Hot Sewing & Embroidery How-Tos
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How To: Do the Double Feather Stitch
Variations to the feather stitch make it a versatile stitch for hand embroidery. Like the feather stitch, the double feather stitch is used for foliage, sprigs, greenery, etc., in all types of general surface embroidery, and is especially good for Brazilian embroidery, ribbon embroidery, etc. It works great as a seam embellishment in crazy quilting, and as an edging or border stitch on other work. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Buttonhole Stitch
The buttonhole stitch is used in many types of hand embroidery - general surface embroidery, crazy quilting, whitework and cutwork, Mountmellick embroidery, needle lace, filet work - you name it, buttonhole stitch fits in somehow. It's a super versatile stitch, and once you have the basic stitch down, it's just a matter of applying it in a variety of ways. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do Buttonhole Wheels
Once you know how to do the buttonhole stitch, it's just a matter of "working it" a bit to master variations of the stitch. In this video from Needle 'n Thread, you'll learn how to work a buttonhole wheel, which can be effectively used in all kinds of embroidery - especially flower-like accents and for adding texture to designs.
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How To: Do the Daisy Stitch
The detached chain stitch, also known as the "lazy daisy" or just "daisy" stitch, is a pretty popular embroidery stitch. It's perfect, of course, for flowers, but can be used in lots of different ways. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
![](https://img.wonderhowto.com/img/84/95/63578771572608/0/do-seed-stitch.1280x600.jpg)
How To: Do the Seed Stitch
Here's a video tutorial for the seed stitch used in hand embroidery. This is a very simple filling technique! Seed stitch looks great when it's worked either in a uniform pattern (as it is in the video) or when it's worked randomly. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Ribbed Spider Web Stitch
The spider web stitch and the ribbed spider web stitch are both "woven" embroidery stitches, either used as isolated accents or used in clusters. They aren't a line stitch or a filling stitch, and they aren't really a "small" detached stitch that can speckle a background lightly, either. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do Bullion Knots
The bullion knot needs a little practice to get it just right, and to be able to vary your technique to get the results you desire. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread and get some great tips so you can do it too!
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How To: Do the French Knot
The French knot is used often in hand-embroidery, but a lot of people avoid it, because it intimidates them. Once you work one correctly, you'll find that it's really easy!!! Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Colonial Knot
The colonial knot is used in hand embroidery in the same applications as the French knot. Here's a video tutorial from Needle 'n Thread to help you get the hang of the colonial knot.
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How To: Do the Oyster Stitch
The oyster stitch is an isolated stitch. It is a combination stitch using the twisted detached chain stitch which is "surrounded" by an "open" chain stitch, or even a fly stitch. The oyster stitch makes a filled oval shape, suitable for flower petals or individual buds and accents. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Drizzle Stitch
The drizzle stitch is a "texture" stitch. It makes an individual, almost-upright, slightly twisted "tower" on your fabric. Watch this video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Woven Picot Stitch
There are many dimensional embroidery stitches , but one of the most fun is the woven picot. You can do a lot with it! It's an easy embroidery stitch - it looks more advanced than it actually is! It's a great stitch for adding texture to your embroidery project, and it doesn't necessarily have to be free standing. See how it's done in this video from Needle 'n Thread.
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How To: Do the Fishbone Stitch
As you'll see in this video tutorial (from Needle 'n Thread), the fishbone stitch is an easy embroidery stitch to use for filling in leaves (and other shapes, too). The stitch is a good stepping-stone to satin stitch, as it requires you to keep a neat edge on the outside of your design.
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How To: Do Detatched Buttonhole Filling
In detached buttonhole filling, you don't pass through the fabric as you work the buttonhole filling. In attached, you do. Attached buttonhole filling gives you more scope for varying the placement of stitches, so that you can create effective filling patterns. The detached buttonhole, though, gives you a bit more room for dimensional effects, since you can take out part of your foundation fillings and fold the buttonhole area back on itself - or make petals or leaves that stand away from the...
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How To: Do the Padded Satin Stitch
Of all the hand embroidery stitches that exist, one of the most beautiful, when done well, is the satin stitch. It does take a little practice to get the hang of satin stitching, and it is true that it is not a very "forgiving" stitch. Watch the video from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do Lattice Work
Lattice work is used as filling or for backgrounds. Worked on a plain ground (with only the fabric behind the lattice stitches) it can be easily managed by beginners. Adding a colored background (for example, a background worked in satin stitch) kicks the stitch up a notch to intermediate level. Here's a video tutorial from Needle 'n Thread on working lattice stitch over a satin stitch ground.
