Today, I show you how to use the feather stitch to make this fun pair of deep-sea inspired pants.
**UPDATE: Giveaway closed! Thanks everyone for entering, our winner is Lea Ann who said, "My favorite creature in the sea is the SEAHORSE!!" Great choice Lea Ann :) We'll get in touch with you via email soon!
All you need is a pair of plain old pants, some embroidery floss in coordinating colors, and a needle!
Cut a piece of floss 18-25" long -- shorter is better since it tangles less, but it's frustrating to have to keep rethreading...
Pull the floss apart into individual strands, one at a time; then, put three strands back together again and thread your needle. This step is a little tedious, but it really cuts down on the number of tangles! Knot your threads together at one end.
Ready to do the feather stitch?
1. Bring your needle up to the right side of the fabric.
2. Put your needle back down into the fabric, about 1/4" away from where it just exited. Then, bring the point up directly below the initial stitch point. Wrap your floss around the point of the needle. It can help to think that you're drawing an equilateral triangle with each stitch.
3. Gently pull the floss through.
4. For your second stitch, you have two options: stitch again on the same side, or stitch on the opposite side. You can see both options in the picture above. This will change which way the seaweed "branches". I enjoy alternating directions, but throwing in a stitch or two in the same direction every now and then gives a slightly different effect.
5. When you reach the end, bring your thread to the backside, making a tiny stitch to hold the final loop in place. Tie off your floss on the back.
Embroider more rows of feather stitching! You can vary the number of strands used at a time (I stitched with three, two and one strands) as well as the color -- this gives a very interesting, multi-textured look, without taking a terribly long time.
Then, just for kicks, I added a few rows of featherstitching to the back pocket -- and used satin stitch to sew on a tiny fish! (He's entirely optional though :)
Now your doll has some splashy new pants to wear whenever she feels the urge to pretend she's deep sea diving...
Thanks everybody, and have fun with this!
For Pixie Faire,
Melinda
My favorite is the amazing sea turtle
Adorable!!
I love going to the beach for a few days. I love to watch the Dolphins, they are so graceful in the water. It is such a relaxing time.
I’m partial to the seahorse.
My favourite creature of the sea is…the Clown Fish…especially the one named Nemo! I just loved that movie and my hubby had a number of Clown Fish in our aquarium when he had one up. Their markings are so cute! Brilliant colours too.
Thanks for the fun contest!
Mary Margaret
My favourite sea creatures are starfish.
My favorite sea creature is the Sea Hawk!
My favorite creature of the sea is the artic narwhal, unicorn of the ocean.
Love seahorses. Great idea for customising our doll clothes.
My favorite sea creature is the Seahorse. So otherworldly and unique!
My choice would have to be the octypus (never could spell) because they are so good at getting things from very small enclosed places.
I love the big ole turtles.I am amazed at how long they can live.God must love them also to let them grow so very old.
I love dolphins because they look so playful
I love the sea turtles since visiting Hawaii and I was able to touch one as I swam beside.
My favorite creature of the sea is the mermaid.
Cute idea! Sea otters are my favorite! I could spend hours in front of their enclosure at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Love the otter cam from there so I can watch their playfulness on a whim!
I would love to enter! My favorite creature in the sea is probably the dolphin. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love most of the creatures in the sea, but if I had to pick, probably the coral is my favorite. Its so colorful and I always find inspiration in it. When I first saw these pants though, the first thing that went through my mind was “Percy Jackson (son of Poseidon, Greek god of the sea) meets dolls!” I may or may not be obsessed with these two worlds!
I love whales!
My favorite creature of the sea is… the Sea Horse.. My grandmother used to have a saltwater tank and had sea horses in there. watching them holding onto the branches of the seaweed/plants and swaying with the current of tank was just breathtaking.
neat! this is so cool! i love to color and beautifully made. star quality! A+++
My favorite sea creature is the sea turtle
My favorite creature in the sea is the cuttlefish. They are such amazing creatures! They can change their skin pattern in an instant, and they have amazing steering abilities.
My favorite creature of the sea is the dolphin.
I love the Angel fish I see when snorkelling
My favourite sea creature is the Orca !
manatee…they are such gentle giants!
I love rays. They are so cute and graceful. Most are also really gentle and intelligent too. A friend of mine who scuba dives told me it was really fun to swim with the Manta rays. Bat rays are small and super cute.
My favorite sea creature are sea horses. so tiny and delicate.
Manta rays are so gracefull. They are my favorite sea creature.
My favorite creatures in the sea are all the beautiful and exotic Jelly Fish. Just mesmerizing to watch!
My favorite creature of the sea is dolphins.
“My favorite creature of the sea is”…..dolphins.
What a nice job! So cute.
seal. I always wanted one as a pet!
My favorite creature in the sea is the fictional mermaid. Though she is not real she inspires hope and dreams. You can’t help but think of a mermaid and not have happy thoughts. She may be fictional but she is still fabulous!
The pants are soooo CUTE – Love the embroidery. Thank you for all the free patterns You are Great – I love the dolphins.
My favorite creature in the sea is a whale so big and beautiful!
My favorite creature in the sea is the sea dragon.
the graceful dolphin; love to send slack to a 7 yr. girl who’s mom passed away when she was very young. lives with an uncle and grandma
My favorite sea creature is a flounder. They are interesting in appearance, fun to catch and taste good.
My favorite sea creature would have to be the dolphin!
These embroidered pants are Awesome!! :)
Love Sea Turtles! also Dolphins!
My favorite creature of the sea is a jellyfish. They are so graceful and unearthly looking as the float along.
My favorite creatures in the sea are cetaceans! I find sea mammals fascinating. The pants are darling, btw.
I love the dolphins. What beautiful sea creatures they are.
