Along with a new pattern, I have also released six new embroidery videos to my YouTube channel to inspire you and help you on your stitching journey!
This is a design based on my garden photography and love of all things botanical! It is printed on fabric, which means no need to transfer a pattern! Sized to fit within a 7″ embroidery hoop, you will embellish this with whatever stitches you like.
For reference, watch this detailed preview so that you can see exactly what stitches and supplies I used for my own project!
I have been mentally been writing this post for months now: answering questions in my head, snapping pics, listing my favorite threads and embroidery notions, and I’m finally ready to put fingers to keyboard, type it up and send it out to all of you patient, patient readers!
You might already know this from following me on Instagram or Facebook, but if you don’t, I really, really like thread! I will give any thread a chance and if I like it, I’ll probably add it (in all of the colors that I can get!) to my stash.
One of the questions that I am asked most is: How do I know which thread to use and where? Well, ask no more! I’m here to share all of my thread knowledge with you! Every thread that I mention here, is a thread that I use and love. I won’t recommend a thread that I personally wouldn’t stitch with. Whenever possible, I will share links with you that will take you to the shops where I buy my threads.
I’ve broken my mega-thread round-up into five main categories:
Stranded threads
Non-stranded threads
Threads to add texture
Threads for beading
Threads for embellishment
And one more thing before we get started…everyone’s second favorite question: What kind of needles should I use? Under each thread category, I will note the type of needles that I like to use for those types of thread. However, I have found that needles are a very personal choice…you might like working with appliqué needles for every type of embroidery or you might prefer a milliner’s needle. I tell my students to pick the needle that works best for you. If you aren’t sure what that needle is, then buy a variety pack of needles so that you can work with several types and decide what you like best! I am linking to a great source for needles: Sue Spargo’s shop. You will find every needle that I mention there and they are all brands that I trust and currently use.
Are you ready to journey down the rabbit hole to the wide world of threads? Let’s go!
(P.S. I have not been coerced into giving you any of these recommendations…they truly are threads that I have personally bought and use regularly in my stitching!)
Stranded Threads (threads that can be divided)
When I refer to stranded threads, I’m talking about threads that can be divided or broken down into smaller sections of thread.
(The above link will take you directly to DMC’s website where you can purchase and also check out the full range of colors available.)
When you think about stranded thread, this is probably the thread that comes to mind. DMC’s floss is easily found at most craft and hobby shops and comes in a wide variety of colors. It is also colorfast, which means that if you need to rinse your project or are stitching on clothing that will be washed, the colors will stay where they are and you do not need to worry about bleeding threads. (That sounds kind of horrible, right?!)
You can stitch with all 6 strands if you want nice, thick stitches or you can divide it up however you see fit. 1 strand would be about right if you are stitching very fine details, like facial features. 3 or 4 strands could be used if you want a thicker appearance to your stitches but aren’t ready to completely dive in to using all 6-strands at once.
This is a fairly inexpensive thread to purchase and is good for building up your stash of colors.
(You cannot purchase directly from Weeks Dye Works unless you are a retailer, but the above link will take you to Sassy Jacks Stitchery, an online and in-person shop, where you can find a great variety of these threads.)
Weeks Dye Works is a family-owned and operated company who specializes in hand-dyed fibers. Their 6-stranded floss was the first product that they introduced to the public and is still the one product with the most colors available. And let’s talk about colors! If you have ever wanted to dabble in stitching with variegated thread, but don’t want the variation in colors to detract from your project, then this is the thread that you need to use. The slight variation in color that you will see in each strand is just subtle enough to be noticeable when you look at a skein and the slight variation looks even better when you stitch with it!
The 6-stranded floss is meant to be used as is (all six strands at once) or it can be divided all the way down to just one strand. You get to decide how you want to use it!
Before stitching with these threads, take note of the description listed with the skein. Not every color is currently colorfast. You can read more about it here, but every new color released will be colorfast and they are working on making the top 50 colors colorfast. This is not a huge deal if you are not going to be washing your project, however if you are working on a project that you transferred with a water-based pen and you’ll need to eventually wash out your marks, then you might want to be sure that you are using colorfast threads. Also, if you are stitching on clothing that will be washed or a bag that might get wet in the rain, then you would want to use only the colorfast colors.
