Free hand embroidery keeps popping up in my work, its so easy to do, take a little bit of time and a little bit of technical guidance but anyone could do it…even a total sewing novice!
Here are some close ups of the random stuff I have embroidered over the last year:
You may have spotted some text in those embroideries above; I’m not particularly good at expressing political opinions verbally even though I have all those feelings go on inside but using stitch has felt a small way that I show my team support…in the #handmade organic tee I have hand stitched ‘dumptrump’ inside a american flag and in my #raspberryrucksack I have hand stitched ‘society has a distorted view of beauty’ on the inside pocket, this is something I am reminding myself of a lot these days.
Hand embroidery makes sweet gifts too. I used hand embroidery to make a little wall hanging for Dave one Christmas too, I designed a compass image containing his favorite quote ‘be the best in your day‘ and put all our initials inside it ‘A, A, J, D’ its just a little things but it feels special to us. Sometimes i think the act of time involved in making something gives it value alone.
And everything you can see in this photo is all you need to make a embroidery; a wood embroidery hoop, embroidery threads, embroidery scissors, embroidery needles and a small scrap of fabric or garment.
Or email me to join one of my embroidery workshops which are done online over C-19 lockdown and I post all the students there own mini embroidery kit.
Here is a work in progress shot of the eye I embroidered, I did this embroidery on a long car journey using a photo of an eye off my phone.by layering up lots of back stitch to create a dense layering.
Here you can see the finished eye!
This is it finished- its embroidered on the Sarah Kristen Morning glory top wrap top
Here I embroidered the hem of my jeans with flames to strengthen the fraying hem.
I love to keep my threads organised on these hand cut grey card bobbins. Here is a crescent moon made with back stitch and the sun is made with a twin needle stitch centre and back stitch sun flames. Stitched onto a piece of organic cotton jersey that I sewed into a crew neck tee.
All you need to make a embroidery; a wood embroidery hoop, embroidery threads, embroidery scissors, embroidery needles and a small scrap of fabric or garment.
Give it a go and #sewwithabi so I can see the results!
If you would like some guidance with embroidery check out my free hand embroidery workshops here!
I am indebted to lots of lovely friends for these photos including @thegribbons, @mattjamesco and @joe.farrar
