What is
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satin stitch embroidery? From ancient times women from all countries engaged art of embroidering. Hand crafted items were used on clothes, household and religious items. Ability to craft in general, and to stitch in particular helped women to gain respect of the society and made a good living out of it. It was a well respected art and unique opportunity to bring creativity to ordinary life.
Modern woman is no longer confined to housework. She can be a very successful leader and professional on one hand, and she can also dedicate her talents to her family. Satin embroidery survived many centuries and it is by no means redundant in modern life. In fact embroidery opens unique opportunity to relief stress of modern life and take a deep breath of fresh air from source of physical and spiritual powers that is hidden in every person’s subconscience.
Modem psychotherapy uses handcrafts in search for new ways of restoring inner harmony. Satin stitching is one of the best ways to relax and on another hand spend time productively engaging in useful in and modem form of art.
This style often referred to differently such as “art embroidery”, “satin stitch”, “free style embroidery” and others. The names might be different but they all mean the same thing - beautiful and universal stitching as form of art.
It is easy! Satin stitching is best compared with colour pencils drawing. Every child tried that kind of drawing and even though you might be called grown-up now, and probably have your own kids, you must have intuitive memories of how to fill sketch with colour paint. This is one of the reasons why satin stitch is so accessible, even to children.
Instead of colour pencils you will
need to use coloured threads and needles, and instead of paper you will use fabric. Design will need to be transferred to fabric and then “painted” with threads. Everything is reall that simple!
Using ready made design sketch and step by step guides you will be able to suprise your relatives and friends with great art masterpieces made by you!
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It`s the real life! Its a myth that stitching takes lots of time and requires significant effort! Well, it might be true to a degree
for cross-stitching, however satin stitch is different! You will not need any special fabrics to satin stitch on and primary skills can be easily acquired. Apart from desire to stitch and accuracy with needle you will need to familiarise yourself with two main stitches. A few of our designs are shown on the following pictures Designs marked with 1 star are the most accessible and recommended for beginners. These designs are meant to be done using
Designs with 2 stars will require some experience, but even with these only 2 types of stitches will allow you to achieve great looking results. I need about 2 hours to create this model.
Designs sketches can be doen very quickly.
According to our calculations satin stitching of a ready made step by step design takes no more time than cross-stitching the same model. The difference in looks, especially at close distance, will be unforgettable! This rose took me about 4 hours.
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Satin stitch Benefits One of the major satin stitch benefits is that designs are universal and can be applied to multiple items such as clothes of various fabrics, portraits or decorative patches for knitwear.
Stitched portraits will take first place among in-house decorations, and fancy satin stitched patches is in fashion every season!
Each and every of our designs fits well clothes and
portraits. You will be able to create great works one after another! For example if you liked a particular model you will be able to stitch it again and again, changing fabrics, sizes and colour of threads. Once your hands will get used to making nice and even stitches automatically everything will become easy.
Have fun! Buy our big white elephants as no one else has got any bigger than ours!!!
:)
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Embroidery Tools Satin stitching requires the following tools: embroidery hoop or frame, needles and markers for image transfer to fabric.
Stretch the fabric in an embroidery hoop or frame to prevent puckering. The choice of hoop depends on your preferences and budget. Generally small designs are best done with hoops of 12-25 sm (~ 5'’ - 10'’) in diameter. Hoops can be used for different types of stitching and it helps to have a few of them with varying diameters.
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There are a few types of
sitting frames with embroidery hoops. Sitting frames with round hoops (picture on the left) are very convinient, as they can be used under angle that suits you, but more expensive. Large square frames (see picture on the right) can be used to create portraits, pillows, decorative panels. If you are a beginner then you should find small hand hoops sufficient.
Pets love to be close
when you engage in handcraft activities. For example my cat Misha always finds way to get comfortable near me. This is when you might appreciate value of a sitting frame as it will prevent your pet from grabbing your work and running away with it.
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Needles for Satin stitching Satin stitching will require
needles of 3 - 5 sm (1.2'’ - 2.2'’) size.Small needles can be used for finishing strokes, medium size for stitching of flowers and long needles will help to create beautiful large works such as portraits. Needles are best kept in safe place in a needle pillow kept far away from kids and playful pets.