Trust me on this this and always remember to check whether something is colorfast!!
Non-Stranded Threads (threads that should not be divided)
PERLE COTTON
Perle Cotton is a non-stranded thread that can be found wrapped in a skein or wound on a spool. You do not need to divide these threads! If you look at a perle cotton thread next to a stranded thread, you will see that the perle cotton has a twist in the thread. This adds a lovely texture and sheen to your stitches. I would say about 75% of my embroidery is stitched with perle cotton.
(The above link will take you to Sue Spargo’s shop. Feel free to look around at the other embellishments and threads that she carries!)
The threads that you will see me stitch with the most are from the Eleganza Perle Cotton collection from Sue Spargo and Wonderfil Specialty Threads. I love these threads…the colors, the texture of the threads, the variegated colors and because they come on spools. In my opinion, nothing beats a spool of thread that doesn’t tangle when you toss it in with all of your stitching supplies!
There are 3 sizes of Perle Cotton: size 3, size 5 and size 8. I like to reference 6-stranded thread when I explain the sizes of Perle Cotton. All 6-strands of a skein of thread would be approximately a size 3 Perle Cotton, 4-strands of the stranded skein are approximately a size 5 Perle Cotton and 2-strands are approximately a size 8. So size 3 is the thickest weight and size 8 is the thinnest weight.
I always recommend a size 8 or a size 5 Perle Cotton if you are just getting started with embroidery.
(The above link will take you to Alison Glass’ shop. She has curated her own colors of Perle Cotton in collaboration with Wonderfil Specialty Threads.)
These Perle Cottons are spooled differently than the Sue Spargo Perle Cottons but the thread is the same Eleganza Perle Cotton made by Wonderfil Specialty Threads. Currently, these are available in size 8 only.
If choosing color makes you nervous, Alison has done the job for you! Her threads are available individually or they are available in box sets. Each color palette is just so amazing that I could not choose and now I have one box of each set! If you like her fabric, then you will go crazy for her threads!
(The above link will take you to 123stitch.com, an online retailer that has a large selection of the Pearl Cotton colors.)
Again, what I love most about Weeks Dye Works are their gorgeous, hand-dyed colors. If you are looking for a slight variegated effect in a perle cotton, then these are the threads for you!
Another bonus is that Weeks Dye Works currently has four sizes of Pearl Cotton: sizes 3 (the thickest), 5, 8 and 12 (the thinnest). Size 12 Pearl Cotton is a really nice addition to my thread arsenal and it is not a size that you can commonly find when searching for thread. We’ll talk about this later on in my thread round-up, but for beading, this is my go-to thread size!
THREADS TO ADD TEXTURE
The fibers in this section are generally much thicker than a regular embroidery thread and they may have uses other than embroidery. That being said, there should be nothing stopping you from using non-traditional-embroidery threads in your embroidery! I recommend experimenting with as many fibers as you want to while stitching! The unexpected is what makes your work fun! If you have leftover beautifully colored yarn bits that you used in a knitting project, absolutely work them into your embroidery!
(The above link will take you to DMC’s website where you can purchase 390 colors of tapestry wool.)
DMC’s tapestry wool is made with 100% wool and is a much thicker thread than the embroidery floss you may have stitched with on other projects. It is typically used in needlepoint projects. I like to use it whenever I want to add unexpected texture and thicker stitches. When you stitch on a fabric with tapestry threads, you’ll notice the little wisps of wool on the tapestry thread, which lends an organic feel to your project. This is also a colorfast wool, so you do not need to worry about the colors bleeding if your project gets wet.
(The above link will take you to DMC’s website where you can purchase 100 colors of soft cotton thread.)
Soft Cotton or Retors Mat is a tapestry thread that is made of 5-strands of cotton. Don’t let the strands confuse you, though, this is not a thread that is meant to be divided. The beauty of this thread is in the thick, matte stitches that you can embroider. It is great for stitching Colonial Knots or any other stitch that is meant to really stand out from the fabric and pop!
(The above link will take you to The Thread Gatherer’s online shop for silk ribbon, plus lots of other fabulous threads!)
