Want to learn the basics of hand embroidery with an easy online workshop – totally free?
Sign up for Embroidery 101 here. You’ll learn how to get started, the tools and supplies you’ll need, the four most basic stitches, how to transfer your pattern and how to display your work.
If you already know the basics – sign up for Embroidery 201. It’s also free! You’ll learn how to stitch on specialty fabrics like felt and stretchy T-shirts. Plus you’ll learn lots and lots and LOTS more stitches – all my favorites!
I’ve gotten a few questions lately about felt embroidery – and I’m going to answer them all here today.
Most of your patterns use smallish shapes. Do I transfer the pattern, hoop them and stitch, and then cut them out?
Well – I buy the good stuff (there’s no point embroidering it if it’s going to get all pilled and nasty-looking the first time someone touches it) and I don’t like to waste any of it. That means no excess for hooping. You don’t really need to hoop felt anyway – and it’s hard to get the crimp marks out when you do. It’s stiff enough to embroider easily without a hoop. Just be careful not to pull your stitches too tight.
My method is to transfer the pattern, cut it out, and then stitch.
How do you transfer your pattern to felt? You can’t trace through this stuff, and any pen or pencil tends to lift the fibers.
I use one of my favorite embroidery products–I call it The Magical Embroidery Stuff and you can read more about it (and buy it) here. I use it for all of my embroidery, but it really is pure magic for felt embroidery. In fact – it’s so magical that I wrote a whole post here, just about how amazing it is with wool felt.
Where do you find wool felt in such gorgeous colors?
I couldn’t find it anywhere locally so I started carrying it in my shop. I’ve got 48 lovely, luscious colors – all high quality wool/rayon blends.
Happy stitching!
By the way – that picture up at the top is a close up of some of the blocks from the Felt Blocks Embroidery Pattern. Those were so much fun to stitch!
If you’re looking for a free pattern to try, I recommend Flora the felt bird.
She’s so pretty!
Got any other sewing or embroidery questions? Send them to me here.
Happy stitching!
Play with some felt! Try the Oddballs – a fun pattern for silly monsters.
Cool. I haven’t “played” with felt since the late 60’s. I still have a bag and a choker I made waaaaaaaay back then.
I love your ideas. Pamela
Thanks!
Embroidered patches are awesome looking on cloth. I like very much embroidered patches on my cloth. Especially my favorite patches I am made my clothes. You share the blog is really great. Thanks for sharing.
Can you embroider on wet felted wool? I would like to embroider on a purse I made
I don’t see why not!
I am looking to use embroidery on felt in my next project so very helpful information exactly the answer that I was looking for
I have a boiled wool sweater I just picked up at a thrift store ($6!!) and want to embroider all over it. Trying to figure out whether to chalk, or otherwise transfer patterns, or just go for it freehand.