This free hand embroidery pattern is a very is a simplified mandala like design. I left areas open deliberately so that stitchers could use those spaces to explore fills, patterning or even some of the pulled thread stitches. I have a few suggestions for stitches you can use but they are just suggestions. This hand embroidery pattern is an opportunity to explore stitches and then make it up into something such as panel for a small bag. If you worked this on a small disk it could be a Christmas tree decoration design. Or you could work this a piece of hoop art Browse my Stitch Dictionary and see what stitches catch your eye.
For the outline, stitches you could use are Chain Stitch or if you wanted a slightly stronger line you can experiment with Whipped Chain Stitch. If you wanted to be very dramatic or for a thicker line still you could try Raised Chain Band . Or another thing you could try particularly if you want to use some novelty yarns or metallic threads is to couch the thread to the foundation fabric. The four squares in themiddle of the design I would fill with a stitch such as Algerian Eye or Eastern Stitch. For the leaf like shapes I would use Vandyke stitch.
As I say these are suggestions and really meant to provoke ideas. Click on the image for a larger version of the hand embroidery pattern and save it to your computer. If you need to know how to trace an embroidery pattern to fabric check out my tutorial
Thread Twisties!
Experimenting with different threads can be expensive, as you would normally have to buy a whole skein of each type of thread. So I have made up my thread twisties which are a combination of different threads to use in creative hand embroidery. These enable you to try out stitching with something other than stranded cotton. For the price of just a few skeins, you can experiment with a bundle of threads of luscious colours and many different textures.
These are creative embroiders threads. With them, I hope to encourage you to experiment. Each Twistie is a thread bundle containing silk, cotton, rayon and wool. Threads range from extra fine (the same thickness as 1 strand of embroidery floss) to chunky couchable textured yarns. All threads have a soft and manageable drape so that twisting them around a needle makes experimental hand embroidery an interesting journey rather than a battle. Many are hand dyed by me. All are threads I use. You may find a similar thread twist but no two are identical.
You will find my thread twisties in the Pintangle shop here.
Thank you Sharon for posting these free bees on Fridays. I am printing out some of them and storing them away. Some day they will appear in my work, who knows.
I like best the Art Nouveau stile – but the others are also nice.