For a touch of sophistication, consider adding silk ribbon to your embroidery. I have a love for anything hand dyed and The Thread Gatherer never fails to disappoint in their selection of beautiful silk ribbons. I love to use silk ribbon in floral designs and it’s always a bonus when I can pair silk ribbon with beads. You may see silk ribbon used in wool embroidery, but I find that it works great in appliqué embroidery as well.
(The above link will take you to Chiagu’s shop, more specifically the mini-skeins club which is a great way to add a variety of yarns to your stash!)
If you are not a knitter, or crocheter, or any other sort of yarn-y person, then you might be wondering what is the best way to add skeins of a thicker yarn to your stash? Koigu mini-skeins are just perfect for that! For a hat or scarf or sweater, you might need several large skeins of yarn, but for embroidery, you really don’t need that much. I love the Koigu KPPPM yarn (which is a sock-weight yarn) to embroider with. This yarn is thinner than a tapestry yarn, so it is a great first step into the world of thicker threads.
threads for beading
I love using beads and sequins in my embroidery and 12 wt threads are the perfect thread for combining beading and sequining with embroidery. All of the threads in this section are 12 wt and I use them frequently for beading.
WHAT NEEDLES SHOULD I USE WITH BEADING THREAD AND BEADS?
A note about needles for beading: whatever needle you choose, be sure that the eye of the needle is able to pass completely through the bead. It can be so frustrating to have a needle all threaded and then realize when you are about to stitch with a bead, that the needle cannot pass through the bead! So be sure to check your needle size before you bead!
(The above link will take you to Sue Spargo’s shop, the best source for this wool appliqué thread, a collaboration between Sue and Wonderfil Specialty Threads.)
If the idea of adding texture to your stitching appeals to you, but you aren’t ready to dive into the world of a thick tapestry thread, Ellana wool thread is a great beginning point. This is a 12wt thread and perfect for beading. I really like wool because of the visible wispy fibers that you can see when you stitch with this thread. This thread is thinner than most that I use and I will sometimes double it up to stitch with it (and it still works with beads that way!)
This thread is a collaboration with Wonderfil Specialty Threads and Sue Spargo and comes in a variety of colors…sixty to be exact! It is a merino wool and acrylic blend. I have not had problems with this thread fraying and it is easy to stitch with.
(The above link will take you to the Traditional Stitches website where you can find spools of this thread.)
I mentioned this thread earlier when talking about Weeks Dye Works. Again, it is hand-dyed and comes in a beautiful array of colors. It is the newest thread from Weeks Dye Works and I’m really excited about it. It is slightly harder to find, so you may need to look around for it (or use the link above!)
This is a pearl (perle) cotton, so it has a lovely twist to the fibers. It is 12 wt, which is my ideal for beaded embroidery. My only hope is that this thread becomes more widely available because it is a delight to stitch with!
(The above link will take you to Lonestar Quilt Works where you can find this thread.)
Fruitti thread is another one of my favorites from Wonderfil. It is a 12 wt cotton thread that comes in a variety of variegated colors. When you are looking to purchase this thread, keep in mind that it is also used for sewing machines, so the price may be higher and the spool may be larger than a typical embroidery thread. One spool will last you a very, very long time if you are using it exclusively for embroidery. They make various size spools and do have a regular embroidery sized spool, so be sure to read descriptions before you buy.
I enjoy this thread mostly for the colors but also because it is such an easy thread to stitch with. Some threads just feel instantly comfortable and this is one of those threads!
threads for embellishment
what needles should I use with embellishment threads?
(The above link will take you to the Mohair and More Etsy shop. Be sure to look around at all of the gorgeous fibers available for purchase!)
Roving is a quick way to add fluff and texture to your embroidery. With the right stitch (I recommend a couching stitch), you layer this fiber on your fabric and secure it with another type of thread. It gives you an instant three-dimensional effect.
You can just pull the desired amount from your ball of roving and roll it between your hands to shape it! And if you want to get really fancy, you can try your hand at spinning your own art yarns with balls of roving!
(The above link will take you to Sue Spargo’s shop.)
If you are looking to add a lot of shine to your stitches, then Razzle is what you want. It is a thread made from 100% rayon and has a glossy shine. It can be a little slippery to work with, but once you get the hang of it, you shouldn’t have any problems at all.
