Embroidery Lessons - Stem Stitch

The Swap

• Create an embroidered design or picture on a 6" x 6" (15.25 x 15.25 cm) square of 100% cotton fabric (any color) for your partner. Use any style of thread you wish. Be creative!

• Use stem stitch as a main part of the design, but you may use additional stitches as well.

• Embroider your name or Swap-Bot name and date somewhere on the square (but be sure to leave at least a 1/4 inch seam allowance, or empty border, for future finishing)

Embroidery Basics If you are not already familiar with embroidery, please take time to learn these basic techniques for successful embroidery:

• How to transfer designs to fabric: Transferring a Pattern
• How to start and end threads so that the back of the work is neat and tidy: Embroidery Basics

Stem Stitch Here are some resources, but feel free to use additional resources from online or in books/magazines.

• Wild Olive: Embroidery Basics: Stem and Split Stitch
• Stem Stitch Basics
• Stem Stitch Corners
• Stem Stitch in a Circle/Curves

More Tips

• Needle 'n Thread: Tips & Techniques
• About.com: Embroidery Basics

Questions? Problems?

• Contact the swap host (Cirsium)

Example photo source: Needle 'n Thread Embroidery Tutorial