Easy Dimensional Stitches

Designed by Jess Atkinson

No special skills are required for this project. This simple technique of stitching Kreinik thread onto a page is easy as connecting dots. The resulting page will add a dimensional Dandelion to your page that will last a lifetime.

Supplies Needed:

• one spool each of Kreinik Heavy #32 Braid in 009HL and 3228

• 1 sheet 8 1/2" x 11" celadon colored cardstock

• 1 sheet 8 1/2" x 11" forest green colored cardstock

• black pen

• add your favorite picture

• tape

• size #22 Chenille Needle

• brass thimble

Instructions:

Step 1:  Download the Dandelion template by clicking here

(Note: You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print this document)

Step 2: Place downloaded template on top of the cardstock in the area you want the Dandelions to appear. Take your chenille needle and use it to pierce holes in the cardstock thus transferring the template to the surface of your page with a series of holes.

Step 3: Its time to start stitching. We'll take it from the top of one the dandelions and work our way down. Cut a 18" piece of Kreinik Heavy Braid (#32) Braid in color 3228 and thread this onto your needle. (click here to learn how to thread your needle.) Find the center hole of the blossom on the Dandelion. From the back side of your page, push your needle up through the hole. Pull the thread through but not all the way (see figure A). Take a piece of tape and secure the last 1/2" of thread on the back side of the page so that the thread will not pull through. Now you are ready to stitch the first spoke of the Dandelion. Use your needle and push it down through the hole of the first spoke. Gently pull the thread so it is taught, but not too tight or the cardstock might tear. Just as you did before, push the needle back up through the center hole once again and push the needle down through the page at the hole for the next spoke (see figure B). Continue this sequence of stitches until you have stitched all of the spokes.

Step 4: Now that you have finished the first set of spokes forming the blossom on the Dandelion, its time to stitch the stem. You will need to thread Kreinik Heavy (#32) Braid in color 009HL onto your needle. Once again, start from the center hole of the blossom you just completed by pushing the needle from the back side of your page up through the center of the completed blossom (see figure C). Complete the first stitch by pushing your needle down through the first hole of the stem below the blossom. Push your needle up through the second hole. To complete the next stitch, push your need down through the first hole as shown in (Figure D). Continue until stem is completed.