Embroidery Lessons - Outline Stitches

Have you always wanted to learn to embroider? Now's your chance!

The Swap

• Hand embroider on a 6" x 6" (15.25 x 15.25 cm), 100% cotton piece of fabric (not cross stitch fabric), leaving at least a 1/4" seam allowance (unstitched border around the edges).

• Include your name or Swap-Bot name and date somewhere on the square (except in the margin) -- embroidery or water-proof ink.

• Use any outline stitches as a main part of the design, but you may use additional stitches as well. Examples of outline stitches are back stitch, stem stitch, split stitch, chain stitch, and others.

Embroidery Basics If you are not already familiar with embroidery, please take time to learn these basic techniques for successful embroidery:

• How to transfer designs to fabric: Wild Olive: Transferring a Pattern

• How to start and end threads so that the back of the work is neat and tidy: Wild Olive: Embroidery Basics

• This website also includes examples and videos of many different hand embroidery stitches: Needle n' Thread: Beginner Embroidery

• About.com: Embroidery Basics

• Needle 'n Thread: Tips & Techniques

Outline Stitches Here are some resources, but feel free to use additional resources from online or in books/magazines.

• Wild Olive: Embroidery Basics: Stem and Split Stitch

• Wild Olive: Several Different Outline Stitches

• Needle n' Thread: Stem Stitch Basics

• Sublime Stitching: How-To Back Stitch

• Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials: Chain Stitch

Questions? Problems?

• Contact the swap host (Cirsium)

Photo source: Needle 'n Thread Embroidery Tutorial