HANDICRAFT PRODUCTION

Development of Philippine Embroidery

Embroidery is the ornamentation of textiles and other materials with needlework for
personal use and decoration not only at home but for offices as well. The term embroidery is
an English word derived from the old French embroiders meaning edge and border.
Embroidery was introduced into the Orient by the Netherlanders in the 15th century.
It was bought by the Spaniards into the Philippines where it has made a wonderful growth,
and work done it rivals the best work done in Switzerland, a country noted for its exquisite
embroidery.
 Embroidery reached its highest development during the middle ages. The nuns in the
convents were the first to make articles with embroidery work during their leisure time. Since
then, it became so popular that women started to enjoy it, creating designs of their own. In
the beginning embroideries were done by hand. But since the advent of technology and the
invention of the sewing machine, people are now engaged in the machine embroidery.
Today, because of the fast growth of the industry, elegance of designs and fineness
of workmanship, Filipinos export articles with embroidery work. Embroidery work is best
achieved if correct tools and materials are used. Tools refer to small or handy
devices/instruments used in sewing while materials or supplies are those that are consumed
in finishing a project.
Below are the tools and materials use in Embroidery its uses and maintenance.

Tools

Gauge- use to measure short distance

Tape measure- use for measuring more than one-foot

distance or materials

Thimbles- made from metal or plastic, protect the middle

finger and push the needle while doing your embroidery
work. This come in sizes 6 (small) to 12 (large)

Embroidery hoop/stiletto- made of wood, bone, metal or

plastic use to make eyelets in the fabric to be embroidered.
It is also use to keep the fabric stretched while embroidery
stitches are applied on the design.
It is advisable to place tissue paper over the inner
hoop or twist or wrap the inner hoop with a thin material to
prevent markings on the fabric.

Embroidery scissor- is small, sharp and pointed-good for

fine work use for trimming scallops, clipping threads, and
cutting large eyelets.
Protect the blade by keeping them in a sheath or
cover and get them sharpened
occasionally
Needle threader- is use for easier threading especially by
those sewers with poor eyesight.
Pounce- is fine powder used in transferring design by
pricking method.

Embroidery needle- a short pieces of steel with a fine point at one end and a little opening
or eye at the other. The kind of embroidery work to do and the kind of thread to use are
two things to be considered in choosing your needle.
Needles should always have a fine tip so that they can easily move in and out of
the fabric. Do not use a needle which is bent, without a point or rusty. This will affect the
regularity and neatness of work. Protect your needles by storing them in a needle case.
to sharpen needles or make pins last longer by rubbing them with an abrasive material
such as sandpaper or heavy wool.
Keep in mind that pins and needles are one of the most inexpensive notions
used. Simple care and knowing when to discard them are key. It is recommended to
discard your needle after eight hours of use; usually when threads or fibers start breaking
and you feel it pulling on your fabric instead of gliding through it.

11. Crewell- sizes 1-10 are sharp-pointed, medium length with large eyes for easy
threading they are used for most standard embroidery stitchery.

12. Chenille- sizes 13-26 are also sharp-pointed needles but they are thicker and
longer and have larger eyes. They are that types of needles appropriate for
embroidery that is worked with heavier yarns.

13. Tapestry needle- is from sizes 13 -26. They are similar in size to chenille but are
blunt rather than sharp. This makes them best for thread-counting embroidery and
for the needle point as well.
14. Water color brush- use for transferring the design
using pricking and pouncing methods.

15. Pin cushion- a place for pins and needles.

16. Tracing paper- used for tracing designs.

17. Sewing box- use to keep together the embroidery

tools and materials.
 18. Bag- to keep work clean and fresh, have a bag made
from washable material to hold your work when not
busy on it.

Materials

1. Fabric- sometimes referred to as cloth, are of great variety and they differ in material,
weight, weave, design, color, and finish.

Three types of Fabric

Common weave- includes most tightly woven fabrics with a relatively smooth surface
like linen, wool and cotton. They are best used for articles with decorative stitches.

Even-weave- are intended for hardanger embroidery since the number of threads per
square inch is same for both warp and woof.

Basket weave- is commonly used by beginners and ramie linen by those who have
been used to this embroidery. It supplies guidelines for cross stitch and smocking
having an evenly spaced pattern like gingham cloth and polka dots.
 All fabrics should be prewashed before using them for quilting or embroidery. The
filler that is used in the fabric can cause havoc if it is not removed by washing
prior to working with the fabric.

2. Thread- is available in various types. They differ in terms of texture, fiber content,
number of strands and colors. Threads are usually coded in numbers and color names.
They can be bought in skeins, balls or spools. The color of the thread should suit the
color and texture of the design and the fabric to be embroiders,

Proper Care of Embroidery Thread

As one of the most essential elements to the stitching process, it's important to
ensure proper and careful care of embroidery thread. Store it properly under controlled
conditions to avoid the following issues:
 Thread dents—when a cone falls onto the floor, the point of impact can “dent” the
thread, resulting in a weak spot (or spots) that can ultimately lead to problems as the
thread travels toward the needle. This is a common problem for those that store unused
cones on top of their machine. Those cones will “walk” across the machine table due to
the vibration of sewing and ultimately end up on the floor.

