Product Description
This dictionary gives you the stitches and techniques for Norman the Tortoise, the first project in the Crewel Creatures book. If you would like to order this dictionary along with the full kit, you can do so here.
In it you will find video clips of all the stitches and techniques used in these designs. Along with each video clip on the tuition page there is a downloadable and printable document that gives you step-by-step written instructions with illustrations.
Each video clip is worked as a sample stitch or technique on a shape (usually a circle) or a line. The downloadable instructions include a template for the shapes, or they set out the length of the line you should draw on your doodle cloth when you experiment with the stitch or technique. Apart from the 3-dimensional beaded elements, all of the samples are worked with thicker thread and larger beads than those used in the project. This is for the sake of clarity, so that you will see exactly how each stitch is formed. When attempting the techniques, particularly those that are challenging, it is advised that you do so on a doodle cloth using the same thread and/or beads, which are mentioned in the short paragraph below each video clip. Do each one as many times as you like, perhaps changing to finer thread and smaller beads. When you feel that you understand what you are doing, you can move onto the project.
If you would like to see samples of similar video clips and downloadable instructions, visit our free access pages here or here. Click on any of the stitches on those pages and you will be taken to a page that, in each instance, is similar to the stitches and techniques in this dictionary (if a bit shorter and more simple) . As it happens, some of them feature in this dictionary because they feature in this project.
Divided into categories and thereafter listed alphabetically, the stitches and techniques in the video dictionary are as under:
Embroidery Stitches
| Backstitch with variations |
| Blanket and buttonhole stitch |
| Blanket stitch: padded & striped |
| Bullion knots with variations |
| Chain stitch with variations |
| Fly stitch with variations |
| French & colonial knots with variations |
| Long and short stitch shading |
| Outline stitch |
| Portuguese knotted stem stitch |
| Raised stem stitch |
| Satin stitch |
| Stem and whipped stem stitch |
| Trellis couching basic |
| Up and down buttonhole stitch |
| Vermicelli couching: single, double and shaded |
| Woven trellis couching |
Bead Embroidery Stitches
| Attaching beads to fabric |
| Bead couching |
| Beaded Knotted Cable Chain |
| Beaded Wheatear stitch |
| Caged Crystals |
3-D Embroidery Techniques
Whether you are right handed or left handed, the bead work videos cater for you by providing video clips and instructions for both.
| 4-bead flower – right handed and left handed |
| 6-bead flower – right handed and left handed |
| 6-bead buds – right handed and left handed |
| 8-bead flower – right handed and left handed |
| Leaves – right handed and left handed |
| Attaching 3-D elements – right handed and left handed |
Needle Weaving Patterns
In addition to the patterns listed below, you will find a link to a document that explains all the ins and outs of using modified loom weaving patterns for needle weaving.
| Basic needle weaving |
| Pattern no. 2 |
| Texture no. 9 |
When you order this dictionary, our website will email you the access document to the private domain where you will find this dictionary. If you order it with the full kit, your kit will be shipped to you but the access document will still arrive by email. This is because you will need to click on the link provided in the document which will take you to the tuition page. Which you can do manually but, when you get there, you will be asked for a password and that’s not so easy to type in. I’ve had lots of fun making up the passwords and you will need to copy and paste them into the little box that asks for the password. It will be all but impossible to do it any other way.
You will also receive a templates document. All of the templates are the same shape and size as those used in the video demonstration so that if you choose to, you can work identical samples.
The intention of this video dictionary is to provide you with as much instruction as is possible, without physically being in the same room as you and teaching you in person.