200 Embroidered Flowers: Hand Embroidery Stitches and Projects for Flowers, Leaves and Foliage

by Kristen Gula

Overview

With 200 Embroidered Flowers, modern hand embroidery expert, Kristen Gula of Gulush Threads, shows you how to create all different types of floral & plant motifs with a stitch library of only SEVEN common embroidery stitches!

This colorful hand embroidery how-to book is the perfect introduction book for beginners and contains plenty of valuable tips & tricks to help anyone develop a deep love for modern floral hand embroidery! 

200 Embroidered Flowers includes: 

• Complete list of supplies needed to start your hand embroidery journey
• Seven (7) stitch tutorials including whipped back stitch & french knot
• Two (2) embroidery pattern transfer methods
• 200 different floral/foliage/plant embroidery patterns including tropical and desert plants, wildflowers, fruits and vegetables and more
• Ten (10) embroidery projects (to go further with what you learn with the book) including tutorials such as embroidered shirt collars, shoes, appliqués, iron-on patches and more! 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781446306758
Publisher:	David & Charles
Publication date:	06/05/2018
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.20(d)

About the Author

Kristen Gula is a self-taught fibre artist specializing in hand embroidery. She set up her own company, Gulush Threads in 2013, which is home to her unique, custom hand embroidery wall art and jewellery. She is an instructor on Brit+Co's online learning platform. This is her first book.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

STITCH GLOSSARY

A - BACK STITCH

This stitch is the perfect beginner stitch as it is very versatile and easy to learn.

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric from the back to the front (1).

2. Working towards yourself, push the needle back through the fabric a short distance (about the length of a grain of rice) from the first insertion point, pulling the thread tight (2).

3. Bring the needle back up through the fabric, again about the length of a grain of rice, from the second insertion point (3).

4. Push the needle back through the second insertion point, from front to back, to join up with the first stitch (4).

5. Pull the thread tight to create a second stitch (5). Continue in this way until you have a row of stitches.

B - WHIPPED BACK STITCH

The smooth, solid finish of this stitch makes it perfect for words and outlining.

1. Complete a set of back stitches (see Back Stitch).

2. Once a set is complete, bring the needle back down to the first insertion point of the set of back stitches and stitch up through the insertion point, pulling the thread tight (1).

3. Using the needle, weave the thread under the first back stitch on top of the fabric from right to left (2, 3).

4. Pull the thread all the way through, pulling away and along the set of back stitches (4).

5. Bring the needle back around, repeating this action along the entire set of back stitches, always weaving under the stitches from right to left (5).

6. Once the set is complete, push the needle back through the fabric, into the last insertion point of the set of back stitches, and pull tight (6, 7).

C - VARIATED BACK STITCH

This stitch, like satin stitch, is a filler stitch, albeit a less controlled one.

1. Referring to how to work back stitch (see Back Stitch), fill in the designated space with back stitches, keeping the stitches random with no consistency (1).

D - SATIN STITCH

This filler stitch should mimic the look and feel of a piece of satin and is a sequence of straight stitches placed parallel to each other.

1. To complete the satin stitch, fill in the designated space with straight stitches (see Straight Stitch), making sure to stitch them next to each other (1, 2, 3).

2. To keep the stitches consistent, alternate sides starting with the second straight stitch.

E - STRAIGHT STITCH

A glorified back stitch, the straight stitch is great for adding details.

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric, from the back to the front (1).

2. Take the needle back down through the fabric, making sure to pull the thread tight (2, 3).

F - STEM STITCH

This stitch mimics the look of a flower stem and is great for adding details.

1. To start a line of stem stitch, bring the needle up through the fabric, then back down into the fabric (about the length of a grain of rice) (1).

2. Do not pull the thread all the way through to form a stitch, but instead push the thread down to the side with your thumb to make a 'loop'. Bring the needle back up through the fabric, in between the two insertion points and to the right of the loop (2).

3. Once the needle has passed through the fabric, raise your thumb and let go of the thread to pull the thread all the way through (3, 4).

