A Blank Canvas

The start of a new embroidery project

For any artist, writer, or artisan, there is nothing more daunting than a blank canvas. A million ideas are rolling about in your head but struggling with which one to grasp onto and take that first step towards creation. That blank canvas has been staring at me head-on as I’ve struggled to pick my next embroidery project. Since the end of the holiday season, I’ve had several ideas floating around in my head but January is when I always feel the most creatively drained. I’m located in the Midwest so everything around me is frigid, gray, and lifeless this time of year and I’m still hung over from the crafting madness of the Christmas season. However, we had a few warmer days to start off February. The sun was out, I was starting seeds for my Spring garden, and that creative spark lit once more. With gardening on my mind, I knew I wanted to embroider a garden-themed tote and as I start this new project, I thought it would be the perfect time to show you my embroidery process.

Choosing my canvas: One of my goals this year is to embroider beyond the hoop. I have a mountain of embroidery hoops sitting beside me that are waiting to be used but it can start to feel monotonous doing hoop after hoop. Instead, I want to embroider framed pieces, clothes, bookmarks, banners, and bags. I want my embroidery to feel more tangible, something I can easily gift and share with others. Turning a blank tote bag into a garden-inspired piece is the perfect example of what I’m striving to create this year.

Transferring designs: When it comes to patterns and transferring designs, I’m a huge lover of stick-in-stitch paper. I’ve used washable ink markers before to trace designs onto my fabric and they do just fine but nothing beats stick-in-stitch for me. You simply print your design on the paper, peel it, and stick it onto whatever you are embroidering. Once you're done, wash it off and let your piece dry. It is so easy!

Patterns: For embroidery designs, I do a mix of embroidery patterns from artists on Etsy and making personalized designs in Photoshop and Canva. Etsy is such a great tool to use if you’re a beginner. Search “embroidery pdf patterns” and you will be overwhelmed with all the options. Do proceed with caution though, make sure you’re picking a design that fits your current skill level, and look out for all the AI art. If I see a shop using AI to display their patterns, it’s an instant no from me. I like to buy design elements whenever I’m putting together my own pattern. My personal favorite Etsy shop for this is LaRoseArtStudios. All of their design elements are gorgeous and it’s what I used to put together my garden collage for my tote bag.

This is a design from FlickeryThreads on Etsy

Threads and Needles: There is no argument to be had here, DMC is the best brand for embroidery thread and needles. I’ve found that thread from other brands tear easily or don’t do well when trying to separate the strands so DMC is the only brand I use. Buying and organizing thread is a hobby in and of itself. I never leave Micheals or Jo-Anns (RIP???) without a handful of new skeins in a variety of colors and I love sitting down to wrap the thread around its new floss card and finding its spot in my organizer. It’s an odd kind of therapy. One of the most fun steps when starting a new project is opening up my colorful organizer and picking out a color palette. That’s when the creative juices really begin to flow.

Getting cozy: What I love most about embroidery is that it is a couch hobby as in its a craft I can do from my couch or comfy chair. I turn on my favorite movie (Pride & Prejudice, Little Women, or Lord of the Rings) or Critical Role (I’m still on Campain One, don’t judge) and get lost in the therapeutic motion of embroidery. In my mind, that’s what makes it a top-tier cozy hobby and it’s so satisfying to look at your completed piece of art.

I’ve just started on my garden tote bag, only having the mushroom done so far, but I will share updates as I continue to work on it! If you’re an embroiderer, let me know what you’re working on. If you’ve never embroidered before, is it a hobby you would ever want to try?