There’s something so satisfying about giving new life to an old piece of clothing, especially when it starts out as a forgotten thrift store find. This orange shirt caught my eye while thrifting, but I knew it needed a little something extra. So, I decided to transform it with some hand-embroidered florals, adding a personal touch that turned a simple shirt into a unique personal piece.
Now, let’s dive into how I brought this floral-embroidered thrift flip to life!
Tools and Materials
Just the basic embroidery kit is all you need for this project as well.
You will need the following:
- Shirt (non-stretchy fabric)
- Embroidery floss
- Needles
- Water-soluble stabiliser or other pattern transfer method
- Embroidery hoop
- Additional back-facing stabiliser if the shirt is made of light fabric
Instructions
1. Transfer the pattern
- For this design, I drew some circles and leaves.
- Use some kind of stabilizer if the shirt fabric is too thin. It will make the stitching much easier.
- Secure the fabric in an embroidery hoop, but don’t tighten it too much.
2. Stitching
- For this pattern, I used:
- Flowers: woven wheels and french knots in the center
- Stems: stem stitch
- Leaves: fishbone stitch
- Since this garment will be worn and used, make sure to tie the threads instead of tucking them under each other.
3. Wash away the marker of the stabilizer
- Immerse the embroidered fabric in water.
- Make sure to wash away the ink thoroughly.
