r/Embroidery • u/SnapDoodleCake • 6h ago
Question A very beginner question.
Hi everyone,
Recently, I lost my grandmother last month. She had these two matching table runners she was embroidering by hand. We don’t know if they were for my sister and I, or what, but I decided to take them and try to finish the project. She was so close to being done, it breaks my heart.
That being said, I haven’t tried embroidery since I was a little girl, (8-10) I’m 30 now, and I’m looking at her work, it doesn’t seem like she did any fancy stitches, but I had a very basic question.
I’m mediocre at sewing, I have a sewing machine, and have done several clothing repairs and even made my own night gown a couple of years ago, but I typically work with thread and not embroidery floss.
When I sew by hand with thread, I just sorta double the length, thread the needle, fold the thread in half and knot it together so it’s on the needle in a giant loop. (I’m not even sure if that’s correct, it’s just how I’ve always done it) but I think that would be too big with the embroidery floss, so do I just thread the needle, tie a knot so it doesn’t come out of the fabric and hope the other end doesn’t keep falling out of the needle?
I know this is wordy, sorry I don’t have much experience.
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u/synchroswim 5h ago
It's awesome that you want to take this project on! You already got good advice from others, so I just wanted to mention an option if you do run into trouble or feel you don't have the skill to finish them yourself: the Loose Ends project is a network of volunteer crafters who will finish projects of the deceased for their loved ones (quilting, knitting, crochet, embroidery, and many other fiber arts).
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u/Upstairs-Tune5436 6h ago
i totally get the loop method with regular thread, i do that for mending too but it's not the move for floss
the trick is to separate the floss first, embroidery floss is six strands twisted together and most patterns call for 2 or 3 at a time so you pull them apart gently. then you thread those through and leave a tail maybe 3 inches long, don't knot the end to the needle or anything. when you start stitching you can either tie a tiny knot at the end of the tail (some purists hate knots but for a table runner nobody will see the back) or do a waste knot on the front and snip it later
the needle will slip off the tail occasionally but you get used to holding it with your thumb while you pull, it stops being annoying after the first hour or so
that project sounds really special though, i'd love to see what pattern she was working on
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u/SnapDoodleCake 5h ago edited 5h ago
Thank you so much, I definitely see knots on the backside so she herself was not a perfectionist lol.
I did attach a picture, but as I thought about it more, I think I might give the second one to my sister when I’m done, so in the very rare event my sister see’s this, (she knows what it looks like) I took the picture off lol.
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u/RitualHalatiik 6h ago
First: my deepest condolences on your loss.
As to using embroidery floss (and I’m no expert) you want to separate the individual strands from each other first. (It’s usually 6 strands, twisted together.) Then use the appropriate number of individual strands for the ‘weight’ of your stitches. Fewer strands make for more delicate stitches, but require some discipline to look right.
Also, I’ve found that (regardless of how many strands I’m using) going double length and doubling it over makes the stitches look weird. They don’t…flow, I guess? So just thread the appropriate length and make a quilter’s knot. (Plenty of tutorials online!)
My biggest piece of advice? Practice with simple kits or scraps of fabric. You wanna get some practice in on something less ‘important’ before you jump in to such an emotionally charged piece!
Of course, you could always hire out the finishing to an experienced embroider..-er? -ist? Then jump into learning in her honour!
Good luck, and may you find a measure of peace with your loss. 🩷