4. To continue, bring the needle back down through the fabric (about the length of a grain of rice), holding down the thread loop on top of the fabric with your thumb (5).

5. This time, bring the needle back up through the end of the previous stitch, again to the right of the loop (to keep your stitches consistent); once the needle has passed through the fabric, raise your thumb and let go of the thread, pulling the thread all the way through the fabric (6, 7).

6. Once complete, push the needle through the end of the last stitch, pulling tight (8, 9).

G - FRENCH KNOT

This stitch is done on top of the fabric and requires the use of both hands.

1. Bring the needle up through the fabric with one hand, grabbing the length of the pulled-through thread with the other hand (1).

2. Wrap the thread around the needle twice, making sure the thread remains taut on the needle after being wrapped (2, 3).

3. Holding the thread with one hand and the needle with the other, press the tip of the needle back through the fabric, a few fabric fibers from the first insertion point (4, 5).

4. Keep holding the thread taut with one hand, while reaching around to the back of the fabric to pull the needle through with the other hand (6).

5. Once the needle has passed through the fabric completely, let go of the thread and pull the thread through the fabric to create a solid knot on top of the fabric (7, 8). (Take care not to pull the thread too tight when creating the knot, as this will tighten the knot and make it smaller.)

CHAPTER 2

flowers

SPRING FLOWERS

Anemone

Thought to be grown from the tears of a goddess, the anemone blooms in many seasons throughout the year. Due to its slender stem the anemone dances along with the wind, and is therefore often referred to as the 'windflower'.

Daffodil

Also known as a narcissus, the daffodil is a perennial flower that usually signals the start of spring due to its early bloom. The trumpet-like shape of the most popular daffodil types makes this flower very easily identifiable.

Hawthorn

The hawthorn is a hearty shrub that has been a common sight in hedgerows for many years, with the oldest known hawthorn dating back to the 3rd century. As the petals and leaves are edible, they are often used in salads or soups.

Columbine

Blooming in mid-spring, the columbine is identified by long 'spurs' that extrude from the back of the flower. It comes in many different varieties but, due to a quick bloom, its presence is short-lived every season.

Crown Imperial Fritillary

The statuesque crown imperial fritillary is one of the most commonly grown of the fritillaria genus, all of which have beautiful, bell-shaped flowers but a foul smelling scent, and some can be quite deadly if ingested.

Hyacinth

The ancient Greek author Homer made reference to the hyacinth in his epic poem, the Iliad, and the fragrant, clusters of star-shaped flowers are just as popular today, bringing a stunning display of color to spring gardens.

Love-in-a-Mist

An annual flowering plant, love-in-a-mist (Nigella damascena), is a cottage garden classic that is perfect for filling gaps in flower borders. It belongs to the buttercup family and comes in shades of purple, blue, white and pink.

Lilac

Thought to symbolize love, the flowers of the common lilac bush come in many vibrant colors, from pink to purple, with white and yellow varieties also available, and are often grown for their intense fragrance as well as their beautiful blooms.

Peony (Cora Louise Hybrid)

Crossing a tree peony with a herbaceous peony created this intersectional hybrid, which is sometimes referred to as an Itoh peony. It produces large exotic-looking blooms with a sweet and pleasant, yet gently fragranced scent.

Peony (Coral Charm)

This award-winning herbaceous perennial changes color throughout growth. Large hardy buds open salmon pink blossoming into beautiful bowl-shaped blooms of coral-peach and finally fading to pale ivory.

Sweet Pea

Native to Italy, the sweet pea has become a cottage garden classic. With its seductive fragrance and variety of bright colors, the sweet pea makes the ideal climbing flower: grow some up trellis, supported by canes, or trail from hanging baskets.

Persian Buttercup

The tissue-thin petals give this flower a rose-like beauty, making for wonderful cut flower displays. The Persian buttercup (Ranunculus tomar picotee) is part of a genus of about 500 species of plants that includes buttercups.

Ornamental Onion

The allium genus has over 700 species, including onions and shallots. Alliums, commonly known as ornamental onions, are very hardy plants that are easy to grow. With beautiful purple to white blooms, they can grow several feet in height.

