An Introduction to Stitching Cards

An Introduction to Stitching Cards

A beautiful card made by stitching the dragonfly design directly on the card.  The dark blue card is 104x152mm.  It is stitched with pearl metallic thread.  This design takes approximately 1 hour to stitch.

 Method:

Protect your work surface with a piece of foam, a felt mat or a folded towel.  Open up the card and with the right side facing up, lay a design template on the middle section.

 

Holding the template in place, take a large pin and prick through each dot in turn on the template ensuring that the pin also goes through the card.  Remove the template when the entire design has been completed.  (If you wish to secure your template to the card with sticky tape, place the tape on and off a cloth several times.  This will take off the excess stickiness yet still allow it to adhere to the card without leaving a mark.  To test, first use the reverse of the right panel as this will eventually be hidden.)

  

Cut a length of thread about 2 feet long and thread the needle. (It is better to use several short threads rather than one long piece as the holes of the card may start to wear away the filament in the thread and cause it to fray.  The underside of your work will be hidden so it does not matter how many times you seal your threads.)  Attach the thread to the back of the card, close to the starting point, with a small piece of sticky tape, making sure that you do not cover over any holes.

 

Follow instructions for each embroidered design, securing each length of thread with a small piece of sticky tape.

Close up view of the stitching diagram

Written instructions for stitching the wing

Two pages of instructions for stitching the dragonfly

The first wing is complete.  Notice how the metallic thread catches the light giving these cards their special quality.

When the design is completed, fold under the right hand side of the card and glue in place around the edge.