Transfer of design to fabric Satin stitching is done on an outline of design. You can increase or decrease actual size of design as you wish using your favourite photocopying machine. Once you happy with the size of the design you will need to create its outline on material that you will use for stitching using special markers (transfer pencils). Some of the markers will allow you to remove design trace with wet piece of fabric while the other will stay permanently so be careful. ou can also take advantage of special hot iron transfer pencils that can be used to create trace of the design.
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Embroidery threads Ideal threads for satin stitching are
made by Bestex and Anchor. These threads have wondeful colours and its easy to stitch with them.
Vast majority of designs that you can purchase from our website at www.anna-craft.com were made using great threads by Bestex.
Anchor make threads that
are ideal for satin stitching. Multiple shades of colour allow to fit them easily with any type of fabric. Easyness of use of threads made by Anchor make them one of the top choices for satin stitching.
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Another cotton threads Threads made by the Chinese firm whose logo is shown on the picture can also be used with great success. Those red flowers on our bright-yellow robe with were made using these threads.
Threads made by Indian
manufacturers are generally dense and volumetric. Some firms there make threads with light colours.
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Some firms in India made threads with very bright and saturated colours. This is often a speciality of firms that product them. You can see samples of some of those threads with logos of firms producing them.
Cotton threads with gradient color Funny pictures and decorations will benefit from
threads that change colour. This makes even simple designs very noticeable. The best manufacturers of this type of threads are Bestex, Anchor and DMC.
This funny card did not require much effort. Bright colours and smooth gradient colours were achieved thanks to threads. Similar designs made with these threads look great and can be done with great ease even by a child!
Metallic threads
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Metallic threads can be used for stitching of details and edges of designs. For example the picture below shows how this thread was used for stitching of flower stamens and the picture on the right shows how threads were used for edging.
Silk embroidery threads Silk threads give great reflection. Thanks to silk even the most simplistic stitching using Japanese style (see picture on the left) look mysteriously beautiful. If you can stitch using silk threads then you can use appropriately coloured threads for stitching for all designs offered on our website. Bear in mind however that some thin silk threads might not be durable and it is recommended to use thicker silk threads when stitching on jeans fabric.
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The best fabrics
for satin stitch embroidery Cross-stitching requires special fabric, but its not the case with satin stitch!
Any non-stretchable fabric can be used for satin stitching! For example rich palette of artificial satin provides great choice of colours for stitching! Synthetic satin looks great with jeans style of clothes. Stitching with opaque cotton threads you will create very interesting effect as if your stitching is flying over blinking fabric.
Modern textile industry manufacturers a lot of natural and synthetic fabrics. Any fabric can be used as the basis for satin stitch so long as it does not have bright colores
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Natural cotton, viscose, flax Natural non-painted fabrics are very much like painter’s canvas.You can stitch on it using any colours and it will look great! Naturally looking colours are always in fashion!
A serviette made of unpainted natural flax can also be made look great with satin stitch.
This small piece of funnily painted natural flax benefits from satin stitched flowers, it begs to be attached to some knitwear!
Serviettes made of unpainted natural flax allow for your fantasy to run wild. You will need to choose threads that stand out nicely on coloured background.
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Jeans fabrics? Oh! Yes!!! Almost any kind of jeanswear is perfect for satin stitch! There is only one major condition — the fabric should not fade! You can satin stitch one of the most simplistic designs and it will still look great!
Light jeans look great with threads with light coloured shades, dark jeans look great with bright coloured threads.
You can add any
decorative elements to enhance your work such as beads and cockleshells. Natural river pearls on jeans look exclusive!
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Embroidery for Jeans and other wear
This jeans top was stitched in asian style. You can buy
a detailed step by step guide of this design on our site: www.anna-craft.com
Jeanswear provides great opportunities for satin stitch. You can stich on ready made clothes like its shown on pictures. The picture below shows top from light jeans and stitching consisting of 3 parts. Teasing top’s cut was decorated with natural river pearls.
Metallic threads can enhance any jeans fabric. Gold or silver from the stitching will create exclusive reflections on any clothes in dim light in the evening.
You can also stitch on a small piece of light jeans and then attach it to your favourite knitwear. Your work will help look your favourite clothes refreshed and modern. Most models that you can purchase on our website at www.annacraft.com can be used for these purposes.
Border stitch
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Your first step to embroidery world Do you think that satin stitching is much harder than other types of stitching?
