Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 32 i Love Embroidery

Fire up the festive tunes – it’s that time of year again! And we couldn’t be more delighted to share all of the gorgeous festive projects that we have squeezed into this issue for you. From quick-stitch Christmas tees and embroidered felt decorations, to beaded fireworks and snowy winter scenes, there’s something for everyone here – including Cristin Morgan’s shimmering Holly Jolly hoop. It’s a masterclass in both modern metallics and how to use directional stitching to create cool three-dimensional text. Turn to p32 to see it in its full glory!…

Cover gift MATERIALS • Seven pre-cut felt pieces • Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of pink, red, white • Sewing thread: turquoise • Card, 300gsm • 6mm-wide ribbon: 12cm long • Tracing paper (optional) • Basic embroidery kit STITCHES USED Buttonhole Wheel, Fly Stitch, French Knot, Herringbone Stitch, Lazy Daisy Stitch, Straight Stitch NOTES Find the templates on p73. To make your own felt pieces, you can use tracing paper to make paper templates, and then use these to cut out the felt shapes. Opt for a cheaper tracing paper that’s thinner and therefore easier to stitch through and tear away. 01 Transfer the design onto tracing paper and cut it out to make a paper template. Alternatively, transfer the design directly onto the felt using your preferred method. 02 Line…

T hrough her studio Mixed Color, artist and teacher Christi Johnson delves into her creativity and fosters it in others. Embroidery is the primary vessel of her handcraft magic. A life-long crafter, she turned to stitching as a screen break. “12 years ago or so, I was working in the fashion industry in Los Angeles,” she says, “and I started doing these little embroideries – Ithink they were song lyrics. Fashion is a lot of computer work, and it was something where I could feel like I was still creative but off the computer.” Her instinct to seek the tactile didn’t go unnoticed. When Christi’s boss spotted her work, he organised a show for her pieces in their office gallery. She began working larger-scale, sparking a collection of machine-embroidered denim…

MATERIALS • Calico fabric: 1x1.4m, off white Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of charcoal, red, teal, yellow • Embroidery hoops: 18cm diameter, 30cm diameter • Mini wooden pegs x24 • Tracing paper and pencil • Cardboard: 10.5x8cm • Fine string or cotton yarn: white • Foliage of your choice Florist wire and wire cutters • Sewing machine with white thread • Basic embroidery kit STITCHES USED Backstitch, Chain Stitch, Eyelet Stitch, French Knot, Satin Stitch, Stem Stitch, Straight Stitch NOTES • Find the templates on p78. • Use two strands of thread throughout this project. 01 Begin by cutting out 12 pieces of calico fabric measuring 22x22cm e ach. Because calico is a little heavier than quilting cotton we haven’t used any interfacing, but you may wish to back your…

CALL 03330 165 408†OR VISIT WWW.BUYSUBSCRIPTIONS.COM/BACKISSUES TO ORDER AND WE’LL SEND YOUR MAGAZINE STRAIGHT TO YOU!* ISSUE 26 Dreamy garden scene Mini rug hoop Canvas wall art Eyelet workshop ABC cross stitch sampler Speedy shorts update Profile: Wimperis Embroidery GIFT floral pennant kit ISSUE 28 Pride bouquet Modern guide to smocking Citrus motif denim skirt Swimming bag Coastal scene Beaded palm trees Profile: Paulo Rezende GIFT 6 wooden hedgehog-shaped bobbins ISSUE 30 Oval vase hoop Beach towel update Geo wall art Sunbathers scene Blanket Stitch masterclass Dropcloth Stitchalong Colourful felt cocktail bunting Profile: Davinder & Caroline Madaher ISSUE 27 Flamingo hoop Fruity table linen Raffia bag Hot air balloons hoop Whitework shirt Profile: Maggie Schnücker GIFT 48-page The Embroidered Wardrobe booklet with seven projects ISSUE 29 Stitched summer dress Ice…

GETTING STARTED Zigzag stitch is a basic function on most sewing machines and is worked using a standard sewing machine foot. The width and length of the stitch can be adjusted to achieve different effects. Changing the width setting will alter the size of the stitches (the height of the zigzags), whereas changing the length setting will alter the density of the stitches. Set your machine to zigzag stitch with a width of 5.5 and a length of 2, then lower the tension on the tension dial – this will make sewing through the thick rope much easier. Higher numbers have a tighter tension and lower numbers will make the stitches looser. Before you begin, take an offcut of rope and practise stitching the fibres together – this not only…

MATERIALS TECHNIQUES STITCH GUIDE TEMPLATES YOUR BASIC EMBROIDERY KIT For the majority of the projects in this issue you will need the following items. There are different types available, so read on to choose the correct materials for each project. • Fabric • Thread • Needles • Scissors • Embroidery hoop • Transfer pens/pencils FABRIC Embroidery can be worked on a wide variety of fabrics or ready-made items. It’s best to choose fabrics with a fairly smooth surface as heavily-textured surfaces will prevent the stitches from lying flat. For beginners, it’s best to start with a 100% plain-weave cotton. When choosing fabric, consider its intended use, how much wear it will get and how often it will need to be washed. Fabric can be categorised by its weave and fibre…

