I'm not the greatest of hand-embroiderers, but I think I managed to pull this off. I would love it if anybody had some tips, especially with what you are actually supposed to do with all those ends at the back? If you look closely at my photo, you can see them from the front, although it is nowhere near as bad when it is hanging on the wall.
I have a great tip for you, though. I had some trouble, initially, with my transfer pencil. It just was not working. Do you want to know what the problem was? Don't use steam. The pencil comes out with water, so when I was steaming it, the design wasn't going onto my fabric. Or perhaps it was, and I was just steaming it right back out again. There you go. That is helpful information to have :) I wish I knew that before I started. So use a dry iron.
I used Aneela Hoey's embroidery pattern, which you can buy through links on her blog, or from the Fat Quarter Shop as a digital download. Aneela also has a great tutorial about how to fill using back stitch.
I used this tutorial to finish the back of the finished piece. I didn't take any photos, but lets just say that it doesn't quite look as good as the one in the tutorial. I think the important thing is that it looks good from the front, right?
The way I was taught was that the ends get sort-of woven in and out of the back of the stitches, so that they are invisible. The beginnings involve taking a few tiny running stitches that will get sewn over and thus disappear - no knots!
ReplyDeleteWhen you finish, there shouldn't be any ends visible, the back should look as good as the front. If not, the teacher would make you unpick it! (You didn't want to hear that, did you?)
It's beautiful! I'm loving your Red Riding Hood themed crafting :)
ReplyDeleteCarmel, I use the no-knot method when I embroider, it wastes a bit of thread but I think it works...I might have to do a few photos to describe it..and just so you know, your embroidery is way way better than mine.
ReplyDeleteLove it... and ditto what jodie and Vireya suggest, re: thread ends.
ReplyDeleteBut ... HOW DID AMELIE GET SO BIG????? She looks so grown up!
I should also have mentioned that I think your Little Red Riding Hood looks super cute! You did a great job with it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't done any embroidery since the days of those mean sewing teachers.
It looks great and I love the blue walls. Your little girl is not little anymore is she:( I do the same as Vereya. I haven't embroidered or cross stitched in years - I really should do a little:)
ReplyDeleteYep. I weave the ends in through the stitches at the back too. Looks so neat when it is all finished.
ReplyDeleteLOVE you stitching. The red with the blue wall. Spectacular.