Moon Bleu Embroidery Placemat
- Full Embroidery & Sewing Tutorials
Embroidery Tips for Beginners
The standard stranded cotton embroidery thread has six strands of fine threads twisted together into a big one (main thread). The instructions in our DIY kits and patterns will clearly indicate how many strands you will need to use for each part of the embroidery.
No matter how many strands you use, you will always need to separate each strand from the main thread first. Cut the thread to the desired length, hold it in one hand, and pull the strand out one by one until you have the required number. Gather them into a single bunch for stitching.
Use one of the illustrated methods to thread the needle. Method A can be used for any number of strands, while Method B is suitable only for an even number of strands.
Get the Density & Tension Right (SUPER IMPORTANT)
One common mistake beginners make when embroidering is stitching too densely or pulling the thread too tightly after each stitch. This might not be noticeable while the fabric is still in the hoop, but it will be too late once the embroidery is complete and the fabric is distorted and puckered. Unfortunately, this cannot be fixed unless you remove all of the stitches and stitch it again.
That’s why getting the stitch density and thread tension right is so important — especially when working with long and short stitch or satin stitch to fill a space, as these are the hardest to keep even! Aim for the stitches to lie flat and sit neatly next to each other, rather than piling up or overlapping excessively. To achieve the correct tension, avoid pulling the thread too tightly after each stitch. The thread should lie flat against the fabric without causing puckering or distortion (hard to see but you can feel the tension if paying attention). After making a stitch, gently tug the thread until it is secure but not overly tight.
For this project, we recommend stitching without a hoop and pulling the thread very gently at the end of each stitch. This allows you to monitor the tension and spot any puckering caused by excessive tension before it is too late to correct.
Embroidery Tutorial
The entire design is stitched using 3 strands of embroidery thread.
The Mountains - Dark & Light Indigo Blue:
Refer to the photos below for the colours used for each mountain. Stitch each section using Satin Stitches. Keep all the stitches vertical.
Notes:
If you’re a beginner, stitch some evenly spaced reference lines across the section first (see the first photo below). Then, fill the spaces between the reference lines one at a time. This will help keep all your stitches vertical.
I started embroidering with a hoop, but later realised that, for this type of fabric, it’s actually easier to stitch without one—and the results are better too. Even though I was very careful with the thread tension, I still had to unpick a section and stitch it again. It looked perfectly fine while it was in the hoop, but once I removed the hoop, the surrounding fabric had puckered slightly and couldn’t be flattened with an iron. After I switched to stitching without a hoop, this problem didn’t occur again, as it allowed me to see immediately whether the stitches were causing any tension issues while I was making them.
It is recommended to stitch adjacent mountains one at a time, as this allows you to focus on creating a clean edge at a time (i.e. the dividing outline between the two mountains). When stitching the edges, place your stitches as close as possible to the previous section so that the two sections join seamlessly without any gaps.
The clouds: Using the light grey thread, stitch the clouds with horizontal Long & Short stitches. Vary the length of the stitches for a more natural result.
Once the embroidery is complete, soak the embroidered area in water overnight to dissolve the printed pattern. If any residue remains, gently rub the fabric with soapy water until it is completely removed. Allow the fabric to dry completely before proceeding.
Sewing Tutorial
Peel and trim off any excess stabiliser from the back of the embroidered fabric. Cover the embroidered area with a clean cloth and press it flat with an iron on the wrong side of the fabric. Iron the lining piece as well.
Place the main and lining fabrics together with their right sides facing each other. On the wrong side of the main fabric, draw the sewing lines along the edges using a fabric marker.
Note:
The fabric edges may not be perfectly straight. Make sure to draw a square in your desired finished size for the napkin/handkerchief. Leave enough seam allowance around the square for sewing.
After drawing the rectangle, move the corners slightly inward will help prevent them from protruding too much when the placemat is finished.
Secure the two layers together with pins or clips. Because the main fabric has a little stretch, use plenty of pins to hold the layers securely in place. This will help prevent shifting and keep the shape accurate as you sew.
Stitch along the sewing lines, leaving a gap of around 7 cm on one side for turning. Trim the seam allowance (except around the gap) and clip the corners, taking care not to cut into the stitching line.
Turn the fabric right side out through the gap. Adjust the shape, then gently pick out the corners with a large needle. Press flat.
Fold in the seam allowance around the gap and close the opening with an invisible (ladder) stitch. Press again if needed.
Congratulations. Your embroidered placemat is now complete!
Thank you for stopping by and exploring our tutorials.
If you spot any mistakes in our tutorials, have questions, or have suggestions for improvement, we’d love to hear from you. We’re also always happy to chat about new project ideas and share more fun creations. Please feel free to get in touch with us through the contact section on our website.