• Notice What You Like
• Part 2 - Making and using a viewfinder
• Draw a Scene
• Draw a Leaf or Flower
• Make Felt
• Felt Making Video
• Stitching onto Felt
• Stitch Doodles
  • Introduction
  • You will need
  • Step 1: Making a design
  • Step 2a: Transferring the design onto felt
  • Step 2b: Transferring the design onto fabric
  • Step 3: Stitching your design
  • Suggestion - what next?
• Stitching Video
• Glossary

Introduction

You can use felt or fabric for your embroidered design. The instructions are the same for each, except for transferring the design – instructions for each are provided.

 

What are doodles?

A doodle is a simple drawing that is made while the mind is on something else, for example during a prolonged telephone conversation, or whilst daydreaming. It may be representational – landscape, face, animal – or an abstract scribble or pattern.

If you are a ‘doodler’ you can use your own ‘style’ of doodles for the design; if you have never made doodles, try making some the next time you’re watching a boring television program. Find out more by looking at online sites about doodling or try our doodling exercise.
For this exercise we are cheating a bit, because the doodles will be made especially for the purpose of having a design to embroider.

 

What might this exercise offer?

The ‘Stitch doodles on felt or fabric’ exercise:

• Builds our confidence with new skills

• Gives us a chance to enjoy guilt-free doodling – ever felt guilty that you are doodling in a boring situation? Research says that doodling actually helps us to retain more information when feeling rather bored, so go ahead and enjoy!

• Offers a chance to hand stitch -hand stitching can bring a sense of relaxation and calm, whilst also helping with concentration and focus

• Allows us an opportunity to handle fabrics -working with fabrics brings a sense of reassurance and comfort, because fabrics are psychologically associated with care, warmth and safety

• Gives us the choice of being creative wherever we are. Stitching is a portable technique – once you have your design prepared you can take your stitching anywhere with you.It’s also socially very acceptable to pursue stitching even when in company – this can be great as it gives us something to do with our hands

• Gets us hooked! Stitching is addictive – once hooked you’ll want to do more and more!

 

How long will the exercises take?

Both embroidery and felt-making are relatively slow art techniques, giving much satisfaction and pleasure along the way. You can spend as much or as little time as you like on each exercise, but don’t feel you need to hurry if things take a little longer than you expect. This is all part of the fun!