Discoloring and fading—Threads, especially rayon, will fade when exposed to sunlight
for extended periods of time. If your threads are stored on a window sill or anywhere that
sunlight can strike them full force, you risk fading and discoloring.

Lint buildup—Threads that sit out, exposed to the elements of your shop’s environment,
are prone to dust and lint building up. Over time, such buildup can sink down into the
threads. When the thread travels through the upper thread path, it takes the crud with it,
dispensing it along the way onto critical surfaces (such as tensioners) that need to
remain clean and smooth. The end result will be inconsistent upper thread tension and
possible thread breaks.

Brittleness—In addition to discoloring and fading, excessive exposure to sunlight can

dry out the thread and lead to brittleness in the fibers. Obviously, this will weaken the
thread and lead to excessive thread breaks.

Self-Check 1.1

Direction: Describe briefly the use/s of the following tools. Write your answer on on your
answer sheet.

1. Tape measure
2. Hoop
3. Needle threader
4. Pounce
5. Chenille
6. Tracing paper
7. Sewing box
8. Bag
9. Gauge
10. Embroidery scissor

Refer to the Answer Key. What is your score?

Information Sheet 1.2

Embroidery Stitches

There are various embroidery stitches which you can choose from when you do
embroidery work. For you to gain more skill on this line, below are the illustration of some of
the embroidery stitches which will help and guide you as you enjoy working on this lovely
craft.
1. Back stitch- the most often used to outline a design.
This stitch also forms the base line for other
embroidery stitches

2. Bullion stitch- a single detached stitch that is used for

filling in a design area. Rows of bullion stitches may
also be used to outline a design. It is recommended
that one uses a needle with a small eye for ease in
pulling

3. Chain stitch- one of the more popular stitches used for

outlining. When worked in close rows, chain stitches
make good stitches for filling the design area.

4. Cross-stitch- stitched formed by two crossing arms and

may be used for outlining, as borders or to fill in an
entire area.

5. Feather stitch- a stitch with a loop and stitches evenly

worked on both left and right sides of a design area.

6. Fish Bone- a kind of filling stitch which is ideal for

making leaves or feathers. It requires us to divide
the pattern into two and each side is filled alternately
giving it a plaited effect in the centre, thus ideal to
make leaves or feathers.

7. French knot- a single detached stitched used primarily

to fill in a design area. It is a popular stitch among
embroiderers in that it can be used to create the eyes
on an embroidered face or the center of a flower.

8. Herringbone stitch- a basic overlapping stitch popular

for its use in borders.
9. Lazy daisy chain stitch- also called detached chain
stitch, this stitch is work in a circle to resemble the
petals of a flower.

10. Looped stitch- a very decorative stitch and can

be experimented with threads for various colors
over borders. Close layers of this stitch can create
wonderful effects on a pattern.

11. Running stitch- considered being the easiest stitch for

outlining.

12. Satin stitch- a solid filling stitch that is used to cover a

design area with long, straight stitches worked very
close together

13. Split- done using quite thick threads, such as

wool. It was used as an outlining stitch or as a
filling stitch.

14. Seed- also known as rice grain stitch. Stitch uses

simple straight stitches in a single direction to fill in
patterns. It has shorter stitches above the fabric and
longer stitches on the reverse side. They remind of
strawberry seeds, probably, which inspired its name.

15. Stem Stitch- basically an outline stitch, this stitch is

usually used for flower stems, and outlines. It can only
be used as filling, rows of Stem stitch worked closely
together within a shape until it is filled completely.
Self-Check 1.2

Direction: Identify the kind of embroidery stitches that is being describe. Write your answer
on your answer sheet.

1. The simplest stitch and quickest to do. Used as outline or as a filling to make texture.
The stitches are of equal length with equal spaces between them.
2. Also known as detached chain stitch and it resemble the petals of a flower when
work in circle.
3. A kind of filling stitch which is ideal for making leaves or feathers.
4. A decorative stitch and can be experimented with threads for various colors over
borders.
5. A popular stitch among embroiderers that can be used to create the eyes on an
embroidered face or the center of a flower.

Refer to the Answer Key. What is your score?

Show that you learned something by doing this activity

Operation Sheet 1.1

1. Back stitch
a. Bring the thread through A and take it in through B. This
creates one stitch.
 b. Bring the thread through C and take it in through B. This
way, we are creating a stich by taking the thread
backward

c. Bring the thread through D and take it in through C.

Continue this pattern to finish the design.

d. A finished line of back stitch will look like this.

2. Bullion stitch
a. Bring the needle out through A and put the needle
through B at a desired length.

b. Now, bring the needle out through A again. Then, wind

the thread around the needle as shown. The distance of
wound thread should measure the same as the distance
between A and B.
Too many or too less wraps will spoil the stitch.

c. Then, hold the wrapped thread with your fingers and pull
the needle out with the other finger. Keep pulling the
needle completely in an upward direction till the wraps
lay on the fabric as shown above. Adjust and straighten
the wraps if required and put in the needle back through
B.