This is not the case and this technique is accessible even to kids! Just have a look at first steps that are no harder than what you had to do in school to learn how to write. The very first stitch is called border stitch. It allows to create raised edge that is similar to automated machine stitching. This type of stitch can be used for many purposes starting from attaching decorative patches to elegant Japanese style stitching. Accuracy is the most important skill you will need to learn. Try making stitches of the same length, with the same angle and try to locate them as close to each other as possible. Your hands will get used to making accurate stitches without thinking much about it much like you write or type on a computer. Once you gain accuracy in border stitch you will be able to create beautiful works of art! This top made from atlas was stitched in
Japanese style with silk threads. It features dual composition based on evening tone threads with additional silver thread created using only border stitch! It looks great but technologically it was not that hard to do. On the picture on the left you can see overall view of the top, and on the picture below you can see close up image of the composition. Take my word for it — in the evening this cloth looks beautiful!
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Many wonderful things with single border stitch!
Border stitch can be used to create any designs so long as they don’t require smooth change of colours. This technique is also useful for small works. Have a look at these kids shorts all stitchings on it were done using border stitch. Front and back pockets, funny fishes, letters and underwater plants, stones and bubbles — all of them look great but they did not take much effort to do as well!
Designs made with border stitch are very simple and at the same time they look. In the list of our products they are marked with 1 star denoting beginner’s skill level. The main skill requirement is that your hand should get used to making even stitches with the same angle. If you started stitching only recently then try not to stress your wrists and eyes. Soon you will learn how to stitch in relaxed fashion and thats when you will start enjoying it!
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How to do the border stitch Border stitch is often used to start and finish complex designs that require other techniques. Its ability to create raised edges helps to create volumetric feel to your work. Simple designs can be done using just border stitch. Border stitch is done using single needle move. Needle should pierce fabric in two places as shown on picture. If you want to create smart looking stitching then you will need to make stitches as close to each other as you can. Have a look at the pictures below - border stitch there looks very similar to machine made stitching, however handcraft is much better as its filled with its creators charm and human warmth.
Our designs offer step by step instructions on
how to do border stitches. Have a look at the pictures of a rose and a fish. You can clearly see how needle pierces the fabric and thread forms smooth line. Have a look at steps required to stitch this rose and you will understand how easy it actually is. You can find more designs on our website at www.annacraft.com where you can find great designs tailored to border stitch.
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Don`t worry, be happy! Still not sure you can succeed at border stitch? Don’t believe you can move away from cross stitch? Have a look at real results made by different people!
Example 1 stitching by a man! This work was done by a young man. He is
25 years old and his is the geologist. His work requires him to use big instruments that never included needles! I asked him to try to stitch first time in his life and have a look what he achieved. On the left you can see his work in real life size, and on the right you see it magnified 4 times. You can see that all stitches are very accurate, and it was done by a man! It takes very little time and training to have your hands doing stitches automatically with the same angle and length.
Example 2 stitching by a woman! This work was done by a 38 year old woman who never
stitched before. Although she did some basic needlework such as to sew buttons to her son’s clothes, she never engaged in needlecrafts. On the magnified picture you can see that her stitches are nearly correct with some slight errors in their angles. That’s a very good result for a first timer! On the left you can see her work in its real life size.
Example 3 made by Anna! And now have a look at my own work: can you spot
the difference? There aren’t many! Thanks to long practice my hands are now used create stitches of the same length and angle quickly and accurately, which is why my stitches show more accurate representation of the design. You can achieve same quality after good practice doing 2-3 works!
On our website at www.anna-craft.com you can find a lot of models designed specifically for border stitch!
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Satin inside stitch
Roadmap to perfect results All satin stitch designs should be done step by step, from the first to the last stitch. Inner parts of flowers, leafs and many other designs requie special technique that we call inside satin stitch. Unlike border stitch it requires two needle moves. Have a look at steps required to stitch flowers petal. The first picture shows outline stitch, and following pictures 2-6 show progressive step by step filling of the petal with inner stitches. pic.1
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As soon as you master inner stitch you will be able to stitch all our designs regardless of their complexity!
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Beautiful examples Example 1 The flowers design that you can see on the atlas top was created using satin stitch. Inside stitches allowed to create natural flower look and feel.
Example 2 Inside stitches in the following stylish design helped to achieve smooth colour changes. Despite being artificial the flower looks alive and volumetric.
