How to Embroider on Denim

Nothing says 1960s more than a pair of well-worn jeans embellished with lavishly hand-embroidered flowers, butterflies and peace signs. Styles and politics have changed since that era, but the beauty of artfully rendered stitches worked on a favorite pair of pants endures. Embroidery is a calming pastime and, depending on the simplicity of the transfer design, can be completed in a few hours.

Instructions

1

Wash, dry and iron the jeans. Baste around the perimeter of the design area with sewing thread. Turn the jeans inside out. Cut a piece of stabilizer fabric 1 inch larger on all sides than the area of the design. Position the stabilizer over the design area and fuse it to the denim, following product instructions. Turn the pants right-side out.

2

Place one jean leg on an ironing surface. Position the hot-iron transfer, ink side down, onto the right side of the denim within the design area. Apply a dry, hot iron to the back side of the transfer, according to product details. For a custom design, make a freehand pencil drawing on tissue paper. Pin the tissue to the fabric, hand stitch the design elements and then spray the tissue with water. Pull the dissolving paper away from the basting stitches.

3

Choose the types of stitches, floss colors and thicknesses for each design feature. Place an embroidery hoop securely around the design area and pull fabric evenly to create equal tension across the surface. Thread a needle with 18 inches of floss and work stitches accordingly. Continue stitching in the chosen colors until the entire design has been worked. Remove the embroidery hoop. Place the jean leg on the ironing board and cover the embroidered area with a small towel. Press and steam the embellishment carefully.

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