100% YOU

Lucy's a textile artist living in Edinburgh with her sister and her cat, Blossom.

- LUCY FREEMAN

MATERIALS

• Black and white oversized gingham collar (we got ours from www. mustard-monday.com)
• DMC stranded cotton in 554 (Pastel Violet), 600 (Crimson Pink), 225 (Pale Shell Pink), 3816 (Snake Green), 911 (Golf Green), 807 (Pond Blue), 3756 (Cloud Blue), 3819 (Light Moss Green), 930 (Slate Grey) and 972 (Curry Yellow)
• 10 cm (4) embroidery hoop
• Size 22 embroidery needle QWater-soluble marker

ABBREVIATIONS (UK)

One strand = 1S

Two strands = 2S etc..

It‘s all in the details with embroidery, and Lucy‘s project is the best way to get a bit more of your personality into what you want to wear each day.

Once you‘ve got the techniques down, get creative with adding more flowers or playing with the placement. The fun thing about this is that you can add it to whatever you‘d like. Stick to fabrics like cotton for easier embroidering, and opt for less flowers if you‘re new to it and want a quicker craft.

The gingham can help you place the template symmetrically on the other side of the collar. Just count the squares between the template and edge of the collar in various places and match it. Make sure the fabric is always taut and smooth in the hoop for the best finish, too.

01 Transfer the design from the template on page 83 onto the collar in the position you‘d like. Use your preferred method, such as a water-soluble marker. Mount the collar into the hoop making sure the fabric is taut and smooth on both the front and back. Satin stitch the large flower – start with the centre circle in 2S of 225, and the petals in 3S of 600. There is a guide to the stitches from page 83.