BetterDayBooksWinter2024

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Celeste Johnston is an artist, content creator, and modern embroidery designer living in Austin, Texas. She is the creative force behind the popular Lemon Made Shop, where she sells bespoke embroidery art. Her hand-stitched houseplants, flowers, animals, and uplifting words have caught the attention of over 100,000 engaged Instagram followers. Her work has been featured in Love Embroidery , Mollie Makes , and Be Creative magazines. Her first book, Freshly Stitched , was published in 2021, and her second, Sunny Stitches , in 2022. For more info, visit @lemon_made_shop on Instagram. Detailed instructions to ensure successful results Inviting photography to inspire Overview charts to make planning easy STITCHES • Backstitch • Satin stitch • French knot • Straight stitch • Pistil stitch SUPPLIES • 7" embroidery hoop • 11" x 11" piece of your chosen fabric • 1 skein each of very light green, army green, sage green, peach, salmon, coral red, fuchsia, gold, yellow, orange, brown, and white floss • Embroidery scissors • Size 5 needle • Transfer materials (page 18) • Finishing materials (page 26) • Pattern (page 163) Fre s h F lorals Stitching flowers is a great way to experiment with and showcase a color palette. For this design, inspired by fresh-cut farm flowers, I started with a monochromatic peach color scheme. Then I added some analogous (red and pink) and complementary (green) colors. Finally, I chose to accent the colors with warm yellow and bright white. I picked a neutral background so the vibrant colors would shine. I use this warm color scheme often in my embroidery projects and don’t think I’ll ever grow out of it! Feel free to use the colors I suggest here, or truly make it your own by exploring one or more of the basic color schemes described on page 155. ■ 96 97 4 1 5 2 6 3 TIP: Before adding the circle to the back of your hoop, sign and date it or, if you’re gifting the piece, inscribe a message for the hoop’s recipient on it. Step by Step: Finishing the Back STEP 1: Cut the circle. Take an embroidery hoop that’s the same size as your finished project and trace the inner hoop on cardstock. Cut out the circle. STEP 2: Trim the fabric. Trim the excess fabric at the back of the hoop, leaving about 1" around the edges. STEP 3: Add the circle. Place the cardstock circle in the hoop against the back of your stitches. STEP 4: Glue. Add a thin ring of fabric-safe glue around the edge of the cardstock circle and the back of the inner hoop. STEP 5: Secure the fabric. Fold the fabric over the edge of the inner hoop and firmly press it in place on the cardstock until it sticks. STEP 6: Repeat as needed. If you stitched your design on multiple layers of fabric, repeat steps 4 and 5 with the second layer of fabric. Now your hoop is ready to be displayed! Use a small finishing nail, pushpin, or even a bit of twine and colorful washi tape to hang your hoop on the wall. Your finished piece could also rest on a mantle or bookshelf. 27 TIPS: Working with metallic or satin floss can be tricky. These persnickety flosses won’t lie as neatly as cotton floss, and because they’re stiffer, they can be difficult to tie in knots. Use them sparingly, and work carefully and slowly with short, 12" pieces to prevent tangles. Some stitchers like to use a thread- conditioning balm to tame their floss. When adding beads to your embroidery, be sure to choose a thin needle with an eye that can easily pass through the beads. A size 10 embroidery needle should work, depending on the size of your beads, or you can use a specialty beading needle. QUICK REFERENCE Purple Echeveria Succulents Lavender (satin floss) | Straight stitch | 4 strands Columnar Cactus Forest green | Satin stitch | 4 strands Columnar Cactus Accents Ivory | Straight stitch | 2 strands Pachyveria Succulent Seafoam green | Satin stitch | 4 strands Terrarium Gold (metallic floss) | Straight stitch | 2 strands Rocks (Beaded) Brown floss | Brown seed beads | Straight stitch | 1 strand Sedum Succulents Bright green (satin floss) | Backstitch, straight stitch | 4 strands Tillandsia Air Plants Light green | Straight stitch | 2 strands 82 ț 12 beautiful botanical projects for a range of skill levels. ț Detailed instructions and diagrams to guide every stitch. ț A deluxe package with hardcover binding and thickmatte paper. Twelve modern embroidery projects featuring beautiful plants, flowers, and botanicals. Each one includes step-by- step instructions, a quick reference chart, full-size patterns, helpful tips, and even a journal prompt. Also included is a handy appendix with detailed diagrams for every stitch. Nothing has been left out of this comprehensive book to help readers enjoy the fulfilling, creative, therapeutic, and trending craft of embroidery! AVAILABLE: Now! PRICE: $22.99, £20.99, 31.99 CAD FORMAT: Hardcover SIZE: 7.75" × 9.5" (197 x 241mm) PAGE COUNT: 168 ISBN: 978-0-7643-6123-4 BETTER DAY BOOKS • 31 FreshlyStitched Modern Embroidery for Absolute Beginners By CELESTE JOHNSTON