Sewing machine that will enable you to do freehand embroidery

Darning foot

1 piece of Aquatics Romeo 20x20cm

Anchor Alcazar 1 spool each of shades: 814, 332 & 547

Anchor Alcazar Metallic 1 spool each of shades: 9311

Prym water soluble Pen (611808)

1 large bead

Several small pearl beads

Several small green beads

7 cm length hairgrip (H&M)

6” Anchor Embroidery hoop

Prym Fabric Glue (968001)

First make sure your machine is correctly set for free machine embroidery. Lower the dog feed and set the stitch length and tension to 0. Attach darning foot to machine and when working make sure the machine foot lever is lowered.

To use the embroidery hoop unscrew and lift out the inner hoop. Place the Aquatic over the outer hoop, press into place by laying the inner hoop over the top and press down. Tighten hoop and pull the fabric all round to ensure it is tight within the hoop. That way it will lay flat on the machine bed (this is the opposite way than for hand sewing).

With a pen trace the flower shape (2nd one down from top) from the inside of the packaging and for the flower centre draw a 25 mm circle onto the piece of Aquatics Romeo (making sure you don’t position them to near the hoop). Using Anchor Alcazar shade 332 pink embroider the flower shape in as many directions as possible so that all the stitches are joined (if not your work may disintegrate) until the whole petal has been covered. Using Anchor Alcazar in shade 814 purple stitch several lines of stitching at the centre of the flower working approx 1 cm up each petal. Now using Anchor Alcazar Metallic in shade 9311 work several lines of stitching at the top of each petal. For the flower centre use Anchor Alcazar in shade 547 green and work as for base colour of the petal, then work several lines of stitching on top using Anchor Alcazar Metallic in shade 9311. Remove from hoop and with scissors cut around the pieces leaving a 1cm border.

Hold the stitched pieces under a running warm tap until the Romeo dissolves. The less of the Romeo film that you wash out, the stiffer the finished article will be. To shape, bend the flower slightly in the palm of your hand and then leave to dry.

Take the flower centre and place on top of the flower. Place the large bead in the centre of the flower and stitch in place through all layers, then randomly add the pearl and green beads around the bead in the centre of the flower and stitch in place through all layers. Place the completed flower onto the hair slide and glue in place using fabric glue. Leave until glue is dry before wearing.