Tulip

Originating from Turkey, this member of the lily family has been bred thousands of times, for a wide variety of hybrids with an incredible range of colors and flower forms. The tulip is a beautiful flower that keeps coming back, year after year.

Forget-Me-Not

The forget-me-not was adopted by King Henry IV as his emblem in exile, and on return to England to claim his throne in 1399, he retained it as his royal symbol. It is also commonly known as scorpion grass.

Honeywort

You may well hear the honeywort sometimes referred to as the blue shrimp plant. This magnificent flower has an irresistible attraction for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.

Dogwood

This flowering tree is a popular addition in landscaping a garden. Its colorful bark is not only attractive but can also be used for medicinal purposes, and dogwood timber is favored for woodworking.

Hydrangea

The pretty flowers of the hydrangea shrub grow in large flowerheads in a range of many vibrant colors. For some hydrangea species, the flower color will be determined by the pH of the soil where they are planted.

Cherry Blossom

The beautiful pink flowers of the cherry blossom tree, commonly known as the sakura flower in Japan, are said to represent the nature of life: beautiful, yet delicate and short-lived.

Violet

A purple bedding plant with over 600 unique species, violets have become a popular staple for gardens throughout the northern hemisphere.

Honeysuckle

The honeysuckle is a beautifully fragranced flowering shrub that loves to climb, and as such, it makes an ideal covering plant, especially for walls.

Freesia

This herbaceous perennial was discovered in South Africa in 1866. Freesia flowers come in a wide range of cheerful colors, ranging from purple to white to pink.

Bleeding Heart

Bleeding heart flowers grow on arching stems and have the appearance of a heart bleeding, hence the reason for their popular name. They are a symbol of grace.

Lily of the Valley

The lily of the valley is an extremely fragrant, yet highly poisonous flower. It has great symbolism in the Christian faith and is said to represent 'the return of happiness' in the language of flowers.

Crocus

This cup-shaped perennial originates from the island of Crete, where it was first cultivated and harvested in the production of saffron spice. One species in particular, Crocus sativus, is commonly known as the saffron crocus.

Iris

Derived from the Greek word for 'rainbow', the iris genus has over 300 variations. The flower's anatomy, with its open petals and stigma placement, perfectly displays the relationship between flower shape and insect pollination.

Coleus

Coleus is a hardy plant that comes in 60 varieties, from bright vivacious splashes of color to muted, more natural hues, and it makes a beautiful container plant.

Angel Wings

The distinctive white and green leaves of Caladium 'Candidum', or angel wings as it is popularly known, grow to almost 1 foot (30cm) in length. It's a great ornamental plant, but cultivate it with care, as it is particularly toxic.

Polka Dot Plant

The polka dot plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya) has beautiful, brightly colored foliage but it has only a very short lifespan, dying almost immediately after flowering.

Bells of Ireland

Round green leaves surround small white flowers on this beautiful foliage plant, which can grow up to 3 feet (90cm) in height. Despite its name, this plant originates from Turkey, not Ireland.

Annual Honesty

A member of the mustard family, this purple flowering plant is grown mostly for its seed pods, which resemble silver dollars once dried and give rise to its alternative common name – the silver dollar plant.

Foxtail Barley Grass

The perennial foxtail barley grass (Hordeum jubatum) is a very adaptable ornamental grass that produces seeds with sharp, backward-pointing barbs.

Dahlia (Apple Blossom)

The apple blossom dahlia is a beautiful addition to any garden (or wedding bouquet) with its vintage-style blend of pale yellows and pinks. A short-lived perennial, this dahlia hybrid is also attractive to all kinds of pollinators.

Dahlia (Wizard of Oz)

The 'Wizard of Oz' is a pompom dahlia, producing stunning spherical blooms of delicate pink petals in late summer. Although beautiful, this tender perennial tuber is not hardy and must be cut when the flowers are just beginning to bloom.

Lily

True lilies are known for their large trumpet-shaped flowers, and are very popular for bouquets and gifting. They carry many different symbolic meanings depending on their color, from passion to prosperity and purity of heart.