3. Chain stitch
 a. Bring the needle through at the top of the traced line

b. Hold the working thread down towards the left with the
thumb.

c. Insert the needle at the point where the thread has just
come through and bring it up on the traced line about
one-sixteenth of an inch / 1.5mm further along.

4. Cross-stitch
a. Bring the needle out through A and take it diagonally
across to B. Bring it back again through C, which lies
vertically below A.

b. Now put the needle in through D, which lies vertically

above B. You have made a single cross.

5. Feather stitch
a. We begin by doing a long tailed daisy with the start point
on A. The loop is angled at about 45 degrees since we
are making a zig zag pattern.
While making the ‘tail’, before going in through the
fabric, we wrap the thread around the needle as shown
in the illustration.

b. Then, the needle is put in through C and brought out

through D, again at an angle of about 45 degrees.
Next , loop the thread around the needle as shown. This
is to make the next long tailed daisy.
c. Continue this procedure of making long tailed daisies at 45
degree angles.

d. This illustration shows a portion of the feathered chain

stitch.
6. Fish bone
a. To begin with, bring the needle out through point A,
which is the top tip of line Y. Put it in through B, to
make a single straight stitch.

b. Now, bring the needle out from a point very close to A

on the the line X. Put it in through a point very close to
B on line Y. Again pull out the needle through a point
very close to A on line Z.

c. This procedure of putting in the needle through X and

Z alternatively will follow. Each time we will be
connecting X-Y and Y-Z.

d. Make sure all the stitch points lie close to each other to
avoid any visible spaces.

e. Half way through, our leaf would look like this. You can
see the rib being formed.
 f. Once finished, the filled leaf would look like this.

7. French knot
a. Bring the needle out through A.

b. Now, place the needle close to the fabric. Wrap the

thread around it twice, as shown.

c. Keep the longer end of the thread pulled with your fingers while putting the needle
back in a point just close to A or even through A.

8. Herringbone stitch
a. Bring the needle out through the first stitch line at A.
Now, take the needle in through B, which lies diagonally
across A on the second stitch line. Then, take the needle
backwards out through C, which lies near B.

b. Now, the same procedure will be worked on the first stitch

line. Take the needle diagonally across to D and bring the
needle backwards out through E.

c. Continue to make such crosses on both stitch lines

alternately. Make sure the diagonal stitches are parallel to
each other to bring out the best look.

9. Lazy daisy chain stitch

 a. Bring the thread out through A.
Put in the needle near A and bring it out through the
point B, but don’t pull the needle out completely.
Now, loop the thread around the needle, like we would in
chain stitch.

b. Pull out the needle out to tighten the loop.

Put in the needle just outside the chain created and that
will finish the lazy daisy stitch.

c. This stand alone stitch can be used freely to be a part of

any design. Since I have decided to make a flower, I will
proceed with making multiple lazy daisies around the
marked stitch line.

d. The completed flower made of multiple lazy daisies.

10. Looped stitch

a. Lay the foundation by doing a running stitch.
Take a contrasting colored thread and bring it out from
near the first running stitch

b. Start following the pekinese stitch technique. Take the

needle in through the second stitch and come out
through the first, making a loop.

c. Continue this action of ‘looping’ using the running stitch

foundation, as illustrated.

d. Finish up the pattern for it to look like this.

11. Running stitch

 a. Bring the needle out at 1.

b. Insert needle down at 2

c. Continue steps a and b, working right to left, to make

several running stitches. Check that the stitches on
both and wrong sides of fabric are of equal length.
d.
12. Satin stitch
a. Bring the needle out through A and put it in through B.
So, that makes a stitch which covers a small area
between the stitch lines.

b. Now, bring the needle back through C, a point very close

to A. Continue this action over the two stitch lines.

c. Once finished, the area is filled as shown . You will be

spending as much thread on the reverse side as you do
on the actual side of the fabric.

13. Split
a. Bring out the thread out through A and put it in through B

b. Take the needle backwards to bring it out through C. Note

that C lies half way between A and B.
 c. While bringing out the thread through C, take it in between
the thread, splitting it into two

d. Again, put the needle in through D to bring it out through

B, splitting the thread

e. Continue this procedure to finish the stitch. The only thing

to keep in mind is to split the thread when bringing the
needle out. In some way, it will give you a visual feel of
chain stitch

f. The reverse of the fabric will give you a back stitch pattern

14. Seed Stitch

a. Make rows of short running stitch as illustrated. You need
not do row after row, as long as the strawberry seed
pattern is more or less maintained.

b. Try not bend with the curves of the pattern. The rows of
running stitch should essentially be done in straight lines.

15. Stem Stitch

a. Bring out the thread through A and take it in through B.
Take the needle backwards and bring the thread out
through C. Make sure the point C lies over the stitch A-B.

b. You need to note that the point C lies about half way
through A and B. Also note that C lies on top of the stitch
A-B. So, all the subsequent stitch points will lie on top their
previous stitch.
c. Take the needle in through D. Try to mark D in such a
way that the point B will lie half way through C-D. Bring
the needle out through B.

d. So, the pattern of two stitches of the stem stitch will be

as shown above.