The honeycomb embroidery is made with small stitches that are used to curl the fabric creating a lovely pattern. You can use it to draw small gathers held together by colored thread, the perfect detail for a child's dress or a blouse bodice. Start from step 1 to learn a basic smock embroidery technique, called "honeycomb", which will allow you to add the perfect detail to the garment you are making.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparations
Step 1. Choose fabric and thread
Honeycomb embroidery can be done on any type of fabric, but you will have a better result on a thin fabric that is not too stretchy. Try thin cotton or linen if this is your first time making honeycomb. Choose embroidery thread of a similar or contrasting color to the fabric. The stitches must be seen to create a nice dotted pattern.
- The honeycomb embroidery gives the fabric greater elasticity and more wearability. You will need to take this into consideration when cutting the fabric for the garment you are making. Cut the fabric 2.5-3 times wider than what your project measurements require.
- If you don't want the stitches to show, choose plain thread (instead of thick embroidery thread) that is the same color as the fabric.
Step 2. Draw a grid of dots on the fabric
Use a fabric marker or pencil to create a grid of equidistant dots that cover the area you want to embroider. The grid can be square or rectangular. The dots can be close or far from each other, depending on how many folds you want to achieve. To start, you could draw the dots about 2.5 cm away from each other, both horizontally and vertically.
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- The dotted lines should be aligned with the texture of the fabric.
- Make sure that the dots are positioned along a straight line across the entire fabric, otherwise the honeycomb will be crooked.
- You can make the grid using transferable embroidery charts, so you don't have to worry about measuring the distances between the stitches. Look for honeycomb patterns in a specialized shop.
Step 3. Thread the thread into the needle
The first step is to use a needle and basting thread to gather the fabric and hold it in place. Thread the needle and tie the knot at one end to prevent it from crossing the fabric.
This thread will be cut off, so it doesn't matter what type it is. The folds will then be secured with decorative stitches, and that's when you'll use your pretty embroidery floss
Part 2 of 3: Making the Curls
Step 1. Make a small dot under the first dot
Pass the needle through the fabric on one side of the first dot and then let it come out on the other side. Pull the thread so that the knot at one end stops where the dot is.
Step 2. Continue stitching under each dot in the row
Pass the needle through the fabric on one side of the second dot and let it come out on the other. Do the same with the third dot and so on until the end of the row. Wrap the end of the thread around a pin to hold the stitches in place. Make the stitches neatly so that each dot has the same amount of space on both sides.
.-.-. -. -.-.
Step 3. Sew the remaining rows of dots
Thread the needle again and complete the next row in the same way. Continue sewing the remaining rows by attaching the ends of the thread to a pin.
.-.-. -. -.-.
. -. -. -. -.-.
. -. -. -. -.-.
. -. -. -. -. -.
Step 4. Curl the first two rows
Gently pull the thread of the first set of dots so that the fabric curls into small, even folds. The dots should be on top of the folds on the outside of the fabric. Keep the folds in place by tying the end of the thread to a pin or making another knot. Gather the second row the same way, making sure each fold is the same size as the first row.
Part 3 of 3: Sew the Gathers
Step 1. Thread the embroidery thread into the needle
It's time to use the beautiful colored thread you have chosen to create the honeycomb embroidery. Tie a knot at the end of the thread.
Step 2. Pass the needle through the first dot
Pull the thread so that it passes through the dot at the first fold.
Step 3. Sew the first and second folds
Move the needle towards the second fold. Insert the needle to the right of the dot and pass it under, so that it comes out on its left. Bring the needle back to the first fold and pass it under the dot from where the thread comes out. Pull the thread, then cross the point you made and pass the needle through the second fold. The complete stitch will look like a small "x" that curls the two folds together. Needle and thread should be under the fabric.
x -.-.-.-.
. -. -. -. -.-.
. -. -. -. -.-.
-. -. -. -. -.
Step 4. Pass the needle through the second dot of the second row
Skip the first dot of the second row and pass the needle through the second fold, right where the dot is marked.
Step 5. Sew the second and third folds
Move the needle towards the third fold. Insert the needle to the right of the dot and pass under it so that it comes out to the left. Move the needle towards the second fold and let it pass under the point from which the thread comes out. Pull the thread, then cross the point you made and pass the needle through the third fold to form the curl. The needle should be under the fabric.
x -.-.-. -.
. - x -. -.-.
. -. -. -. -.-.
-. -. -. -. -.
Step 6. Follow the honeycomb pattern to finish sewing the first two rows
Pass the needle through the next empty stitch on the top row. Using the same technique, sew it to the nearby fold, creating a small "x" and finding yourself with the needle under the fabric. Pass the needle through the next stitch on the second row and sew it to the nearby fold. Continue alternating rows until you have sewn all the folds of the first two rows. Knot the yarn at the back when you're done.
x - x - x
.- x - x - x
Step 7. Continue embroidering the remaining rows
Work in two rows at a time, using the same technique to sew the folds of the remaining rows with embroidery floss.
x - x - x
.- x - x - x
x - x - x
.- x - x - x
- Pull the gathers on the next two rows. Gently pull the yarn to create even curls, with dots at the top of each fold. Secure the thread by tying it to a pin at the end of each row.
- Sew the first and second folds in the first row, ending with the needle under the fabric.
- Sew the second and third folds in the second row, ending with the needle under the fabric (don't forget to skip the first dot!).
- Continue sewing adjacent pleats, alternating the first and second rows until you have sewn all the gathers together.
- Knot and cut the thread on the wrong side of the fabric.
Step 8. Cut and discard the basting thread
The thread you used at the beginning to hold the folds in place is no longer necessary. Untie it from the pins, pull it or cut it away so that only the stitching made with the embroidery thread remains.
Advice
- The amount of fabric you will use to make a honeycomb embroidered dress is greater than that you would use for the same dress without embroidery. For this reason, use an embroidery pattern and take this factor into account. Work on a test sample that is 7-8cm wide and see how much smaller it gets when you are done embroidering. This will be your benchmark.
- The number of gathers you will get depends on the thickness of the fabric. Thinner fabrics will create more creases, while thicker ones you will have less.
- If you are working on a faux leather fabric, place the dots farthest from each other, both horizontally and vertically.
