Thank you for buying a Twisted Hoop embroidery kit! Below, I will walk you through how I set up my hoop, provide a few key stitches, and give you a few options for how to sew up and finish the piece.
What you'll need
- hoop
- fabric (3 layers)
- embroidery needle, size 5
- embroidery thread
- pattern sticker
- scissors
Steps
1. Set up your hoop
Separate your hoop by loosening the metal fastener on the hoop and place the smaller, inner hoop down on a flat surface. Place two layers of fabric on top of the inner hoop, making sure it's centered. Place the outer hoop over the fabric and inner hoop and tighten the fastener at the top. As you tighten the fastener, occasionally pause and tug the excess fabric through the hoops to keep it taught.
2. Place pattern sticker
Remove the backing from your pattern sticker and place it centered on the hoop fabric. Press lightly to make sure the pattern is even against the fabric with no bubbles or creases.
3. Thread your needle
Cut your thread to the desired working length. About 1-2 ft is a good place to start; any longer and the thread may start to get knotted as you stitch.
Most standard embroidery thread actually contains 6 strands of thread twisted together. Depending on the pattern, level detail, and desired style, you may want to use all 6 strands together or separate the strands for a thinner line. I generally recommend 1 or 2 strands for my patterns.
Once you have your thread cut and separated to the desired number of strands, make a simple double knot on one end, about half an inch from the end.
To thread your needle, dampen the unknotted end of your thread and press it flat between your fingers, then carefully push the end of the thread through the eye of your needle. This can be really tricky, especially with thicker threads, so if you get stuck consider using a needle threader to help you. Once the thread is through the eye of your needle, pull it a few inches to make sure it wont slip out as you're stitching.
4. Get Stitching!
Now you're ready to start on your project. The pattern provided is designed to work as an outline. I recommend following the lines with a simple back stitch, but you could use a french knot stitch for the outline or decide to fill in the white space with a satin stitch.
5. Finishing up
Now that you're done with your embroidery, tie off your last piece of thread and then loosen the metal fastening on your hoop and take your fabiric out. If you have excess thread remaining, you can cut it off. To disolve the pattern sticker, place your fabric in a bowl of warm water and gently rub the sticker until it is fully dissolved. You may need to rinse off the fabric a few times to get all of it.
Let your fabric dry and then re-hoop your embroidery, using the third piece of fabric to hide the back of your stitches:
- Place the inner hoop on a flat surface
- Place the third, unstitched piece of fabric over the inner hoop
- Place the embroidery over the third piece of fabric
- Place the outer hoop over the embroider and tighten the fastener and fabric as in Step 1
Once you've reassembled your embroidery piece, you can use thread or glue to pull it tight and hold it in place more permanently.
To finish with thread, use a running stitch around the rough edge of the fabric behind the hoop, and then pull the thread tight so that the excess fabric gets cinched in the back.
To finish with glue, simply pull the fabric tight and then glue the excess fabric to the inner hoop.
Enjoy your art by hanging it up or resting it against a frame!