I really love writing for Taddle Creek. It feels like something that speaks to the things I love best- both writing and crafting, together. The latest summer issue has a new essay of mine, and instructions on a super-simple embroidery for cloth napkins.
A little embroidery design that I loved so much, I decide to do it on a cardigan, too:Â 
I know, I should have embroidered the stars on a higher-contrast napkin. I wanted something subtle! Something elegant! And after I did something subtle and elegant, then I wanted something more obvious. This was a really easy project, and took a lot less time than you’d think. Working in just one colour helps speed things up, but also it’s the super simple straight stitch- if you can stick a needle generally in the spot where you want it to go, you can do this project.
The cardigan is an old store-bought one from Old Navy, which I thought I’d wear and then never did because it didn’t seem to really add anything to an outfit. It sort of just blah-ed down whatever I was wearing, which wasn’t really my style. So, an otherwise well-fitting and cozy cardigan that I never wore because it was too blah was the PERFECT candidate for an embroidery upcycle!
Tips for Embroidering on the Cardigan
To make- I start with the template on Taddle Creek. You could print it out on dissolving stabilizer and repeat the design, but I just looked at it, lined it up at the front corner of my cardigan, and carried on the motif. I used an embroidery hoop to help keep my fabric in place while I stitched:
The hoop also helped provide a random shape to the stars as I moved around the sweater- I did this deliberately. Partly to make it easier and faster, but really because I love the effect- like star disappearing in a vast night sky. Or like a mountain range built of stars.
Don’t worry too much about making every stitch perfect, or you’ll probably drive yourselves crazy. The trick for something on this scale is that the effect comes from the amount of stars, not from the absolute perfection of each stitch. Very beginner friendly, but also great for when you want to relax with a project that is also going to make a ho-hum item of clothing something really special.
I hope you make this! Or at least read my essay. 😉 If you do make it, let me know- drop me a message or tag me on Instagram. Happy reading & stitching!
I love this project so much! I’m sure when I dig out my fall clothes I will find the perfect cardigan to embroider. Thank you for sharing- it’s brilliant.
Oh I hope you do!! It was such a fun one to stitch.
I live in cardigans in colder months (or if faced with working in the office) But. It is currently sweltering, At the moment, I cannot face even touching one.
This would be great for a t-shirt! Now to determine a candidate…
oh this would be so cute on a t-shirt! great idea!
This is gorgeous!
I would love to do something like it, but I wonder about the back. Maybe these questions arise because I am mostly a non-embroiderer, but do you cut the thread and weave in the ends for each star? Do you pull the thread from one star to the next? If so, does it not leave large floats at the back? Do you line that part of the cardigan afterwards? Please please enlighten me so that I can further my crafting skills!
Evelyne
PS. Thank you for sharing your crafty and literary pursuits. The essay is lovely.
Great question! I don’t do long floats, but I use the smaller stars in between as bridges for shorter floats. The stars are all pretty close together. And the floats don’t seem to be catching on anything.
You knocked that one out of the park! WOW . PErfect stitches for that sweater
Oh thank you so much! I really appreciate that. 🙂
Thank you! That makes sense. Okay. I am totally going to try this. I’m going to hunt in my closet to find that piece that is currently blissfully ignorant about the fact that it is about to be poked into a new existence. Thank you so much!