Melissa Galbraith, designer of the popular Textural Terrarium Embroidery in EGA’s Free Projects library, is back with another design for our Outside the Hoop project series. Provided with the permission of Fox Chapel Publishing, Melissa has generously shared the Stumpwork embroidery Gingko Earrings from her new book, 3D Botanical Embroidery and Stumpwork: 17 Thread Projects to Make, Wear, and Display. Learn more about Melissa Galbraith in our Community Spotlight on MCreativeJ.
These earrings offer a wonderful introduction to stumpwork embroidery. Celebrate autumnal ginkgo leaves with these dangle earrings!
Embroidery Level:
Beginner
Materials and Instruments
- Gingko Leaf Design – download it here!
- 4″ (10.2cm) embroidery hoop
- Tulle fabric
- Water-soluble transfer paper
- 26-gauge wire
- Wire cutters
- #5 embroidery needle
- DMC thread colors: 11, 12, 17, 581, 783, 3821
- Embroidery scissors
- Glue stick
- Kidney wire earring hooks
Stitches + Techniques You Will Use
Notes
The Gingko Leaf Earrings utilize an embroidery technique known as Thread Painting. For detailed Thread Painting instructions, refer to Melissa’s tutorials here and in the video below.
Instructions
Place two layers of tulle into the hoop. Trace the pattern and press the stabilizer onto the tulle. Use 1 strand of DMC 783 + Loop Start & Couching & Buttonhole Stitch to stitch the outline. Use 1 strand of DMC 3821 + Thread Painting to fill the outermost layer. Slide in between the wire and buttonhole loop.
Rows two and three: Use 1 strand of DMC 17 + Thread Painting to fill row two. Fill the third row using 1 strand of DMC 11 + Thread Painting.
Rows four and five: Use 1 strand of DMC 12 + Thread Painting to fill row four. Fill the last row using 1 strand of DMC 581 + Thread Painting. Repeat for the second leaf.
Remove from the hoop. Rinse away the stabilizer. Lay flat to dry. Trim away the excess fabric. Use wire cutters to trim the wire to 1″ (2.5cm) away from the base of the embroidery.
Finish wire. Use 1 strand of DMC 783 + Wire Wrap. Start ½” (1.3cm) away from the base. Once ¼” (6.4mm) of the wire is wrapped, fold the center of that section in half, then continue to wrap the folded wire. Use a glue stick to adhere the thread. Slide the loop onto the earring wire.
