to be where I needed them. A bit of trial and error might be needed for this one!

Evenweave fabric

The clue is in the name - this type of fabric has an even number of warp and weft threads per inch. It means that if you stitch is five holes in length you can count this number of holes for every stitch you make to get stitches of identical length. It’s the fabric used for techniques such as blackwork and hardanger but you can also use high count evenweave fabrics for standard embroidery too (higher count means more warp/weft threads per inch and smaller gaps inbetween).

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Five tips for getting fabric taut in an embroidery hoop

An embroidery hoop is crucial to creating a beautiful finished piece of embroidery. Most of the projects that you’ll stitch you’ll need the fabric really taut so you can drum your fingers on it and get a sound. (There are some exceptions to this but that’s for another blog post).

Here are my tips for getting your fabric as taut as you can in your hoop.

1) pick a hoop with a bit of grip

Hoops are normally made from wood, bamboo or plastic. Personally I avoid stitching with plastic hoops as I in my experience they are too slippery and don’t grip the fabric well enough. I prefer wood or bamboo hoops which give some added grip and help to maintain the tension. However, I know that others swear by plastic hoops - find what works best for you.

2) make sure that the inner and outer hoop fit snuggly together

Some hoops aren’t perfectly round so the inner and outer hoop may have some gaps between them. Try rotating the inner hoop around before adding the fabric to find the best fit. You can mark the edge of the inner and outer hoop so you can align them back up when you’ve added the fabric. But at the end of the day if the hoop is misshapen it’s best to put it to one side and pick another hoop.

3) pull the EDges of the fabric to create tension

Working around the hoop and pulling the edge of the fabric after you’ve tightened the hoop can make sure that the fabric in the centre of the hoop is taut. Then tighten the screw one last time to secure the fabric in place. You may find that you need to do this a few times as you stitch the project.

4) use tools to tighten the screw

I only learned fairly recently that the screw on some hoops has a slot for a flat head or philips head screwdriver. Using a screwdriver really works - you can turn the screw much further than with your fingers alone. And if your hoop doesn’t have this slot then you could use some pilers instead (although these may mark the metal so be careful!)

5) use a second layer of fabric

For some hoops you get to the limit of how far you can tighten the screw before you’ve reached the tension you need. Bulking out your fabric by using an extra layer can help give you that extra turn of the screw and get your fabric super taut. Alternatively you can bind the inner hoop with some fabric tape to get the same effect.

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How to gather the fabric at the back of an embroidery hoop

Once you’ve finished your embroidery and want to put it on display the easiest way to do this is to display it in the hoop you stitched it in. 

Many of the different techniques to finish off the back of an embroidery hoop for display require the fabric to be gathered first so that none of the excess fabric peaks out and so it also lies flat on the wall. 

• Before you start you may need to straighten up the embroidery in the hoop and make sure the screw fixture is at the top of the hoop as this is how you will hang it on the wall. Don’t forget once you have straightened it up to re-screw the fabric as tight as possible.

• Trim any excess fabric, but don’t trim too close to the hoop - you need some fabric to be able to overlap to the inner hoop for all methods about 1.5-2cm is perfect (it doesn’t need to be trimmed in a perfect circle but just make sure you get as close as you can). 

• Take a long length of normal sewing thread - long enough to go round the circumference of the hoop twice (to give some nice long ends to pull on to gather).  

• Tie a BIG knot in one end - it doesn’t have to be neat as it will get the chop later - but you do need to make sure that it won’t pop through the weave of the fabric as you sew

• Stitch around the fabric in a running stitch - each stitch should be reasonably long (around 1cm). Your stitches should be about 5mm from the edge of the fabric but don’t worry if it isn’t even from the edge all the way round.  

• Once you’ve stitched all the way round and get back to the starting point, gently pull on the knot end slightly whilst holding the other end so you have two tails.

• Then pull on one of the tails while holding the other to gather the fabric. Once it is gathered maintain the tension and tie the two tails together. It is tricky to maintain the tension so do a single knot first and then pull to tighten before doing the second (double) knot. Don’t pull too hard otherwise you risk breaking the thread.

• You can either leave it like this or pull the fabric at the back extra tight by stitching across the back from opposite side to opposite side.

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