Don’t worry if you don’t have green fingers—you can sew your own greenery to brighten up your home all year round! This collection of miniature frames is quick to stitch and is a great option for festive tree decoration. Mini frames are available in craft stores and are usually a very simple design with only two parts, making the process of trimming and securing the work quick and easy.
You will need
Cream linen blend fabric (55% linen, 45% cotton), 12-in. (30-cm) square
Embroidery flosses (threads)—one skein of each, all six strands used—in the following shades:
- DMC 163 (Mid Celadon Green)
- DMC 350 (Mid Coral)
- DMC 502 (Blue Green)
- DMC 602 (Mid Cranberry)
- DMC 822 (Light Beige Gray)
- DMC 3011 (Dark Khaki Green)
- DMC 3012 (Mid Khaki Green)
- DMC 3013 (Light Khaki Green)
- DMC 3722 (Mid Shell Pink)
Grosgrain ribbon, blue, 65 in. (165 cm), ⅜ in. (1 cm) wide
Five miniature craft frames
Motifs and stitch guide on page 21
Fabric scissors, pinking shears, and embroidery scissors
Embroidery hoop, 7½ in. (19 cm)
Embroidery needle
Thread conditioner (optional)
High-tack glue
Fray Check
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Assorted sizes, approx. 1¾ in. (4.5 cm)
1. First, prepare the felt you’ll use to back the piece and hide the reverse of the stitching. Place the inner part of the embroidery hoop on the felt and draw around the outer edge with a fabric transfer pen or pencil. Neatly cut out the shape and set it aside.
2. Using pinking shears, trim the raw edges of fabric you’re using for the embroidery to prevent it from fraying. Secure the fabric in the embroidery hoop to create a neat, taut stitching surface.
3. Transfer your embroidery motif centrally onto the linen fabric, making sure you leave enough space around each one. Following the stitch guide, work the design in the corresponding colours and stitches.
4. Remove the fabric from the hoop and trim each design to about ⅛ in. (3–4 mm) smaller than the outer edge of the frame. Apply a small amount of Fray Check to the edges to help bond the fibres. Allow to dry, as per the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Place each motif in turn on the back part of the relevant frame. Apply a small amount of high-tack glue around the front of the frame and press it in place, sandwiching the design in place.
6. Cut the ribbon into one 16½-in.(41-cm), two 13¾-in. (35-cm), and two 10½-in. (27-cm) lengths. Secure through the upper loop of the frame to finish.
This project is from Modern Embroidery by Laura Strutt. To get more fab blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox - be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.