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What you can do? So how can you create smooth colour changes? The beauty of satin stitch is hidden in ability to achieve smooth colour changes that make designs look alive. Border stitch is too edgy for this purpose, however inside stitch fits this task of “filling with paint” perfectly. Have a look how 8 flowers can be put on one design. The picture on the left shows real life size and picture on the right shows the same design but with 5 fold magnification.
How to do inside satin stitch? 1 step Inside stitch is done using two moves. The first move is to have needly piercing fabric vertically as indicated by point 1 on the picture.
3 step In order to do next stitch you will need to pierce fabric with needly from bottom to appear in top point 3. As you can this point is not far from previous point 2. This is what makes inside stitch to have all stitches close to each other.
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2 step Following first move the needle goes down vertically as shown on point 2, and thats it — the first stitch is done! Length of the stitch can be anything from 0.6 sm (0.2'’) to 2 sm (0.8'’).
4step The needle enters fabric again vertically at point 4, which completes second stitch. As you can see point 4 is near point 1, so all you need to do now is to continue stitching from step 1 to 4!
4 A few lines of inside stitch are shown on the picture. Inside stitches can have different length.
On the scheme you can see points at which the needle pierces fabric. After some practice you will learn how to use inside stitch in away that covers the base fabric.
Progress of stitching On our website at www.anna-craft.com you can buy detailed step by step designs with magnified colour pictures showing finished design.Discover new world of satin stitch art to yourself at www.anna-craft.com! Have a look at how to do design with complexity level 2 (intermediate) On the pictures you can see all steps necessary to stitch a great looking flower.
1 step
4 step
2 step
5 step
3 step
6 step
- ready!
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Fine stitch
Your embroidery will be the best! Sometimes it is necessary to stitch a few decorative details that will enhance looks of the main design. This is done using fine stitch that is similar to border stitch.
Example 1 Even our most accessible designs can
be significantly enhanced with fine stitch. For example adding veins to rose leaves will make them look alive.
Example 2 Fine stitching is also important for all plants on this Chinese style design that wishes long and successful life. You can see complex weaving on plants’ stems.
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Example 3 Nature designs benefit from fine stitch as it helps to underline its area, lightness and airness. The following Chinese style stitching called “Flowers and Butterflies” had only two finely stitched elements - the antenna and then main body. These two elements are sufficient to enliven the whole composition, make it fine and light.
On the following picture magnified 3 times you can see how thin parallel fine stitches helped to form nice curve. Any stitching can benefit from selective application of fine stitch to stress elements that will make work look complete and charming.
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Do you remember border stitch? If you remember border stitch is done using single needle move. Stitches can be done under angle towards the design or vertically depending on your choice. In all cases border stitch creates volumetric line and create accurate design edges. The following pictures shows how its done in theory and in real life.
Fine stitch is very similar! Fine stitch is very similar to border stitch. Its also done using one needle move to create stitches that are parallel to each other, the difference is that fine stitches usually have sharper angles.
On the picture above you can see how to do fine stitch. On the right you can see real life fine stitching magnified 3 times. You can see how needle creates direction and angle for stitches creating very thin line.
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Real stitching Lets have a look how fine stitch allows to edge design. On the
picture you can see last stage in stitching design called “The Rainbow Pear”. Magnified image below shows how fine stitch helped to edge face of the pear.
Perfect result! Fine stitch was also used to edge
eyes of the pear and small white dots reflections on pear’s eyes. Just have a look at the end result simple stitch helped to make this kids design look individual!
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Your first experience Lets have a look how two different inexperienced people stitched
using fine stitch.
Example 1 stitching by a woman! Have a look at the following example of a woman who stitched first time in her life. Naturally she made some mistakes such as chaotic direction of stitches and their angles are not the same. If you compare this work with our example the same pear you will see the difference. Good looking fine stitch requires all stitches to have same direction. This example shows how important to have correct technique however given that it was done by an inexperienced person we should not criticise it too much!
Example 2 stitching by a man! The following example was made by a man! The young man was not very experienced but he tried really hard to be accurate and maintain correct direction of stitches... and here is the result that looks practically as good as original Anna’s work! All our designs have step by step instructions, recommendations and magnified images of all elements to help even a beginner to create great works of art! Our schemes will help you create beautiful work from first attempt and impress your relatives and friends! You can learn more about our products on our web site at www.anna-craft.com