HOW TO TRANSFER TRACING Place light-coloured and fine fabrics over the design and trace over it. For thicker or dark-coloured fabrics a light source such as a window or lightbox makes this process much simpler. TRANSFER PENS AND PENCILS Choose a colour that will show up on the fabric. Use a permanent marker if the stitching will cover the lines, or a removable marker if you need to erase the lines afterwards – test first on a scrap of fabric so you know it can be removed. IRON-ON TRANSFERS Press your fabric, then place your transfer sheet ink side down on top and press with a hot, dry iron (taking care with heat-sensitive fabrics). You can reuse the transfers three to four times depending on the type of fabric you…

Season’s greetings Our eye was drawn to this hoop by the bold, high-contrast lettering. But our threadloving hearts were won over by those joyful sprigs of festive foliage sprouting from each character. If, like us, you can’t wait to get stitching this design, then you’ll be thrilled to know it’s just been released as a pattern in Sophie Timms’ new Christmas collection. We can’t decide whether to stitch it for our own seasonal redecorating or gif it to a (very) lucky someone on the 25th… www.mindfulmantraembroidery.com Counting the days Always dreamed of an embroidered Advent calendar, but don’t have quite enough time to make one..? Oliver Bonas’ got you! Deck your halls (or mantel) with their folksy, machinestitched countdown. You can tuck sweet treats or mini gifts – perhaps skeins…

Bonus gift! As an extra thanks to you, our lovely readers, we’re giving you all a free digital copy of Ultimate Stitch Guide – all you need to do is sign up to our newsletter (existing newsletter subscribers will receive one, too)! Inside, you’ll find 87 step-by-step embroidery projects for your home, wardrobe, gifts and more, plus full-size templates, an illustrated stitch library and expert tip and tricks. Scan the QR code above or visit www.gathered.how/newsletters/embroidery-signup to get your digital copy today…

MATERIALS • Wool felt: 20x30cm, burgundy, peach, mustard yellow • Metallic stranded thread: 2 skeins of gold • Embroidery hoop: 15cm diameter • Tear-away stabiliser: 40x36cm • Machine thread: burgundy, peach, mustard yellow • Basting (AKA tacking) thread Basic embroidery kit STITCHES USED Couching Stitch, Straight Stitch, Woven Star Stitch, Whipstitch NOTE Find the templates on p74-75. 01 Transfer the tree templates onto the tear-away stabiliser using a pen, makin g sure to include the outlines of the trees in addition to the embroidery markings. Trim around the stabiliser leaving a 1.5cm border. Lay the stabiliser flat on the corresponding felt colours, using burgundy for the largest tree, peach for the medium and mustard yellow for the smallest. Then, tack around the borders to hold the stabiliser in place. Alternatively, you…

GETTING STARTED Prepare your sewing machine by attaching a freemotion (AKA darning) foot. Next, drop the feed dogs – the mechanism that grips and pulls fabric through your sewing machine. The manual should tell you how to do this, but there is usually a lever to pull at the back of the machine. Before you start, test your machine’s tension and check to see whether the bottom thread shows through using spare bias binding and felt layered together. Remember, the stitch length is determined by the speed at which you sew – the faster you move your fabric, the longer your stitches will be. When freemotion stitching, try to work in one continuous line when possible. If you do need to stop, make sure you lower the foot to prevent…

T extile artist Pippa Haynes recreates elements of nature using classic stumpwork techniques. Her three-dimensional pieces, shared through her Wiltshire-based business, Lemon Pepper Studio, are a trick of the eye, convincing the viewer that they’re looking at a real mushroom or flower. But, look closer and you’ll see the delicate stitching that makes up each incredible one… Tell us about this piece. It’s called ‘Underneath the Mistletoe’, and was inspired by my mistletoe kit and the wild mistletoe growing from trees near my studio (which the kit was inspired by, too). They’re a celebration of the lovely Christmas tradition of dressing the home in foraged flora. Every year, I make festive decorations with long-lasting sprigs of mistletoe and dried allium heads. So, with the idea behind Lemon Pepper Studio being…

This jolly Santa bobbin from Ginger Ray will keep you company as you tie up your handstitched gifts with classic red and white baker’s twine. www.gingerray.co.uk We’re dreaming of hand-stitched tags to go with our handmade gifts and Julia Cheung is making that dream a reality with her new tag kits (coming soon). www.juliasbroderie.com Planning to use brown paper to gift wrap your pressies this year? This fab little stack of washi tape will help you to secure it in place and give it a festive lift! www.papermash.co.uk…

W e’re covering two aspects of your décor this month; the pretty and the practical. Helping us to get organised is Sophie Tarrant with her clever rope bowls. They use zigzag stitch to hold everything together and feature scraps of fabric throughout to add pops of pattern and colour. Then, we have Andrea Walpole’s eco-friendly ‘paper’ chains (spoiler alert, they’re actually made from fabric!). Each chain has its own freemotion design and can be taken apart – thanks to the use of some handy hook and loop tape – and stored flat to use again next year. And the year after that, and the year after that… Turn the page to get started!…