Erin Eggenburg's Mending Blog

  The straight dope on the split stitch Continuing on our embroidery stitch odyssey, today's lesson is the split stitch. It's a simple stitch with 3 steps, and when you string multiple split stitches together, you can form a chain.  This makes it ideal as a fill stitch. Wait, fill stitch what?!  Okay, let's back up. A fill stitch isn't an actual stitch, it's a term used to describe stitches ideal for filling in a larger area. It could really be any stitch, including the split stitch. See, embroidery is like that. Once you break down terms and stitches, it's...

Scallop Stitches and Backstitches and how to "write" with embroidery thread! Now that you've mastered the straight stitch, and I've shared some examples with you, let's move on, and learn 2 more embroidery stitches.  If you missed the straight stitch tutorial, click here. Backstitch The backstitch is a straight stitch with an extra step. Sounds complicated, but it's not. It's how you would stitch a straight line. Let's take a look: If you follow the instructions, and then repeated, you would end up with a straight line, like this: Now the scallop stitch Scallop stitches are so versatile, and apply...

Embroidery Saves the Day--err Sweater With a little bit of embroidery experience, and a couple of materials, you can salvage a sweater from the donation pile. What I'll show you how to do is basically embroider a patch directly over the offending stain. Embroidery seems to be the new "put a bird on it", and I'm definitely not mad about it. Let's all embroider everything all the time.  Note: This post includes a list of the necessary materials, but if a kit is more your style, I have kits in my shop, click here.  Step 1: Find a shirt or...

 Getting Started If you have just now decided to learn how to embroider, congratulations! You are never too old to start, it's not like learning a foreign language, or as involved as buying a ton of materials. Even the first stitch I am going to teach you is simple, let's get started! I haven't been embroidering my whole life, but after stitching almost every day for the last 5 years, I think I've learned a few tricks and techniques. If you are like me, and are learning as a grown up, maybe you have a little less patience and want...

Upcycle a thrift shop find for under $10 Have you noticed embroidery is having a moment? And are you dying over all of the gorgeous embroidery clothing that costs a fortune?  I hate spending gobs of cash on clothes, but I also hate spending time cruising online sales for clothes that don't fit half of the time. What's a girl to do?  This brings me to today's post. I found this green shirt at a local thrift shop for $2, and decided to add a flower to each sleeve. Kind of a boho meets military style.  To stabilize or not...