13 July 2015

Embroidered Mini Mandala Tutorial

Some of you here, in Facebook and Instagram have asked me for a tutorial to make an Embroidered Mandala.

I made this little mandala project specially for you, using basic stitching tools, few supplies and simple stitches. I hope you like it.




TOOLS AND SUPPLIES:

This is what I used but you can adapt it to what you have in hand. You can use almost any fabric or embroidered threads for this project.


Supplies:

5 x 5 cm piece of 100% Wool Felt in Violet
DMC Stranded Cotton 340, 3810 and 3819
Italian Seta Bozzolo 24wt Silk Thread #300
Opaque Lime Green 11/0 Japanese Glass Seed Beads

Tools:

Crewel/Embroidery Needle Size 3 for all the stitches but the weaving.
Tapestry Needle Size 24 for weaving the Whipped Spider Web.
Straw/Milliners Needle Size 10 for beading.
Embroidery Scissors
Thread Heaven Conditioner & Protectant to protect and strengthen the beading thread.

Some Extras:
(not in the photo)

Helix Metric Circle Template
Bohin Extra Fine Chalk Pencil 3-in-1

STITCHES USED:

Stem Stich
Fly Stitch
Beading
Whipped Spider Web Stitch / Backed Stitched Spider's Web
Chain Stitch

LETS START:

Using the circle template and the chalk pen, I divided my felt square in four to mark the centre, then I traced a 3.5 cm diameter circle.


Using three strands of DMC Stranded Cotton 3819 work a row of Stem Stitch over the circle.



Using the marked cross as a guide trace a concentric 2 cm diameter circle.


Using three strands of DMC Stranded Cotton 340 work side by side Fly Stitches, using the circle as starting point and working outwards.



Again, using the marked chalk cross trace a second concentric circle, this time about 1 cm diameter.


With three strands of DMC Stranded Cotton 3810 work a Whipped Sider Web using the circle as a guide.




Using the silk thread or any other beading thread, attach the beads in the area between the Stem Stitch and the Fly Stitch, one bead between two Fly Stitches.



Now with three strands of DMC Stranded Cotton 3819 and using the row of Fly Stitches as guide, make a second row of Fly Stitches this time working inwards.



Finally, with three strands of DMC Stranded Cotton 3810 work a row of Chain Stitch outside the Stem Stitch.



Your mandala is finished!

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial, please feel free to contact me with any question you may have.