My granddaughters would love to put these on her doll! They are so cute!
Love the pants! My favorite sea creature is shrimp. They look like little lobster and are delicious to eat.
My favorite creature in the sea is the Orca…better know here in the Pacific NW as the killer whale! Nothing is more exciting than seeing such magnificent creatures swimming here in the sound!
My favorite sea creature is a mermaid (Ariel, the Little one, to be exact!) because that was the first movie I took my daughter to see (she was three). Now the two of us sit side by side sewing clothes for her little sister’s American Girl doll collection!
My favorite sea creature is the Seahorse.
My favorite creature in the sea is the humpback whale. So huge, yet majestic. Love to see them breaching into the air.
My favorite sea creature would be a dolphin. Thank you for the trim ideas.
My little friend that I’m teaching to sew and embroider would love these! She has just turned 10 and has Molly and Rebecca. We are always making new things for the ‘girls’!
I would have to say jelly fish. They are so ethereal floating in the water
My favorite creature in the sea is a dolphin – because they are such loving mammals and they are actually known for their healing properties when working with people that have developmental disabilities or autism spectrum disorders, etc. How wonderful is that?! To bring joy to a special needs child or adult by petting or swimming with a dolphin is incredible, I think.
Thanks for this fun opportunity Pixie Faire _!
I love sharks. They are so amazingly powerful.
I love dolphins. They are so intelligent and friendly.
I like coral also. Didn’t know it was a living thing.
I think it could be a Clown fish!!!!!! Colorful and fun!!!!!! Love the pants!!!!!
Cute pants. I love to watch the dolphins.
I love coral! The different shapes and colors are beautiful! Coral are actually animals. They use tiny tentacle-like arms to capture food and put it in their teeny, tiny mouths.
These are absolutely ADORABLE!!!
I love the dolphins and the way they play.
My favorite sea creature is the dolphin. I love their playfulness which makes them so fun to watch.
My favorite creature in the sea is the dolphin. I love how they will follow your boat and perform their antics! Thanks for sharing this tutorial and also for all the free pattern.
My favorite creature in the sea is the Whale Shark.
My favorite creature in the sea is hard to say, seahorse, dolphin, killer whale. I always have trouble with picking one single favorite anything. Cute idea for pants.
My Favourite creature in the sea would be the sea turtles off the coast of Hawaii.
I delight in watching the Rosetta Spoonbill fish. There beautiful pink color can be seen from far away and their bill is very unusual.
My favorite creatures in the sea are seahorses because they really do look like tiny horses, and dolphins because they have a playful nature. Thanks for the tutorial!
My favorite creature in the sea is a dolphin; they are playful and friendly. The pants are cute. Thanks for sharing.
My favourite sea creature is the seahorse.
Love these cute pants. The detail is a great addition! I love starfish!!,
My fav. sea creature Lobster colorful when cook. Hmm orange red The pants are just great , what inspiration and color mix!
My favorite creature in the sea is the dolphin. Love their playful ways.
Love the embroidery. Great idea. My favourite sea creatures are whales, dolphins, seahorses and sea otters.
I adore these pants. You have inspired me to do some embroidery on theses little pieces. Thanks you for all your stylish patterns. I would be delighted to win these pants. Thank you.
The Loch Ness Monster because he/she could be a dinosaur, because it is Scottish and because the mystery and intrigue surrounding it <3
I love clown fish. So very bright and colorful.
My all tie favourite is the mighty Orca – so beautiful and graceful
My favorite creature in the sea is a sea star.
my favourite sea creatures are sealions.
Ooo! Sorry, I forgot to say My favorite creature in the sea is the dolphin. How much cuter can you get
What a cute idea! You guys are awesome with your ideas and giveaways. Thank you so much.
My favorite creature in the sea is the dolphin. Thanks for so many great tutorials.
I’d say mermaids and seahorses ore my faves!! :D Love the whimsey of this!
I like sea horses and wouldn’t one look cute with this embroidery? Just getting started with your patterns for my 2 granddaughters. Thanks for sharing!
I love jelly fish. They are so much fun to watch and they feel good against my legs when I swim in the Gulf.
Sooo many to choose from! Dolphins or Whales, oh but wait, then there’s the star fishes! how do I decide?!?!? Don’t forget Octopuses (Octopi?) oh and the sea urchins, what about crabs and lobsters. Oh what to pick. Can I have more than one?
I love sea turtles, and Manattees too, they are such gentle creatures!
Love the embroidered pants! I know my little one will want the “little girl” version too! I better practice my embroidery “skills.” :)
My favorite creatures in the sea are dolphins and hermit crabs. Both are so adorable! And there’s much to wonder and daydream about when it comes to dolphins.
I have always been fascinated by the seahorse!
Well, I live in the ( now) frozen prairie in Canada. With little experience when it comes to sea creatures I would have to say my favourite is Sabastian from The Little Mermaid.
My favorite creature in the sea is a manatee! It is my 9 yr old daughter’s fave and after reading every possible book about them we can find, what is NOT to love about the gentle (and endangered) creatures!
My favorite creatures in the sea are dolphins. We can learn a lot from them about getting along together and helping others.
My favorite sea creature is the motherly whale. It is so stirring to see how much they care for their babies. They put such a “human” reaction into their emotions. Thank you.
My favorite sea creature is the sand dollar with its beautiful design.
My favorite creature in the sea is — me! I love on a bay near the Gulf of Mexico. I love to see the waves roll in, watch the shorebirds, and hunt for shells that have washed up. And then, I go for a swim. I’d love pants like these, both for my granddaughter’s doll, and for both of us, too! You have such neat pattern ideas!
Pam
January 29, 2016
Very cute, so many ideas.