Ever wondered how to design an embroidery kit? I’ve got you! After 6 years of building a collection of designs and kits that I’m really proud of, I feel like I’ve got my process pretty down pat at this point, so I thought I’d share what it typically looks like.

I’m going to use my Glenfinnan Viaduct hoop kit as an example because it’s one of my most recent designs and I made sure to document the process for you!

1. Look at reference pictures and create a sketch

Since my ideas tend to come from local landmarks or nature scenes, I usually have some pretty clear reference pictures in mind when I start creating a design. I’ll get them up on my laptop to refresh my memory and then start sketching. I used to use good old pen and paper, but now I have a snazzy laptop pen so I just draw straight onto my screen. I usually play around with a few different ideas until I settle on the one that I like the most and that I think will work the best as an embroidery.

2. Choose fabric and thread colours 

Next up, I browse my fabric and thread collections in order to pick out a winning combo for the piece. Sometimes the pairings just jump out at me but other times it can prove to be trickier - I have such a wide variety of thread colours at the studio that honing in on the right ones can take a while!

In the case of this Viaduct piece, it was made slightly easier by the fact that I knew I wanted it to be similar to my Circus Lane and Victoria Street kits. This made the fabric choice straightforward and allowed me to concentrate more on the thread combos. 

3. Do a test stitch (with unpicking and reworking!)

Once all my materials are chosen, it’s time to get stitching. I print the design onto Solvy transfer paper, stick it to my backing fabric and start embroidering. Doing a sample is really the only way to know if the vision I have in my mind looks right in real life. 

Once I’m near the end, I’ll wash off the Solvy paper to get a better idea of how the thread colours are sitting against the backing fabric colour. This is especially important when I’m using a darker background as the white Solvy paper is obviously completely different! The Glenfinnan piece is a perfect example of why this process is essential - the dark green hills at the back of the design looked great against the transfer but they absolutely weren't working against the dark backing. I unpicked them and changed them to a lighter shade and the result was much better!

A sample isn’t only useful for testing colour combos, though. All my designs combine a variety of different stitch types - anything from the basics of backstitch, satin stitch and chain stitch to more advanced choices like French knots, picot stitch and turkey work. Sewing the sample allows me to test different stitches and textures for different design elements, making sure they sit cohesively together. 

4. Finalise the pattern and restitch a final sample

When I’ve finished the initial sample and I’m happy with all my changes and choices, I’ll do a final sample, taking pictures of each stage as I go so that I can include them in the instructions. 

5. Write up the instructions

Finally, I’ll write up all the instructions alongside the images and make a coloured key for the design. I love to make our instructions as detailed as possible so that they’re super easy to follow. Then I get my team (hi, Ali and Emma!) to proofread them. It’s always useful to get some fresh eyes on something after you’ve spent so long immersed in it. 

If you’re making a PDF pattern then you’re pretty much done at this point! We offer a lot of full kits that come with all the necessary materials, so the real final step is gathering all the parts and packing them up into our boxes, ready to send off to our lovely customers!

If you’d like to see some videos of the stitching process of the Glenfinnan Viaduct piece, I also documented sewing the sample over on my Instagram. Take a look here!