Textile Workshop Dublin: 2011

This is a post from my own blog DesignFingers from last year's Valentines. As we are running a Valentines Evening this Thursday stitching these cards and quirky brooches it seemed an appropriate post for this week in the run up to Valentines:) If you can't make it to our evening I hope this post inspires you to whip up some lovely cards, or if you are coming along this should get you in the mood!

I chose a nice bright red and decided on a square shape because it suited my design. Practice some ideas on paper first, try a good few as then you can choose your favorite!
You can look to so many sources for inspiration- design sites or blogs you like, images or cards you've kept. Patterns start popping up everywhere once you look for them. You can make the simplest of designs very effective. The design for this card is so simple- it's the stitches that make it.
Draw your design with pencil lightly onto your card- this will be your guide. I've drawn mine so lightly that it's hard to spot!

I used four embroidery stitches- your everyday running stitch, buttonhole stitch, feather stitch and seeding stitch. If this seems very daunting you could solely use running stitch and it will still be very effective. Or even set yourself the challenge of just learning 1 new stitch?

Go slowly as you're stitching through card, you don't want to make lots of unnecessary holes. As it's sometimes hard to tell if your needle is going to come out where you are hoping it will, before you pass it through the card lookout for the pressure point. So if its in the wrong place don't push the needle through!

After using running stitch around the edge of my design I used buttonhole stitch for the next square. Buttonhole stitch is one of my favorites as it's so adaptable for different designs and projects. You'll be seeing it popping up again soon in future posts! Because this stitch is trickier than running stitch remember to take your time.

Then fly stitch next around the inner square. Similarly to the buttonhole stitch take your time. I used an embroidery thread that was dip dyed- so it changes color from one end to the other. But you can easily achieve this by using a mixture of threads!

Remember to keep the back of your card neat and secure, this way you won't have to cover it- which can look bumpy. The back of whatever project you are stitching can often be very interesting and give you future ideas!

Keep all the threads and yarns you've chosen to use to hand. Try using a mixture of embroidery threads, sewing threads and thin yarns (wool or similar). The embroidery threads you can split it half, like so, so they won't be so thick.

Seeding stitch for texture for the middle of the heart. Seeding stitch is phenomenally relaxing- yes it's very easy! Short stitches of the same length in different directions. Make sure you work within your shape so when you rub out the pencil it will be easily recognizable.

Keep the seeding stitches side by side so there so no long loose pieces of thread at the back- maintaining it's neatness:)

Your lovely handmade card is finished! Your embroidered cards can be used for any occasions. So these skills will stand to you! Have a most lovely Valentines. X