How to Do Embroidery on Dresses

Embroidery Basics

• 1). Pick out a dress that you would like to embroider. One hundred percent cotton materials work best for embroidery, especially for those still learning. If you pick a stretchy material, you will need to take extra care as you embroider not to overstretch the fabric, causing puckering and an uneven design.
  
  
• 2). Select a design that you would like to embroider and transfer the design onto your dress. Iron-on patterns are ideal for beginners.
  
  
• 3). Secure your fabric stabilizer to your dress using an embroidery hoop. Any section of your dress can be embroidered, depending on your personal taste and preference.
  
  
• 4). Stitch your pattern onto your dress. When your pattern is complete, remove the fabric stabilizer.
  
  

Embroidering a Flower

• 1). Thread your floss on your needle. Place your embroidery hoop over the section that you will be working on.
  
  
• 2). Make an isolated chain stitch. To do this, bring your needle up through the fabric and then back out through the same hole, leaving a loop of thread on the top side of your fabric. Bring your needle back up through the fabric, about a 1/4 inch from where you made the chain stitch. Pull your needle through the loop. Re-insert the needle, right beside where you came up through the fabric. This holds your loop in place.
  
  
• 3). Embroider a second isolated chain stitch next to the other one. Each chain stitch is one flower petal. Continue working in a circle, making chain stitches, until you have all the petals you desire.
  
  
• 4). Bring your needle up through the center of the flower. Work around this center spot, stitching several times, until you have a nice dot for the center of your flower.
  
  
• 5). Repeat steps 1 through 4 to add as many embroidered flowers as you like.