Months of the Year Floral Tile Scene How do you create an embroidery scene that is sixteen inches wide by twelve inches high? There is no embroidery hoop that can embroider a design that big so we actually created the large scene as twelve individual blocks that you then piece together to create a complete scene. The theme we chose for this endeavor is the "flowers of the month". As you know, each month of the year has a corresponding flower, we incorporated all twelve of these flowers into one giant scene. This tutorial will show you how to sew the squares together to create the scene, add frames to the squares for small projects, and how to create an even bigger wall hanging that includes the portrait and all of the individual flowers. STEP: 1 STEP: 2 This wallhanging can be done in two different sizes. In our Floral Tile Scene Design Pack we offer you the scene in two sizes so that you can embroider the designs in a 4x4 hoop or, for an even larger finished project, a 5x7 hoop. This is a project in itself but as an added bonus we included the twelve flowers done by themselves in two different sizes, as well as all of the flower names and months, plus frames to create The fabric we chose plays a very important role in the other projects for a total of 62 designs. creation of the project. We chose a medium green printed cotton pattern for the background, so that when there are gaps in the design you see little pieces of green showing through which actually creates the illusion of more embroidery in the background. The other fabric choices complement the flowers in the design. We used a fabric with a woodgrain print for the bias and trim. Use a bright decorative fabric for the trim around the quilt. Use a solid fabric for behind the individual flower designs running along the sides of the tile scene. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 1 of 8
STEP: 3 STEP: 4 This is the basic layout for the wall hanging. The individual flowers are in a 5" finished square, bias strips over the seams and bordered with 1" strips. The scene is bordered with 1 3/4" strips joined with mitered corners. You could fill in the section above and below the scene with a patchwork design or as we did with the background fabric and quilt a decorative design in that area. The whole quilt is bound with a half inch binding. Because the quilt is square, the binding is cut on the straight of grain, it does not have to be on the bias. DO NOT FORGET TO ADD SEAM ALLOWANCES! Select the design sizes you would like, and embroider all 12 tile designs in the same size on the background fabric you have chosen. Be certain to embroider them all the same size, and leave room between your designs to cut each one out with a 1/2" seam allowance of fabric. As you embroider, you may use the thread colors we suggest in the design pack, or please feel free to select your own colors. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 2 of 8
STEP: 5 STEP: 6 This is the original painting that the scene was created from. The colors we used in the design are listed in but feel free to choose your own colors. As you now know there are twelve different flowers with twelve different sets of colors. We tried to make choosing colors as easy as possible for this design so we suggest choosing your colors for each flower and carrying those same colors into each different square. We listed each element individually on the color sheets to make this easy for you. You can also see how the project was divided into a grid, each grid square has a number, for your reference. Press each section and leave the outline basting stitch. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 3 of 8
STEP: 7 STEP: 8 Using a rotary cutter and transparent ruler, trim the embroidered squares leaving a half inch all around. Be exact! Remove the stabilizer from the back by trimming as close as possible to the basting stitch outline. STEP: 9 STEP: 10 Your sections are ready to piece together. Align the cut edges and check to be sure the basted outlines match because you should be stitching as close as possible next to the basting stitch as you join each section. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 4 of 8
STEP: 11 STEP: 12 When you open each section your embroideries will blend together with only a slight separation. Sew the tiles together in strips, joining piece #1 to #2, then #3, then #4. Continue with #5 through #8 and #9 through #12. STEP: 13 STEP: 14 Press seams open and then join strips together. The three strips are then ready for joining. Use a pin to line up the seams perfectly. This is an important step, so be as accurate as possible and sew together using the outline basting stitch as a guide. Stitch right next to, not on top of, the basting stitch. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 5 of 8
STEP: 15 STEP: 16 Keep the seam allowances open and flat when joining the strips. If you have a seam stick available, use it to press seam allowances open. This will give a superior crease. STEP: 17 STEP: 18 When pressing the front side of your embroidery, use a pressing cloth! Pre-made fusible bias tape may be used for the seam coverage or use a bias tool and create your own. 4mm is preferred as it is the narrowest. You may also use 1/8" bias tape, or you can use 1/8" narrow ribbon and a 2mm twin needle. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 6 of 8
STEP: 19 STEP: 20 Make or use a bias tape as thin as you can and sew the strips down using a twin needle that fits your bias fabric strips. Size 2.5 works with the 4mm. I sewed the longest strips across first, then the shorter strips up and down. STEP: 21 STEP: 22 Here is the Floral Tile scene framed with the same fabric we used for the bias strips. The floral scene looks beautiful in a picture frame done in this way. Here is a closeup of the strips sewn with the twin needle. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 7 of 8
STEP: 23 STEP: 24 You can use the included frames to create interesting projects as well. If you just wanted to create one square for application on a garment simply merge the two designs together in your software and embroider as a standard design. The other thing you can do as illustrated here is to create 12 individual framed squares and sew them onto a larger project separated for a unique look. Here is the finished wall hanging made according to the layout shown in step 3. It uses every individual flower design and the complete Floral Tile scene. There is a quilted tone on tone pattern in the sections above and below the large window scene. Copyright(C)2006 Embroidery Central, Inc. Page 8 of 8