I highly, highly recommend that if you buy this thread, you should also buy Thread Guards. Because this is a rayon thread and very silky, it wants to unwind from the spool. A Thread Guard is a small, clear, rectangle of what feels like a thicker version of cling wrap. When you are done stitching, you roll your thread back onto the spool and then wrap a thread guard around the spool. It clings to itself and keeps any thread from unraveling. I can’t tell you enough how awesome these are and how much they will help you store this thread!!
(The above link will take you to Sue Spargo’s shop.)
If you like the look of metallic stitches but you don’t want to deal with the hassle of metallic threads (if you have dealt with the tangles of metallic thread, then you know what I’m talking about!!!), then you need to try Dazzle. This is like the rayon Razzle thread, however it has one metallic thread woven through. So you have the shine of the rayon with a metallic pop wound right into the thread.
Stitching with this thread is much easier than stitching with an all metallic thread but I feel like you have the same, metallic-y end result. When you cut a length of this to stitch with, don’t go overboard and cut too much. Stitch with shorter strands. When you are going in and out of fabric with a needle and thread, you are bound to get frayed edges. This thread doesn’t fray, but it works much better use it in short (12″-ish) lengths.
And, once again, Thread Guards will save your sanity when storing these threads! I definitely recommend buying them and bonus: you can reuse them over and over!
And there you have it. Is your head spinning? Are you adding things to your virtual shopping carts? Are you digging through your stash to find bits of yarn to add to your embroidery? I hope so! My goal in writing this mega-thread round-up was to open up the world of gorgeous fibers to you and show you just how easy it can be to add new threads to your repertoire!
If I’ve missed any of your pressing thread questions, feel free to comment and I’ll do my best to answer them here!
I’m one of those people who has been handling this 3-month quarantine period with extreme organization! I have gone through every room, bookshelf, cabinet and drawer in my house. No spot has been overlooked. Everything has been rearranged and reorganized and it’s all feeling nice and tidy.
Despite my major studio overhaul/reorganization last summer, I knew that upcoming electrical work in my 100-year old house was going to require that I completely empty out that room once again. A daunting task and one that I have been slightly dreading for months.
As I slowly emptied the room, I continued to look at my storage solutions to see if they were working for me. And then I heard the news that Cricut was releasing a new tool organizer (shop for it here) which could hold the many blades that I use with my Maker. I jumped at the chance to try out the organizer and I have to say that it has solved one of my tiny space organizing woes!
Here is an embarrassing look at how I’ve been storing all of my spare parts. Despite the adorableness of the box, it was not working great at storing all of the pens/blades/cords for my machine. (Hello rummaging around and finding a sharp blade!!)
I was thrilled to open my package and learn that it could hold up to 10 blade housings. My current Maker usage limits the types of blades that I use to the Rotary blade and the Bonded Fabric blade. It also holds the QuickSwap blades (which I don’t use), but I’ll show you what I do with that space!
Here’s what’s included in the box:
And here’s how mine looks, all organized with the blades that I currently have:
Because I don’t use the QuickSwap blades (which the bottom part of the organizer has little spots to put them in), I just put my extra rotary blades in there and they stay nice and neat.
I love it because I can see what I have at a glance and it controls the chaos of my creative space!
And here it is in my fancy Ikea bookshelf turned fabric and craft storage space!
Note: I have been provided products for review but I only share with you the products that I truly love and use! There may be affiliate links included in this post.
I don’t know about you, but a little extra sunshine might be just what we need right now. I hope that all of you are staying safe and healthy and home. But while you are doing all of those things, you might find that you have some extra time on your hands.
Enter the Mixed-Media Boho Sunshine project.
I designed this project to be easy enough that a young, child-sized beginner could complete it with help from a grownup. I have two child-sized beginners who are home from school right now and this was an excellent project to work on together while having fun with paint and learning a new skill…embroidery!
If you are not child-sized, I think it is still a fun project to take on…especially if you are new to mixed-media embroidery. I created my own version of this hoop and working with a sunshine-filled color palette was just what I needed during several rainy & cloudy days.
While creating the list of supplies that you will need for this project, I tried to be mindful of putting together a list of things that you would most likely already have in your home.
An embroidery hoop (any size you would like; we used 8″ and 7″)
Beads (any kind of seed bead) or Perler Beads or Pony beads (it’s super fun for kids to repurpose their craft stash and they come in such great colors!)