Larkspur

Popular in cutting gardens, the larkspur (also known as delphinium) is a difficult perennial to maintain in hot, dry weather. The seeds of the delphinium are extremely poisonous and can cause death in just a few hours.

Rose (David Austin)

Rose breeder David Austin developed this variety in 1950 and it is still a favorite today. The David Austin rose combines the beauty of modern roses with the fragrance of old roses, perfect for cut flower displays.

Rose (Polyantha)

Also known as 'The Fairy', this is a shrub rose, blooming from the beginning of summer to first frost. Not typically fragrant, it produces masses of beautiful flowers with lush pale pink petals and pale yellow centers.

Rose (Rainbow) This manipulated flower is created by slicing the stem of a cut white rose and dipping it into different cups of colored dye. The result is a beautifully unique flower that creates a bold statement in a floral display.

Snapdragon

This tall flower is named for its resemblance to the face of a dragon. It has many other uses besides the ornamental, including making an oil from its seeds and a dye or poultice from its flowers.

Cock's Comb

This ornamental annual is also sometimes known as a wool-flower and it has a very high seed rate. With fluffy, vivid buds, cock's comb (Celosia cristata) makes a great addition to a bouquet, and it is also edible!

Bachelor's Button

This annual has blooms that resemble clover flowers with yellow plush tips. Growing on long stems, this long-lasting flower makes a great addition to a garden or a bouquet.

Zinnia

Originating from Mexico, this shrub-like annual grows in many different colors, from orange to pink to white. Zinnias can withstand hot temperatures, making them popular in garden beds.

Russian Sage

This long-blooming perennial is part of the mint family and is very low maintenance, although it may require some pruning throughout the growing season, as this flowering bush can grow to over 8 feet (7 meters) tall.

Bluestar

This perennial takes its name from its blue, star-like flowers. Requiring little maintenance, they make a great addition to garden beds, although their blooms can make them top heavy, so do surround them with supportive plants.

Sea Holly

Although this perennial flower can easily be confused with the globe thistle, its blooms are quite unique. Sea holly flowers make great additions to wedding bouquets and once established in garden beds, they are very drought-tolerant.

Pink Astilbe

The plume-shaped blossoms of this flower come in many colors varying from white to pink to purple. The astilbe blooms in dazzling colors for several weeks, but as time passes and the flowers dry, the colors begin to fade.

Chamomile

The name of this flowering herb means 'earth apple', even though it better resembles a daisy! It is thought to have many medicinal uses ranging from treating hay fever to reducing anxiety and promoting sleep.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "200 Embroidered Flowers"
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Excerpted by permission of F+W Media, Inc..
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Table of Contents

Introduction 4

How to Use this Book 5

Materials & Equipment 6

Transferring Patterns 8

Stitch Techniques 10

Stitch Glossary 12

BackStitch 12

Whipped Back Stitch 13

Variated Back Stitch 14

Satin Stitch 14

Straight Stitch 15

Stem Stitch 16

French Knot 17

Flowers 18

Spring Flowers 20

Spring Foliage 33

Summer Flowers 36

Summer Foliage 49

Autumn Flowers 54

Autumn Foliage 58

Winter Flowers 63

Winter Foliage 66

Desert Plants 72

Tropical Plants 82

House Plants 91

Fruits & Vegetables 97

In The Wild 104

Projects 120

Collar Blossoms 122

Wildflower Cuffs 124

Book of Florals 126

Herbs & Spices Towel 128

Terrarium Pin 130

Greenburst Kicks 132

Tropical Patches 134

Prickly Tote 136

Wreath Ornament 138

Kiss Me Hat 140

About the Author 142

Acknowledgments 142

Suppliers 142

Index 143

Editorial Reviews

"Ever wanted to embellish something with a specific flower but could only find generic floral designs? This book includes patterns for 200 flowers, foliage, fruits, and vegetables, organized by season and setting. Step-by-step tutorials for seven basic stitches are provided with color photographs." - Booklist

From the Publisher