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How To: Do the Bokhara Couching Stitch
Bokhara couching is a filling technique used in surface embroidery. Unlike regular couching, Bokhara couching uses only one thread, which serves as both the laid thread and the couching thread. Watch the video from from Needle 'n Thread to see how it's done.
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How To: Do the Roumanian Couching Stitch
Here's another video tutorial from Needle 'n Thread for a hand embroidery stitch called Roumanian couching, which is used primarily as a filling stitch.
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How To: Embroider a Rose Bud Out of Bullion Knots
Here's a video tutorial from Needle 'n Thread for a rose bud made out of bullion knots. The bullion knot can be used to make beautiful roses and rose buds, and, believe it or not, they're actually really simple to make once you get the hang of it!
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How To: Do the embroidery running stitch
For right-handers, work from right to left or top to bottom. For left-handers, work from left to right, or top to bottom. Bring the needle to the front of the fabric at A, and pull the thread through. Now, for the rest of your stitches, you can work them more quickly if you "run" them on the top of the fabric, without taking your hand to the back. Go down at B, and, using your fingers on your non-dominant hand (the one that's not holding the needle!) behind the fabric, encourage the needle to...
![](https://img.wonderhowto.com/img/28/38/63475612085614/0/do-dora-young-knot.1280x600.jpg)
How To: Do the dora young knot
This video is a short tutorial on creating the Dora Young Knot for tatting.
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How To: Freehand embroider
In this video, we learn how to freehand embroider. Start by finding the image you want, then reduce it down to the size you want. After this, find dissolvable stabilizer and lay it over the drawing. After this, trace the picture with a Sharpie, then choose where you want the image to go on the fabric. Now, take blue Scotch tape and tape it over the edges onto the fabric. Now, grab a freehand stifling foot and place it on the fabric and start to sew the image around the outline. When you are f...
![](https://img.wonderhowto.com/img/54/41/63475360034654/0/sew-funky-tote-bag.1280x600.jpg)
How To: Sew a funky tote bag.
Rob and Sara demonstrate sewing a cool tote bag with a dupioni silk lining.
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How To: Thread a Singer sewing machine
Learn how to thread a Singer sewing machine. Most of the classic mechanical machines by Singer thread almost exactly the same way.
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How To: Make a handbag out of a recycled book
Create a custom, colorful purse using a vintage book and coordinating fabric. Read the accompanying article at http://www.curbly.com/Chrisjob/posts/...
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How To: Price embroidery
Learn how to price embroidery effectively.
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How To: Create your own embroidery pattern from a photo
Dolin O'Shea and Make Magazine show us how to create an embroidery pattern from a photo.
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How To: Embroider a stem stitch
Watch this how to video to learn how to do the basic stem stitch to embroider on anything.
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How To: Make a primitive folk art doll
Check out this video to learn from Milliande how to make a primitive folk art doll. Start by cutting out your pattern two times (one right side and one wrong side).
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How To: Do design prototyping in quarter scale
Design ideas can be tested with quarter scale patterns and samples before they are made up into full size garments. This video shows two variations of design prototyping.
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How To: Make a modeling clay bra cup form
This video shows how to make a modeling clay form for a bra cup. This form can be shaped and reshaped to change the look of bras.
![](https://img.wonderhowto.com/img/83/87/63475370273776/0/pin-pattern-for-sewing.1280x600.jpg)
How To: Pin a pattern for sewing
Learn from fashion designer Natalie how to pin your patterns together for sewing.
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How To: Mark and cut fabric
Find out from fashion designer Natalie how to cut out your pattern pieces and use your fabric cutting scissors.
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How To: Mend a ripped seam
Get tips from fashion designer Natalie on how to mend a ripped seam.
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How To: Hem a garment
Learn to hem your own garments. There's no need to give them to a seamstress when you can fix your clothes yourself!
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How To: Deal with persistent thread breaking while sewing
Solve your persistent thread breaking problems by watching this video and getting advice from fashion designer Natalie.
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How To: Sew with correct thread tension
If you are having trouble getting the right thread tension for your sewing machine, check out this video.
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How To: Use tips for threading a sewing machine
Not sure what to do with your bobbin? Check out this video to learn some sewing tips
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How To: Do the flip stitch in tatting
A short tutorial on achving the infamous flip of the knot when tatting (lacemaking)
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How To: Use the Patch Kit to embroider patches
The Patch Kit by Designs in Machine Embroidery makes it easy and profitable to embroider patches. Watch how simple it is to use this time and money saving product.