We have reached the end of the month which means it’s the last day of Stitchtember. Our final hand embroidery stitch tutorial is the tassel flower. I've saved this stitch until last as it's another of my favourites! Hand embroidery featured heavily in my final collection at university, and I used the tassel flower to help me to achieve a wildflower meadow look for my summer collection. The tassel flower is worked by wrapping threads together and attaching them to the fabric before cutting the threads to form a tassel-like flower. This stitch reminds me of dandelion flowers, so I have used yellow thread to create my tassel flower. It can also look like thistles or cornflowers, depending on the colour threads used.
Tassel flower tutorial
Materials:
· Fabric – cotton or linen fabric works well. I used osnaburg fabric which is 100% seeded cotton, but you can use any spare fabric you already have.
· Stranded embroidery thread
· Needle
· Scissors
Optional:
· Embroidery hoop
During this tutorial I am using osnaburg 100% cotton seeded fabric, DMC stranded cotton embroidery thread, a hand embroidery needle and a 5” DMC beechwood embroidery hoop.
1. Wrap the thread around two or three fingers. I wrapped the thread around 10 times. To create a bigger or smaller flower, increase or decrease the number of wraps.
2. Remove the wrapped thread from around your fingers and place to one side.
3. Thread your needle and tie a knot at one end. I have chosen to use six strands of green embroidery thread. You can choose any colour and number of threads you would like. Bring your needle up through the fabric at the point you would like your flower to be positioned.
4. Insert your needle into the fabric and before pulling the needle through, place the wrapped threads between your needle and point 1.
5. Pull your needle and thread through the fabric to secure the wrapped threads.
6. Push the two ends of wrapped threads up and hold in place.
7. Bring your needle up near the base of the wrapped threads.
8. Insert your needle on the opposite side of the wrapped threads.
9. Work another stitch above the previous one.
10. Work another stitch slightly higher up, near the top of the vertical holding stitch.
11. Continue working horizontal stitches to fill the gap between the top and bottom horizontal stitch.
12. Once the horizontal stitches are complete, start working vertical stitches. Skip this step and go to step 15 if you are happy with the look of the horizontal stitches.
13. Bring your needle up at the base of the flower and insert your needle near the top of the horizontal stitches.
14. Continue this until the horizontal stitches are covered with vertical stitches.
15. Snip the thread loops using scissors.
16. Then, trim the threads to your desired length, using scissors.
17. Once trimming is complete, remove the fluffy ends of the threads from the fabric using clear sticky tape. Carefully used a small pair of closed scissors or the blunt end of your needle to run through the threads to add texture to the flower.
18. Add a stem to the flower by bringing your needle up at the base of the flower. I used stem stitch to work the stem, but you can use any stitch you wish.
20. The tassel flower is complete.
Tassel flower top tips
Vary the number of times you wrap the thread around your fingers to create a bigger or smaller flower.
Use different types of thread such as tapestry wool, linen thread, cotton thread to create different looking flowers.
Vary the length that the threads are trimmed at to create a different looking flower.
Trim the top threads shorter and leave the underneath threads longer to create texture and a layered look.
Tassel Flower Video Tutorial
That's all folks! Thirty hand embroidery stitches later, and the tassel flower completes Stitchtember 2023!
If you have joined me in making your own stitch book, then keep your eyes peeled, as I will be sharing how to finish your stitch book and make the front cover shortly. September proved a very busy month business-wise, so I need to catch up with my own stitch book and I'll share the outcome and finishing process, on my blog and social media, as soon as possible.
I have loved sharing a different hand embroidery stitch with you everyday and I hope you have enjoyed the daily stitch tutorials. My favourite part has been seeing your daily stitches! All the hand embroidery stitch tutorials will stay on my blog and social media pages, so you can easily access them in the future. Thank you for joining me this Stitchtember.
Keeeep stitching!
Hannah x
