EXTINCT : LOST SUNFLOWER

WITH SolsTice HandMade SETTING UP

SET UP THE HOOP 1. Loosen the outer ring of your by spinning the silver knob. 2. Separate the hoops and set the smaller inside hoop on a flat surface. 3. Lay your fabric across the smaller hoop. 4. Take the larger hoop and fit it onto the fabric and smaller hoop. 5. Spin the Knob to tighten the outer hoop, stretching the fabric taunt. Smooth out any wrinkles.

SPLIT YOUR 1. Measure out apx 36 in of embroidery floss. Refer to example photo, as well as stitch guide, to guide your color decision. 2. Notice that embroidery floss is made of 6 threads. Split the cut length in half, into two strands of 3 threads each. 2 THREAD THE NEEDLE 1. Take the cut end of your embroidery floss and feed it through the eye of the needle.

HAVING TROUBLE? 1. Give the end of your floss a fresh trim. 2. Wet the end of the floss. 3. Pinch the end of the floss to flatten it. 4. Slip the floss through the eye of the needle. STILL STRUGGLING? 1. Apply chapstick to the end of floss and pinch between your fingers. This should help the fibers stick together and stiffen to slip through the needle. As an alternative, pull thread through beeswax. 2. Find a needle threader. 3 SETTING UP

CREATE AN ANCHOR KNOT 1. Hold both cut ends of floss next to each other so the ends align between thumb and forefinger. 2. Wrap doubled floss around thumb and forefinger, then tuck the cut ends under this wrap. 3. Slip the thread off fingers, pull to tighten as you slip it. 4. Work the knot towards the cut ends of the floss.

POSITION YOUR NEEDLE 1. Hold the knot in one hand and the needle in the other. 2. Pull hands apart to center the loop of floss with knot on one side, needle on the other.

4 NEED TO RETHREAD?

WHEN TO RETHREAD It’s time to rethread when you have 4-6in of floss left on your needle.

KNOTTING OFF 1. On the backside of your hoop, take your needle and pick up a stitch near where your floss is coming out of the fabric. 2. Wrap the fabric-side of your floss around the tip of your needle 3 times. 3. Slip the needle through the wraps you created, and work them closely against the fabric. 4. Pull firmly on your floss while pushing down on the knot to tighten. 5. Trim floss, leaving 1/4in tail.

5 STITCH GUIDE

6 COMPLETE DESIGN IN THIS ORDER

Satin Stitch pg 8

Back Stitch pg 10

Straight / Star Stitch pg 12

French Knot pg 14

CHOOSING FLOSS COLOR Use this guide, as well as photo example, from cover or additional examples page, to guide your choices.

7 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

1. Make a series of parallel stitches that span your drawn shape to fill it with floss. Start your stitch on the same edge of your shape each time to keep thread tension even.

2. Plan the Direction of your stitch. You can stick with a vertical stitch, or choose to fan the angle gradual- ly to tackle round shapes.

3. Refer to cover of this booklet for color placement- create depth by using dark yellow for shadows.

USED ON BLOOMS 8 9 BACK STITCH

3. Skip one open step beyond the stitch you just made to bring the needle up. 4. Take a step backwards, bringing the needle down to meet your previous stitch. 5. Repeat this process, beginning 1. Following the dashed lines as each stitch by skipping a step a guide, choose a line and skip when you come up, then taking a one ‘step’ into the line. Bring step back to filling this gap. This your needle up here. allows you to create a line with outgaps between stitches. Break 2. Take a step backwards, curves down into smaller stitches to round the line. putting your needle down at the beginning point to the line you 6. Fill in the grass on bottom with chose. Your stitch will cover the single, long, stitches on each line printed one.

USED ON STEMS AND LEAVES

10 11 STAR STITCH

1. Following the guide above, layer several straight stitches to create a star / flower shape. Finish by adding a french knot in the center (next pages).

USED ON SMALL FLOWERS

12 13 ...... FRENCH KNOT 1. Create French knots everywhere you see a dot on your sample, black or white. Bring your needle up through the fabric on a dot.

2. Wrap the side of floss coming out of fabric around the needle tip 3-4 times, keep these loops tight by keeping tension on the thread.

3. To finish the knot, insert the needle back into the fabric close to the hole you came out of. Keep floss loops tight and condensed as you pull the needle through to create the knot.

USED ON FLOWER CENTERS

14 ......

15 FINISHING UP

TURN YOUR HOOP INTO HANGING ART

1. When you’re finished stitching, trim excess fabric leaving about a half inch around the edge of hoop.

2. Use glue or adhesive to secure material to the interior hoop, wrapping it with fabric.

16 MAKE IT WEARABLE

• Embroidery can easily be applied to garments, bags, pillows, and more. Stitch or use an adhesive such as heat bond.

• Be sure to protect the back of your embroidery from being worn or snagged. Don’t spoil your stitches!

• Glue, seal, or fold over cut edge of fabric. Fabric can be trimmed, but be sure to leave a 1/2in margin from your stitches to the cut edge to prevent unraveling.

• Can be machine washed, just turn inside out or protect in lingerie bag. 17 RESOURCES + MORE

FOR VIDEOS, STITCH TROUBLESHOOTING, AND MORE INFORMATION

Visit Solsticehandmade.com/embroidery

QUESTIONS? CONTACT ME!

[email protected] @Solsticehandmade Solsticehandmade.com

18 VIRTUAL LEARNING Solstice Handmade regularly teaches workshops throughout Michigan and more, visit Solsticehandmade.com/workshops to learn more.

STITCH AT HOME Try your hand at another original design, we’re always working on something new! See more at solsticehandmade.com/kits

19 @SolsticeHandmade Solsticehandmade.com