Share
If you've been part of the embroidery community for the last decade, chances are you've heard of designer and author Aimee Ray and her doodle stitching books. "Doodle stitching is my freestyle approach to embroidery and doesn't come with many rules," she wrote in her new book Doodle Stitching Embroidery Art: Move Beyond the Pattern with Aimee Ray. "All you need is to learn a few basic stitches and techniques and then it's up to you to choose the stitches and colors you want to use." Perfect for beginners and busy crafters, doodle stitching encourages an approach to crafting that focuses on individual creativity and technique.
In her ninth doodle stitching book, Aimee pushes the boundaries of embroidery creativity by including new and exciting techniques and ideas that will make any embroidery project stand out. From making art with scrap floss and kid's drawings, to elegant thread paintings and clever embroidered patches, even the most seasoned embroiderer is sure to learn something new. One of the techniques we are most excited about here at Benzie is crayon tinting. We are thrilled to participate in Aimee's blog tour for Doodle Stitching Embroidery Art: Move Beyond the Pattern with Aimee Ray and are happy to share a crayon tinting tutorial by her with our readers! Keep reading below to learn about this fun and easy way to add color to your next embroidery project! Stick around to the end to enter our giveaway for a Doodle Stitching ebook!
Crayon tinting is a fun and easy way to add permanent color to the background fabric of your embroidery. This is a simple technique with endless possibilities, in just a few minutes you can add a whole new dimension and a rainbow of colors to your stitching projects. Get out your crayons and have fun coloring!
Skill Level: Beginner
Time: Approximately 15 minutes (not including embroidery time)
Supply List
A project embroidered with floss
White cotton fabric
Lead pencil
Wax crayons in your favorite colors
One sheet of white paper
Iron and ironing board, or a flat surface and a towel
Instructions:
1. Begin by tracing or drawing an embroidery pattern onto your fabric with pencil.
2. Use the crayons to begin filling in the design lightly with color. Don’t press too hard. You can always add another layer of color after step 3 if you want it to be more saturated. Blend colors by adding more strokes or strokes in a darker color to the edges of each shape and lightening them as you move outward.
3. Place the fabric on a towel or ironing board and the white paper on top of the fabric. Iron over the paper on the hottest setting for a few minutes, until there isn’t any more wax being released onto the paper. The paper will absorb the excess wax and the heat will set the color into the fabric permanently. Let the fabric cool for a few minutes, then you can add more color if you like, and iron again.
4. Once you have the background color the way you want it, embroider the lines however you like! Try some different variations: You can use floss colors to match the crayon, or darker shades, or try using all one color of floss over your multi-colored background for a unique look. There’s no end to the beautiful, original works of embroidery art you can create with a box of crayons!
Thank you to Aimee Ray for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @aimee_littledear or visit her website. Tell us your favorite crayon color in the comments below for your chance to win an ebook copy of Doodle Stitching Embroidery Art: Move Beyond the Pattern with Aimee Ray! The winner will be announced Friday, August 28. Good luck and happy crafting!
