Gold n' Stitches

Christmas Holly Stumpwork - Free Pattern

I have been busily stitching Christmas bits and pieces.  Here is one that I thought I would share with you.

Golden Holly Stumpwork (Part 1)

You will need:

Materials:

• DMC Stranded Cotton 666 986 988
• 1 metre Gilt No 1 Twist
• 3 red pony beads
• 2 pieces green 30 gauge covered wire
• 10 3mm flat gold sequins
• 5cm gilt No 6 rough purl/No 6 bright check
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square green cotton fabric
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square black or royal blue dupion silk
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square quilters muslin/calico
• 9cm Round satin covered

box in black or blue

Other Requirements:

 10cm hoop (4”)
Size 10 crewel needles
Size 18 chenille needle
Size 16 chenille needle
Thread for couching eg Matilda’s Own Daruma Silk 149, Gutermann polyester sewing thread 968
Transfer paper
Stylus or spent pen
Small sharp scissors
Bees wax (optional)
Sticky tape (I prefer Scotch™ Magic Tape)

Pattern - Download Christmas Holly Stumpwork Pattern

Getting Started

Here is the first part of the instructions:

Detached Holly Leaves

A size 10 crewel needle and a single strand of thread are used throughout unless otherwise indicated.

Place the green cotton fabric into the hoop and tighten until drum tight.

Trace the detached leaf patterns onto your tracing paper/ baking paper.

Transfer the detached leaves to the fabric by placing the tracing paper over your fabric and then slip the transfer paper, coloured side down, between the fabric and the tracing paper.  Tape in place if desired.  Place a support underneath your hoop to give a firm surface to work on.   Using the stylus, trace over the leaf designs.

Starting at the tip of the leaf, couch the green covered wire along the centre vein of the leaf.  Turn at the base of the leaf and couch the wire around the outline of the leaf. When you reach the base of the leaf, make a couching stitch over both wires and leave a 2.5 cm (1”) tail.

 
   

Using DMC 986, embroider over the wire with buttonhole stitch around the outline of the leaf only.  Start with a chain stitch - bring the needle up on the inside of the wire shape and take it down in the same place forming a loop with the thread.  Come up on the outside of the wire bringing the needle up through the loop.  Continue in buttonhole stitch - take the needle down on the inside of the wire shape and up on the outside of the wire and through the loop. 

 

 

 

Overcast stitch over the wire along the centre vein.

Fill the leaf with padded satin stitch, using DMC 986 on the darkest side of the leaf and DMC 988 with the other side.

When all leaves have been completed, carefully cut out the leaves and set aside.

 

Thrown in the deep end!

Well here I go.  My first attempt at blogging.

I decided to start my own blog to share my experiences as an embroiderer.  I have been developing my own goldwork and stumpwork designs now for about 4 years, mainly for the purpose of teaching embroidery classes.  During that time I have learnt alot and hope that my experiences may be useful to others.

You'll see that I don't exclusively focus on goldwork and stumpwork. 

I work in an embroidery and quilting store.  I get to play with lots of new fabrics, threads and designs.  I vowed I wouldn't become a "quilter"when I joined the team at the store.  Wasn't I fooling myself :).  I couldn't resist all of the luscious fabrics so I hope you enjoy the diversity of my passion.