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How to do Shadow Embroidery: It’s So Stinkin’ Easy You Seriously Won’t Believe It!

by Gwen Dec 11

The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Read my full disclosure here.

You saw my Stockings Gone Bold, right?  I shadow embroidered the name, and I promised to show you How to do Shadow Embroidery.

I pinky-promise.  I pinky-promise this is SO easy to do and it’s gorgeous!

How to do Shadow Embroidery. This is such a beautiful way to personalize any type of fabric!

Here is me keeping my promises, baby!

All you need is some very light cotton fabric, such as some Imperial Batiste, an embroidery needed and some embroidery thread.

Step 1

Print out your name in the size you need.

Tip: choose a somewhat wide or thick font so you can outline it easily.

Step 2

Place your printed out name under the fabric.

shadow embroidery-3

Step 3

Trace around the letters with a washable pen.

shadow embroidery-4

Step 4

Put your fabric in a quilting hoop.

Thread your needle with one strand of embroidery thread. {I like to iron mine out with the iron.  It just makes it super nice and neat.}

From the wrong side of the fabric, start by picking up a tiny thread on your fabric and secure your embroidery thread.

 

shadow embroidery-6

shadow embroidery-8

Step 5

Take you needle, entering the fabric very close to where it starts {if not the same spot}, take a stitch as shown below.

REMEMBER: This is working from the wrong side of the fabric. That MEGA very important!

shadow embroidery-9

Step 6

Take your needle across the letter and make a small stitch going back towards the entry point.

shadow embroidery-10

Step 7

Go back to the left side and repeat.

Always try to go back in where the last stitch ended.  This will give you a very nice outline.

shadow embroidery-11

 

And back to the right side.

shadow embroidery-12

And again to the left.

shadow embroidery-14

Back again to the right.  Are you getting it now?

shadow embroidery-16

See how the thread is filling in the letter?  This creates the shadow effect!

shadow embroidery-17

TIP: When you get to a curve, make tiny stitches on the inside {or concave} part of the curve and larger stitches on the outside {or convex} part of the curve.

shadow embroidery-18

Here is the right side of the fabric.  Cool, huh?

shadow embroidery-19

 

When you’re done, this is what the back will look like…

christmas mantel and stockings-6

And the front… I actually used two threads to embroider the stockings because I wanted to make sure they were Bold enough.

christmas mantel and stockings-4

And that is all. I love the effect and it only took me about thirty minutees to do each name…give or take a few.

What do you think?  Are you ready to tackle some Shadow Embroidery?  It’s awesome, yo.

You  might also be inspired by…

pin-stocking_ how-to-make-a-bow diy-bow-maker

 

Sharing with: Shaken Together,  I Heart Nap Time

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The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com as well as other affiliate networks.

What the BOLD ones say:

  1. [email protected] says

    Dec 12 at 4:31 am

    I have to try out this stitch! I love the font you chose, it’s perfect for your snazzy stockings!

    • Gwen says

      Dec 12 at 8:26 am

      I LOVE this technique, Jenny!

      Thank you so much!

  2. keri @ shaken together says

    Dec 12 at 6:24 am

    You are a sewing/embroidery master!! LOVE the two colors of thread, too – a fun extra punch of color is perfect!

    • Gwen says

      Dec 12 at 8:27 am

      Thank you so much, my friend! I LOVE it!

  3. Angie @ CCC says

    Dec 12 at 12:22 pm

    I will say it again….sewing genius!! 🙂 Thanks for the tut!

    • Gwen says

      Dec 12 at 10:46 pm

      Thank you, Angie! You’re so sweet!

  4. Kayla @ Home Coming says

    Dec 16 at 5:17 pm

    This looks so great – and what a great font choice! I’d love if you’d link up to The DIY’ers – and don’t forget to enter my giveaway for a free chandelier! https://homecomingmn.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-diyers-42.html

    • Gwen says

      Dec 18 at 3:29 pm

      Thank so much, Kayla!

  5. Jessi @ Practically Functional says

    Dec 18 at 3:11 pm

    OMG I friggin’ love this tutorial! I am pinning this right now!

    • Gwen says

      Dec 18 at 3:30 pm

      Thank you, Jessi! I LOVE Shadow Embroidery!!!

  6. Laurel says

    Dec 8 at 5:14 pm

    Does the crisscross part on the back show through somewhat to the front? Or what is the benefit to doing the crisscross as opposed to just a back stitch around the edge? It looks great!

  7. Vicki says

    Dec 23 at 8:35 pm

    Great tutorial! The design looks perfect. How do you transfer the design onto dark fabrics?

    • Gwen Whitfield says

      Dec 27 at 6:46 am

      I suppose you could use a fabric chalk marker, Vicki. Any fabric store should have one. 🙂

  8. Melissa says

    Dec 20 at 10:48 pm

    I sure do like this stitching. I am always looking for something new that I can understand and you explain it perfectly. I can’t wait to try this!

    • Gwen says

      Dec 23 at 2:13 pm

      Melissa,
      Thanks for sharing! Have fun with it.
      Gwen

  9. yvonne says

    Nov 18 at 11:16 am

    its so easy and beautiful

    • Gwen says

      Nov 19 at 11:20 am

      Yes it is!!!

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Thank you so much for sharing from The Bold Abode! Please keep in mind that all images and text on this site are property of The Bold Abode. Feel free to use one or two photos provided that a link back to my original post is included. Please do not remove any watermarks, crop, or edit any of my images without first obtaining written permission from me. All free printables offered are for personal use only. Pinning is always welcome and appreciated! Thank you!
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The Bold Abode is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

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