A heat-sensitive pen (such as FriXion® Ball Erasable Gel Ink pens from Pilot®) can create guidelines that can be erased with a blow dryer or iron. They are not specifically designed for fabric use, though, so do use with caution. They are available in many colors, which makes them great for tracing complicated designs with many components or for designating stitch direction on your fabric.
Archival, acid-free inks are the best option when considering the long-term effects of the pens on your embroidery work.
The light tracing method works best for lighter fabrics that light can easily shine through. Trace onto thinner dark fabrics (such as the darker Kona cotton colors) using a chalk pencil or white gel pen (such as Sakura® Gelly Roll®).
Heat and Carbon Methods
Iron-on and carbon transfer methods are great for darker and thicker fabrics when light will not shine through. You’ll need to purchase specialty papers and pencils, so be sure to follow the instructions that come with your products. These methods are often permanent, so you’ll need to cover the guidelines completely with your stitches.
Stabilizers
Printable stabilizers are another great option for thicker fabrics and garments. Simply print your design from your computer onto this paper and stick it on your fabric. This method saves time and sanity when transferring large, complicated patterns and is perfect for people who hate to do any tracing. Always test your fabric first, as this method can leave behind a halo or adhesive that is difficult to remove.
I like to trace designs onto fabric using erasable pens. This blue marker will rinse away with water.
There are so many different pencils and markers available for light tracing on both light and dark fabrics.
Chapter 3
Getting Started
Take Care
Care for your eyes and body. Stitch with plenty of light, appropriate glasses or other magnification, and a comfortable seat. Take regular breaks during marathon stitching sessions.
Hoop Up
If you plan to use your hoop as a frame for the finished piece, leave 1"–2" (2.5–5cm) of excess fabric to cinch back upon completion. If you plan to stretch your embroidery on a wooden frame or canvas, make sure you leave yourself enough excess fabric for that purpose. If you will not be framing your work in a hoop, be sure to remove your work from the hoop after each stitching session to avoid permanent creases in the fabric.
1. To hoop up, you will sandwich your fabric between the inner and outer embroidery hoops. Start by placing the inner (smaller) hoop flat on the table. The inner hoop is the bottom bread of our sandwich.
2. Center the fabric over the inner hoop. This is our fabric filling.
3. Place the outer hoop (the top bread) on top. Tighten the screw and pull the edges of the fabric out evenly from the center, moving clockwise around the hoop.
4. Repeat until you reach your desired tension. Notice how the hoop looks now after multiple rounds of tightening the screw and pulling the fabric edges out. There should be no wrinkles in your fabric. You want your fabric to be drum tight—that is, as taut as the surface of a drum—to avoid puckering and warping of the design.
Thread the Needle
Pull floss from your skein from the end marked with the color number. Cut a piece of floss no more than 24" (60cm) long to avoid tangles. Your pattern will let you know how many strands to use, one to six, depending on the design and style. If needed, separate the individual strands of floss by pulling them out individually from the cut length. Use one hand to pull out a single ply (strand) and gently hold the remainder of the strands in your other hand.
“Sharpen” the end of your floss with a lick and a snip of your embroidery scissors for easier threading. Be sure to use a needle with a large enough eye. If you are struggling with threading, try jumping up a needle size or using a needle threader.
Note the individual strands that make up a full six-stranded cotton floss. Refer to the pattern to determine how many strands to use. Cut a working length from the skein before separating the strands.
You will thread a larger needle for a full six strands of floss.
MAKE MISTAKES
Make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to start over or to remove your needle and pull up some stitches. You can use the tip of your needle to pull up stitches, but a pair of tweezers and embroidery scissors can be handy when things really go wrong. It’s okay—embroidery is about the process. Just keep practicing and give yourself a break.
Oops! I had to perform “surgery” on this loose French knot. I used my embroidery scissors to cut the knot and my tweezers to help pull out the trimmed threads.
Anchor Your Floss
Preventing your embroidery from unraveling is super important, especially if your final piece is something that will get a lot of wear and tear, like clothing. However, if your embroidery is just going to be sitting pretty on wall, then anchoring may not be as important.
The basic anchoring method can be done with the following easy steps. Other popular anchoring options include the anchor knot and away waste knot. You could also keep it simple with a basic overhand knot tied at the end of your thread before you get started.
1. Start your first stitch. Hold a tail (1"–2" [2.5–5cm]) of floss under the embroidery with a finger while making the first stitch. Do not pull it up through the front. (This and all shots show the backside of the hoop/fabric.)
2. Anchor down the tail. Maneuver the tail so that it is tacked down by the underside of the next few stitches as you proceed with your work.
3. Before you run out of threaded floss (when only a couple of inches [5cm] of floss remain on your needle), weave it into the underside of your stitches to secure it. Keep the backside of your work as neat as possible and trim any excess tails.
4. Subsequent lengths of thread are easier to anchor by weaving into the back of your previous stitches.