White school glue (any brand, we used Elmer’s)
Let’s Get Started: PAINTING!
Begin by choosing your background fabric and placing it in the hoop. Stretch the fabric while you are tightening the hoop…you want the fabric to be nice and tight in the hoop.
*TIP: if you normally prefer to have the screw on the right side of the hoop, you may want to flip it around for now. I’ll tell you why later!
Trim any excess fabric. I like to keep about a 2″ border of fabric which allows me to tighten the fabric as I work on the project.
It’s time to draw your sun! You can either freehand this or find something circle you trace a sun shape into your fabric. This is where you will want to use your water soluble pen/pencil/chalk. Your lines don’t need to be very dark…just dark enough to give you some guidelines for painting.
Once you have your sun, have fun drawing the rays. Draw as many or as few as you want!
Now for the fun part…paint!
You are going to paint your sun first. This large area gives you space to test how it feels to paint on fabric. Begin with a thin coat of paint to see how the coverage looks on the fabric. I ended up using two coats of paint on my sun (see below).
The paint will dry fairly quickly and if you need a second or third coat, you can usually apply that within minutes.
So you’ve painted your sun and you’re ready to paint the rays. Have fun with your paint colors and if you don’t have a large variety of colors at hand, try mixing colors to come up with shades that are slightly different for more variety.
When painting the rays, carefully begin with the edge that touches the sun and work out towards the hoop.
Remember how I said to place your hoop on backwards? This is why! As you paint toward the edge, it is inevitable that bits of paint will get on your hoop. Don’t worry about that! When your project is finished, you will flip the outer hoop and won’t see any of that paint! (I’ll walk you through that at the end!)
Your rays will also need 2-3 coats of paint but will dry quickly.
When you have finished with painting your hoop, let it dry completely before embroidering. I like to give it about an hour to completely dry.
Parents, this gives you some time to clean up your kids and their paint before moving on to the next step! You can even save the embroidery part for another day…make this a multi day project that they are excited to come back to!
Here’s my painted hoop…I think it’s pretty even before any embroidery has been added! And if that’s where you want to end this project, then skip to the end for directions on how to finish your hoop!
I stitched my hoop first using Eleganza size 5 Perle Cotton. If you are using a stranded thread like a DMC floss, I would recommend using at least 4 and even 6 strands, just so that the thread and your stitches are visible. If you are using seed beads, check to make sure that your needle fits through the bead.
My boys used the same thread to embroider, however, they used Perler beads which were super fun to add to this project!
Here’s a little mom tip for you: don’t try to stitch your project while you are helping your kids stitch their projects…trust me! They will need a little more hands-on help with this portion of the project and you can save your hoop to stitch while they are in bed!!
If your little one is too small to take on the embroidery, this is a perfect joint project for you! Let them do all of the painting and you do all of the embroidery. You’ve just made a keepsake that will bring you some sunshine for years to come!
Let’s Finish Your Hoop!
When you have finished embroidering your hoop, re-tighten the fabric in the hoop. If you have paint on the edges, resist the urge to flip your hoop. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that in just a bit.
Trim your fabric now. You want to have enough fabric around the edge to fold it backwards towards the back of the hoop, but you don’t want so much extra that it touches the fabric. I usually leave about 1/2″ – 3/4″ depending on the thickness of my hoop.
Grab your school glue and flip your hoop so you are looking at the back. Run a strip of glue all the way around the back edge of the hoop and begin to fold the fabric over the glue. Your fingers will get a little gluey while you do this, but you’ll notice that as the glue dries, it hardens the fabric leaving you a perfect finished edge on the back of the hoop.
Once it is completely dry (I always leave it an hour, just to be sure), you can now completely unscrew your hoop, remove the outer hoop and flip it over so that any painted edges are now on the backside of your project! Re-screw the hoop and you have a finished project!!
Tie a piece of ribbon and you can hang this hoop to remind you that sunny days are just ahead!
And while you have all of this extra time, make a few of these to give as gifts down the road. This project would make a perfect teacher appreciation gift, because don’t we appreciate those teachers all the more so now than ever before?!
If you want to try your hand at another beginner friendly embroidery project, check out my latest embroidery pattern: Wreath of Flowers, which is available for download now!
If you want lots of embroidery tutorials, check out my YouTube channel!
