Supplies
- Embroidery floss
- Cotton fabric
- Embroidery hoop
- Embroidery needle
- Pencil or fabric marker
- Optional: Embroidery Hearts Pattern
Directions
Prepare Fabric
Steam or iron fabric. Select a pattern size. (If desired, enlarge or reduce the heart pattern size). Mark your heart, words or design on the fabric with a pencil or a fabric marker. Put fabric in hoop so it is held taut.
Sewing
Only put the tip of your needle in the fabric – to decide if that’s where you want it. Then put it through the fabric.
If you don’t like a stitch, pull your needle off. Use it to lift up the stitch and pull it out. Rethread your needle by wetting the end, and flattening it. (Trim it if it’s gotten scraggly.) If threading the needle is hard, you should be using a needle with a bigger eye.
Every stitch has to be the same size. If you’re sewing something small, the stitches need to be small. You may need to shorten stitches to go around curves. Keep a consistently even tension.
Back Stitch
I used all 6 strands to make this heart for a thick line but it was hard to pull through the fabric. I recommend 3-4 instead.
1. Bring the thread to the front of the fabric at A, a small distance from the right hand end of your line.
2. Take the needle to the back at B, at the beginning of the marked line. Come back up at C the same small distance.
3. Pull the thread through.
4. Take the needle to the back at A, through the same hole in the fabric. Come back up at D the same small distance.
5. Keep making stitches that same length.
To make the center dip in the heart I made an ending stitch. Then I resumed with the regular directions.
To end, take the needle to the back of the fabric through the hole at the beginning of the last stitch. Pull the thread through.
Split Stitch
I used 4 strands to make this heart. I recommend 3-4.
1. Bring the needle to the front at A. Take it to the back at B a small distance away.
2. Pull the thread through. Come up at C in the center of the first stitch.
3. Pull the thread through.
4. Take the needle to the back the same small distance away.
5. Pull the thread through. Come up through the center of the second stitch. Pull the thread through.
On the center dip in the heart make a beginning stitch then resume with the regular directions.
Satin Stitch
I used 3 strands to make the satin stitch.
1. Begin by sewing around both hearts using the split stitch.
2. Bring the thread to the front at A. IMPORTANT: Angle the needle under the outline when going to the front or back.
3. Take the needle to the back at B, directly across from A. It should be at a right angle to the shape. Pull the thread through. Spread the threads out on the outer edge. Turn your work to help you keep that right angle on every stitch.
4. Come back up close to A and pull the thread through. Take the needle to the back near B but at a closer space. You’ll need wider spaces on the outside of a curve and narrower on the inside.
5. Pull the thread through.
6. Finish with the thread at the back.
Finishing
Remove hoop. Then iron or steam fabric. If you used a fabric marker, follow it’s instructions to remove it.