Floral Frame Embroidery

Floral Frames.
Connect with creativity. Create memories.

(Framing ideas coming SOON!)

Floral Frame Kits can be found Exclusively on UncommonGoods.com. This blog post is meant to supplement the information that is in the kit instructions. Hope you have fun with making your floral frame! Have questions or comments? I'm always looking to improve my kits and instructions. Email me at Amy@KellerDesignCo.com.

These unique floral frames are so much fun! Once you stitch the floral design, add your favorite photo memory You can switch out the photo too!

Although the designs for each floral frame kit in the series will be different, the technique is the same. Here is an overview of how to get started, in progress photos and a few different ways to frame your embroidery!

As you stitch, I'd LOVE to see your progress! Post it to IG and tag me @KellerDesignCo !

If you purchased one of my Floral Frame kits you should have received the following:

Printed Fabric- You can stitch as much or as little as you want!
8" hoop
Instruction packet
6 strand DMC Floss- full skeins!
2 Needles
Link to my Full Stitch Guide to learn even more stitches! You can find the Stitch Guide here.

You will need:

Small scissors for snipping thread.
Thin cotton backing. While this is not absolutely necessary, I really prefer to use another layer on the back of the printed fabric. By using a thin piece of cotton fabric, this will help stabilized the stitches and give your project a little more weight. Cut it to the size of the printed fabric.
Optional: Thimble
Optional but nice to have is a hoop stand. I have one I bought years ago that attached to the edge of my desk and I love it! Similar to this photo, but you can do a search and find one that you like. You can also try using a smaller hoop if the 8" size is too large to manage. Try using a hoop stand so both of your hands are free to stitch and you don't have to worry about holding the hoop.
Snacks, definitely snacks.
Frame. I will go over a few ideas for framing including the hoop that you use to stitch the floral frame.

Getting Started:

Think about how you want to approach the embroidery once you have it in the hoop. If flowers are overlapping the green vines and leaves, stitch the greenery first, and then stitch the flowers on top of that to create a more natural layered effect.

BUT, if you forget to stitch the greenery first, like I did here, it's ok! You can simply stitch under the flower petals by maneuvering your needle a bit.
STITCH TIP: When you are stitching a color, green of the stem for example, you can add extra details like French knots so you don't have to stop and start a new piece of thread. Just make sure the length of thread traveling on the backside isn't too long.
STITCH TIP: If your stitches are getting to close the edge of the embroidery hoop, loosen the hoop and move the fabric so that the area you are stitching is easier to get to. See below where the red arrows are pointing.
After you've finished stitching your florals you will want to lightly iron the backside of it. I don't iron directly onto the front side of the stitches as this will flatten them. Place a fluffy towel on your ironing board and then place the embroidery wrong side up. You can lightly spritz it with water and gently iron around the embroidery and in the center. Only iron where the stitches are if you need to.
When you are ready to start adding your photo, make sure the stitched embroidery is placed where you want it to be in the hoop. You will need to tug around the edge and tighten the screw at the top a few times to get it placed perfectly. Be patient with this process.
STITCH TIP: When you are stitching the corners to keep your photo in place, put a few pieces of tape on the back of the photo to keep it in place while you stitch. You can remove the tape later.
Slip the corners of your photo into the corner stitches you made. Be gentle and patient with this process. If the stitches seem to tight or the photo isn't fitting properly, you can take the stitches out by cutting them and just starting over.
Tag me at @KellerDesignCo on IG so I can see what you're creating!

Here are some more reference photos of the Floral Frame kits so you can see some of the details better!

Add more star stitches or French knots if you want to add extra details.

Frame Options (more ideas coming soon!)

Explore different framing options for your finished embroidery piece. My favorite frames are from Modern Hoopla. You basically keep the fabrc in the frame and then secure the hoop into the back of the wood frame. They are simple, beautiflly made and modern.
You can also take your embroidery to a local frame shop and have them frame it for you. My favorite frame shop in Portland is Luke's and I've been going there for years! They are so professional and do a great job of framing my embroideries.

Happy stitching,

Amy