If you are looking for something to embroider without having to go to the effort of transferring a pattern, my latest release Boho Gardens: In The Conservatory is available and shipping now!
And, for a limited time, check out everything that Bluprint has to offer for FREE, including my class, Mixed Media Embroidery. This is a really great time to chill out and learn a new hobby or skill!
I hope that your family has fun trying this project and be sure to share your projects with me! If you are on Instagram, be sure to use the #bohosunshine hashtags so that I can see what you create!
What I love most about December, besides the beautiful sunrises that come with winter mornings (and also the brisk chill that comes with those cold mornings!), is that cozy-ing up inside lends itself to lots of stitching time.
Hmm….what to stitch, what to stitch?
How about not one, not two, but three new wildboho patterns?! Link to my Etsy Shop
I must admit that pattern writing is my least favorite part of creating a new pattern. So you might get a peek at one of my new patterns, like Botany, for instance, back in December of 2018 and not see the actual pattern until exactly one year later!
And a pattern like Plumage, which was released to my QuiltCon students back in February, doesn’t make an appearance again until 10 months later!
Or why Vermillion Bloomshas been kept under wraps until today! I couldn’t risk sharing yet another pattern on Instagram without releasing it from the wildboho vault!
I am incredibly excited about each of these patterns and I have been eagerly awaiting this day!
You may have noticed that each of these patterns is solely embroidery and not fabric appliqué with embroidery, like my other pattern releases. That is an intentional choice that I made when creating these patterns!
I wanted to experiment with and show off what can be accomplished with a variety of threads and embellishments and dimensional embroidery. I feel that these patterns really showcase the creativity that can be unleashed with just a few basic supplies.
With Vermillion Blooms, I challenged myself to keep to a limited palette and evoked vintage Redwork embroidery designs while creating an updated pattern, full of whimsy. It was certainly a challenge limiting myself to just the red portion of the color wheel, but it was a fun challenge nonetheless!
I’ve also been updating my YouTube channel to continue sharing videos of the stitches that I knew I was going to be including in these patterns. If you run into any snags, feel free to check them out! I’m always open to suggestions of new content to include, so let me know what you want to see!
I hope you’re able to make room for some slow-stitching time this winter! Tag me on social media with whatever projects you take on…I love to see what you’re working on!
Just a reminder: I’m currently accepting pre-orders for this project! The first batch of orders went out this week and the next batch will be shipping soon! You can send me an Instagram message or email me at bohostitchery@gmail.com to get in on the next shipment! These will eventually find their way into my Etsy shop once I have them in stock.
You can learn the Woven Picot stitch, which is great for adding dimension in the form of leaves.
For a twist on the Chain stitch, you can learn the Hungarian Braided Chain stitch, which gives you a thicker, braid-like line that can be added anywhere you would use the chain stitch.
And if you want to go all out with embellishments, you can learn one of my favorite stitches: the Feather stitch with a bonus lesson on how to add Lazy Daisies, seed beads and the Colonial Knot (which I prefer to the French Knot!)
To keep up to date with my videos, which I am constantly adding to, you can subscribe to my YouTube channel and you will receive a notification when I publish something new!
I have been working behind the scenes for quite a while on a project near and dear to my heart. I first began sharing my fabric collage/embroidery projects way, way back in the day (well, if 2012 counts as back in the day!), and each project was a combination of several fussy cut and layered fabrics that I then embroidered directly onto, creating a pattern as I went along.
Fast-forward to today and I still love embroidering layered fabrics that I have fussy cut and I especially enjoy teaching others how they can do this as well.
Boho Gardens: In the Conservatory combines my love of floral anything with trips to both large and small gardens (did you know Philadelphia, PA is the Garden Capital of America?!) and my photography. Mix this up, put it on fabric and you have the first wildboho embroidery project.
Designed to be placed in a 9″ or 10″ hoop, this project captures the spirit of how I first began to embroider fabric collages, except for all of the collage work has been done for you (by yours truly!) and you can focus just on the embroidery!
In addition, I am adding YouTube tutorials to the Boho Gardens section of my channel as inspiration to get you started. This project is designed for all levels of embroiderers and is meant to be embroidered however you would like. Free-spirited, no directions (my favorite kind of directions!) and the perfect slow-stitching project to just begin and take your time embroidering.
