Our silver seahorse shimmers and shines like a jewel of the sea – with ribbonwork seaweeds to add a contrasting texture

BY JOYCE WONG

SEE PAGE 63 FOR THE TEMPLATES FOR THIS PROJECT

www.stitchmag.co.uk

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Summer’s here and so are trips to the beach! If you don’t fancy a splash in the sea, perhaps you’d enjoy stitching this little seahorse. I’ve matched silver and turquoise metal wires in this project to create cool summer vibes. Ribbonwork seaweeds are also added to make this design extra 3D and fun.

YOU WILL NEED

MATERIALS

• Fabric:

- Silk, Light blue: 25 x 25cm

- Lightweight calico: 25 x 25cm

- Felt, White: 20 x 20cm

- Backing fabric, cotton (plain or print of your choice): 25 x 25cm

• Threads:

- Gutermann linen sewing thread:143 (Light blue), 800 (White) & 189 (Turquoise)

- DMC stranded cotton, BLANC, 3847 (Turquoise) & 166 (Green)

- Buttonhole thread, any colour (for plunging) and beige (for finishing the back)

• Metal thread: (a) Silver Japanese thread, K4, 5m

-(b) Silver check thread, 16, 2m

-(c) Silver bright check, No 6, 2m

- (d) Silver 3 ply Twist, 2m

- (e) Silver pearl purl No 1, 45cm

- (f) Silver pearl purl No 3, 45cm

- (g) Silver smooth purl, No 6, 25cm

- (h) Silver smooth purl, No 8, 25cm

- (i) Silver Spangles, 3mm, 12 pieces

- (j) Turquoise pearl purl, No 1, 25cm

- (k) Turquoise bright check, No 6, 25cm

• Silk ribbon, Olive green, 4mm wide

EQUIPMENT

• Pounce

• Pad (for rubbing the pounce)

• Tracing paper

• Soft brush

• Watercolour: white

• Fine painting brush

• HB Pencil or water-soluble fabric pen

• Pins

• Fine waterproof pen

• Embroidery scissors

• White soft string (or tapestry cotton)

• Bee wax

• Mellor

• Tweezers

• Embroidery hoop: 6.5 inch

• Needles:

- Embroidery needle, Size 10 and 12

- Chenille needle, Size 20

- Curved needle, Size 12

STITCHES & TECHNIQUES

Back Stitch, Chain Stitch, Couching, Slip Stitch, Stab Stitch

See Stitch Guide for full stitch formation details.

Finished size: 13 x 11 cm, to fit a 6.5 in hoop

PREPARATION

1 Put the calico underneath the silk fabric and place them in a hoop together.

2 Transfer the design with the prick and pounce method. Place tracing paper on top of the template and trace the design with a pencil or a marker.

3 Put the tracing paper on a soft surface such as a towel or a polystyrene block. Use a Size 10 embroidery needle to prick holes along the lines.

4 Position the tracing paper on the fabric. Pin on four sides to hold it in place.

5 Use a soft pad to rub pounce through the holes in circular movements. Carefully remove the pins and lift the tracing paper without disturbing the pounce.

6 Use a fine painting brush and watercolour (white) to join the dots.

7 Use a soft brush to remove the pounce.

8 Cast on a Light blue sewing thread (143) with a Size 10 needle to add stab stitches on the seahorse, of which the area will be covered later. Starting from the centre of the area, make very small stitches which are around 1cm apart, in rounds until the whole area is worked.