How to Make Outline Design for Hand Embroidery

Creating an outline design for hand embroidery and using basic stitches is a great way to start your embroidery journey. Here’s an in-depth guide to trace your design onto fabric and master beginner-friendly stitches:

1. Prepare Your Fabric and Design

Before you start stitching, you need to have your fabric (in this case, a shirt) and design ready.

• Design Preparation: Either sketch your design directly on the fabric using a water-soluble pen, tailor’s chalk, or use transfer methods such as tracing paper or carbon paper.

• Secure Your Fabric: Place the shirt or fabric securely into an embroidery hoop. This keeps the fabric taut, making it easier to stitch and maintain even tension throughout.

• Threading the Needle: Cut a length of embroidery floss (about 18 inches or 45 cm) and separate the number of strands you’d like to use. Beginners often use 2 or 3 strands for outlines. Thread your needle and tie a small knot at the end.

2. Beginner-Friendly Embroidery Stitches for Outlining

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the basic stitches you can use to outline your design.

A. Simple Stitch (Also Called Running Stitch)

The running stitch is one of the easiest and fastest stitches to create a basic dashed line along your design. It’s ideal for delicate outlines or giving a “dotted” effect.

Steps to Create a Running Stitch:

1. Bring the Needle Up: Start by bringing your needle up through the fabric from the backside at the beginning of the design (Point A).
2. Insert Needle Down: Move a small distance (about 1/8 inch or 3 mm), and insert the needle back down into the fabric (Point B).
3. Continue the Line: Bring the needle up again a short distance away from where you last brought it down (Point C), and repeat the process to create a dashed line.

Tips:

• Keep the stitches evenly spaced to maintain consistency in the outline.
• This stitch is ideal for simple shapes, straight lines, and borders.

B. Backstitch (Solid Line)

The backstitch creates a continuous, solid line, which is perfect for more precise outlines. It’s stronger and more defined than the running stitch.

Steps to Create a Backstitch:

1. Start with a Simple Stitch: Bring your needle up through the fabric at Point A and down at Point B, making a short stitch.
2. Skip to Next Stitch: Bring the needle up at Point C, which is a stitch-length away from Point B.
3. Go Back: Push the needle back down into Point B (where the first stitch ended) to connect the two stitches, creating a continuous line.
4. Repeat: Continue this process, bringing the needle up at a point further along the design and going back to attach it to the previous stitch.

Tips:

• This stitch is great for creating strong, solid outlines.
• Perfect for letters, curves, and detailed designs.

C. Split Stitch (Braided Effect)

The split stitch creates a more textured and slightly raised line. It looks like a braided or rope-like line, adding some depth and visual interest to your outline.

Steps to Create a Split Stitch:

1. Start with a Simple Stitch: Bring your needle up through the fabric at Point A, and insert it back down at Point B to make a short stitch.
2. Split the Stitch: For the next stitch, bring the needle up through the middle of the first stitch. The needle should split the thread as it emerges from the fabric.
3. Continue Stitching: Insert the needle down at the next point in the line (Point C), then bring it back up through the middle of this stitch, and repeat.

Tips:

• The split stitch is great for rounded edges, floral stems, and creating textured outlines.
• Ensure that the needle is centered through each stitch for a clean braided effect.

D. Straight Stitch (for Larger Shapes)

The straight stitch is very simple, where you just bring the needle up and down through the fabric. It’s often used to outline larger shapes or to create small, individual stitch details in an outline.

Steps to Create a Straight Stitch:

1. Bring the Needle Up: Bring your needle up through the fabric at Point A.
2. Insert Needle Down: Insert the needle into Point B to complete the stitch.

Tips:

• Use this stitch to create angular designs or for geometric shapes.
• You can adjust the length of the stitches depending on how bold or delicate you want the outline to look.

3. Practice Stitches on Scrap Fabric

If you’re new to embroidery, it’s a good idea to practice these stitches on a piece of scrap fabric before moving onto the shirt. Here’s how to approach this:

• Draw Simple Shapes: On the scrap fabric, draw basic shapes (lines, curves, and circles) to practice outlining.
• Test Different Stitches: Use the running stitch, backstitch, and split stitch to trace the outlines and get a feel for the tension and spacing of each stitch.
• Experiment with Thread Thickness: Try using different numbers of strands of embroidery floss (from 1 to 6) to see how it affects the thickness and visibility of your stitches.

4. Stitch the Outline onto the Shirt

Once you feel confident with your practice stitches, it’s time to outline the design on your shirt.

Start Stitching:

• Begin at a Design Edge: Start stitching at one edge of your design and follow the outline you’ve drawn on the fabric.
• Keep Stitches Consistent: Aim to keep your stitches evenly spaced and of equal length for a neat and polished look.

Navigating Curves:

• For Backstitch and Split Stitch: When working with curves, keep the stitches shorter to create a smooth and continuous outline. Shorter stitches allow you to follow the curve more precisely.
• For Running Stitch: You can slightly curve each stitch to match the flow of the design for a less rigid look.

Managing Tension:

• Avoid pulling the thread too tightly, as this can cause the fabric to pucker.
• Keep the thread slightly loose to allow the stitches to lay flat and smooth against the fabric.

5. Finishing Touches

Once you have finished outlining your design, review the following:

• Check the Outline: Make sure all lines are consistent, and there are no gaps between stitches.
• Reinforce if Necessary: If some areas of the outline appear too light or sparse, consider going over them again with additional stitches.
• Remove Excess Thread: Secure the thread on the back of the fabric and cut any excess thread neatly.

Washing and Ironing:

• If you used a water-soluble pen or tailor’s chalk, gently wash or dab away the markings with a damp cloth.
• Lightly press the fabric (from the backside) to remove any wrinkles or puckering caused by stitching.

Conclusion

Tracing and stitching the outline of a design for hand embroidery is an essential step in creating a polished and professional look. By mastering basic stitches such as the running stitch, backstitch, and split stitch, you can create smooth, neat outlines that give your design structure and depth. With practice, these stitches will become second nature, and you’ll be able to apply them to more complex embroidery projects with confidence!