For now, I am only taking pre-orders through my instagram page (or a direct email to bohostitchery@gmail.com). These will eventually make their way into my Etsy shop. Orders are shipping soon (next week!) and I can’t wait to see how each person stitches their In the Conservatory hoop project!
In the chaos of September flying past me and turning into October which then, somehow, went and turned itself into November (!!!), I never shared the video interview that Blair Stocker of Wisecraft Handmade filmed with me, the September Ruby Ambassador!
I absolutely love Blair’s work, which she describes as “Meaningful fabrics into modern patchwork” and was very excited to use her Ruby Minder to organize my threads for several projects throughout the month.
We chat about that as well as lots of other Wildboho/Wise Craft Handmade goings-on I even share several of my favorite projects! Check out our chat here!
As an avid bead and button collector, I’m always looking for fun ways to use the supplies that I have. And maybe, just maybe, I’m always looking for an excuse to add to my collections!
I recently stitched one of my patterns, the Fractured Color Wheel, entirely in buttons.
This project took a little over two weeks and I worked on it almost exclusively during that time, but I didn’t track how many hours that I spent on it. A project like this is thought-consuming to me and so the time doesn’t even matter…I can hardly wait to return to it while I’m working on other things!
It is heavy…perhaps one of the heaviest hoops that I have ever stitched! In fact, I had to take it to the grocery store to weigh it on the produce scale and it came in at a whopping 1 lb, 8oz. That might not sound super heavy, but comparing it to most of my hoops (which probably don’t even reach 1 lb), it’s h e a v y!
Here’s the non-beaded, fabric-only version:
To convert this color wheel to an all-beaded wheel rather than a fabric one is very simple!
Choose a background fabric that is simple and light (it makes it easier to trace your pattern onto a light color). Your fabric will be so loaded up with beads and buttons and sequins by the end, that you won’t see it, so don’t use your favorite piece on this project!
Choose the color wheel size that you want to work with (the pattern offers three sizes). I chose to fit my color wheel into a 12-inch hoop.
Print out the pattern and place your fabric on it (pattern facing up, front side of the fabric facing up).
Using a light source (window or Lightbox) and a water soluble pen, trace the pattern onto the fabric. Again, your marks will not need to be washed off because they will be completely covered.
Once the pattern has been traced, fit the fabric into an embroidery hoop and tighten your fabric. And then let the fun begin!
With my fabric pen, I wrote the colors that I wanted to be in each portion of the color wheel. I then began with the biggest pieces…the buttons.
It helped to choose the buttons for each color and then stitch them in place before beginning with the beads. This helps you to visually focus on what color is placed in what spot, but it also helps to have the largest pieces in place first.
Once I had the large buttons in place, I began adding beads and sequins. Large beads first and the smallest beads last (the smallest beads help to fill in any areas that have white peeking through.
Continue adding your embellishments until you can’t see white through the hoop anymore. Tighten your fabric in the hoop once again and then follow the directions in the pattern for finishing the hoop. And you’re done!
One note about thread: I used <a href=”http://Sulky 12 Wt. Cotton Petites Thread” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>Sulky 12 wt Petites which is my favorite beading thread. I did not want to use a stranded thread because it’s a little tricky when you are working with lots of beads and I didn’t want to deal with tangles. Having a spool is really helpful. It’s also strong enough to handle all of this beading!
One other note: if you are stitching on heavy beads, it is helpful to stitch through the bead several times. The same thing goes for buttons. You are going to be spending lots of time on this, make sure your beads and buttons are on the fabric nice and tight so that if an accident happens, your beads don’t go scattering everywhere! And hopefully an accident doesn’t happen!
The embroidery stand that I used is also really helpful with a heavy embroidery project. You can find it here. I like that this stand is adjustable into several positions and it never feels like it’s going to be top-heavy when a project is secured into it.
And that’s it! With this post, I’m sending along to you the confidence to take on a project like this…it really is a beginner-friendly project! And it spotlights all of those special embellishments that you’ve been hoarding…I mean, collecting!!!
Have fun stitching and beading and be sure to tag me on Instagram if you take on this project!
Note: some links in this post are affiliate links. I will never recommend something to you that I have never personally tried and that I don’t stand behind for the use intended!
wildboho 