#Free crewel embroidery patterns how to#

We love Elbesee hoops, as seen above, for their availability, size range and their durability, they’re real box tickers!Īs crewel embroidery is defined not by style but by the type of yarn used to do it, you can use all your favourite embroidery stitches when practising crewel embroidery. There aren’t any specific hoops needed for crewel embroidery – any will do the trick – so you’ll have no trouble sourcing them from your local haberdashery or favourite online craft shop. Both Hemline and Prym needles are a firm favourite of crewel embroiderers. They can be found in packs of multiple sizes to give you more suitable options when working with a range of different fabrics. Combining the advantages of both being heavy weight and having a distinctive and textured diagonal weave makes it the perfect base for your crewelwork.Ĭrewel needles have a longer eye which makes threading them so much easier when working with a thicker thread/yarn such as 2-ply. The most universally recognised fabric for crewel embroidery is Linen Twill for the strong foundation it provides.

DMC’s Soft Cotton 1-ply threads are also perfect for crewel embroidery, tapestry work, weaving and more and are available in a huge variety of colours and shades!Īppletons: Lovecrafts, £0.89 Fabric for crewel embroidery Their 2-ply wool comes in 25m skeins and boasts hard-wearing and long-lasting qualities that have stitchers falling in love over and over. If you’re already an avid embroiderer or fibre artist, it’s likely that you’ll have almost everything you need in your creative toolbox already! However, if you’re a budding craftsperson just itching to delve into the world of crewelwork, here are some of the things you’ll need…Īn all-time favourite amongst crewel embroiderers, Appletons have been producing high-quality crewel yarn in a vast range of shades for almost 200 years. Some vintage Elsa Williams embroidery kits can still be found popping up across Etsy and eBay! Much of the hype around crewel embroidery during this time was headed by artists such as Erica Wilson, Mildred J. Historically, crewelwork was used to heavily decorate cushions, curtains, bedding and wall hangings.Ĭrewel embroidery experienced a revival in the 1960s and 70s with bright floral designs of the era in oranges, teals, yellows, purples and more. It is one of the oldest forms of surface stitching – at least a thousand years old – and the technique itself is steeped in history, with the earliest surviving example being The Bayeux Tapestry.Īt the height of its pre-20 th century popularity, crewel embroidery appeared most prominently in Jacobean England, when the grand houses and buildings of the sixteenth and seventeenth-century were being built and the demand for luxurious furnishings increased. Also referred to as crewelwork, it is a popular decorative stitching technique that has stood the test of time and continues to impassion makers to this day. In simple terms, crewel embroidery is just normal embroidery using 1-ply or 2-ply wool Its name is derived from the type of yarn that was used – krua – which means wool. If you're a complete newbie to embroidery check out our embroidery for beginners guide and our roundup of the top embroidery starter kits.

#Free crewel embroidery patterns how to#

Have you ever heard the term crewel embroidery and been completely bewildered as to what it actually is and how it differs from normal embroidery? Here is everything you need to know about where this fantastic technique comes from, what makes it so popular and how to do it, including a free pattern so you can get started right now!