One of my favourite things about sewing is how you can make something 3D from a 2D pattern and fabric. Similarly you can do the same thing with embroidery and even create your own texture with thread!
I made myself a 3 dimentional rose brooch, inspired by my outfit for a fashion show and film premiere that I made in previous blog posts.
Below are the steps to create your own 3D embroidered flower.
What will be needed:
- Bernina Embroidery Software 9
- Template
- Sewing machine (B735)
- Embroidery Module
–Large Oval Embroidery Hoop
–Small Embroidery Hoop
-Foot #26
-Embroidery Thread
-Wash-away Stabilizer - Multiple colours of embroidery thread (depending on your design)
- Organza fabric (it’s thin and sheer but firm enough to hold its shape and the sheen adds to the 3D effect)
- Needle for hand stitching
- Brooch clip base
Free 3D Rose Embroidery Design
You can download the embroidery design I created in this blog post.
HR 3D Rose amended
Scroll down to the bottom to learn how to embroider & assemble it.
You’ll need 2 colours of organza fabric (perhaps red & green) and embroidery threads to match.
The fabric quantities are:
for the leaves 13cm by 17cm organza and two times 25cm by 37cm for the petals
(If using a medium hoop, you’ll need 20cm by 24cm fabric )
Import your Template
You could draw a 3D flower template and scan it into the embroidery software.
Steps to scan and import a physical document/drawing are available in the blog post Custom embroidery designs for an underbust corset under the heading: How to import a physical sewing pattern in to Bernina Embroidery Software 9
Even though I scanned and imported a physical pattern, the steps are the same.
Or you can find 3D paper flower templates on the web and import the pdf doc into your embroidery software.
Steps on how to import a digital .pdf document are available in the blog post Custom embroidered tulle for lingerie under the heading: How to open a pdf template in Bernina Embroidery Software 9
Alternatively, if your template is in an image format like .jpeg or .png, you can simply import it by selecting the Insert Artwork Tool on the top Toolbar or under the Auto-Digitize Toolbox.
Auto Digitize Template
- Select the Template and click on the Auto-digitize tool.
- I generally just click OK as I don’t need to edit this information, especially when the image only has 2 colours.
- Choose what colours to omit.
I didn’t want the white background to be converted to embroidery so I omitted it.
Select Satin Line under the Stitch Details Tab.
- Select and delete the Template.
Convert to Appliqué
In order to convert an object to appliqué, the object must be a Closed Object or a continuous unbroken Satin Outline.
- Select one of the designs and convert it to Appliqué.
The Convert to Appliqué Tool is found under the Appliqué Toolbox If there is a prompt in the bottom left corner saying “Edit point 1 on the curve”, this means that there is an opening in the outline. I.E. there is a point (or points) in the stitching where 2 nodes to not connect and create an unbroken line of stitches.
If that is the case, press Esc on your keyboard.Select the object again.
Open the Edit tab in the top Toolbar and select Close Curve with Straight Line or Close Curve with Curved Line (whichever suits your object best).
The software will automatically connect the necessary nodes.Try the convert to Appliqué Tool again.
Here are some steps to help with potential issues: Close Curve Troubleshooting
- Repeat for each item.
- Select all the objects, right click and select Object Properties.
- Edit the settings.
Untick Placement Line and tick Cutting Line.
Edit the Tackdown stitch if you feel necessary.
Leave the Cover Stitch as Satin and edit the Spacing or Width settings if necessary.
You can even choose an appliqué fabric colour to help with visualization.
Have Colour Change selected under Machine Function.
This will be helpful later on when embroidering the design. Even though you don’t need to change thread colours, this will tell the machine to stop between the different stitch types. By choosing the Colour Change, when you select the Reduce Colour Change icon on your machine, the machine will be able to stitch the same stitch types (Cutting Line, Tachdown etc…) at the same time. This is due to the machine recognising each stitch type as a different colour. Once you’ve clicked OK, you can make the appliqué fabric visible by selecting the Show Appliqué Fabric Tool.
- Change the thread colour.
Select the item(s) and click on one of the colours from the bottom Toolbar.
If you want more colour options, double click on one of the colour blocks and the Thread toolbox will open on the right.
You can type in a thread colour name or code if you have a specific thread you are going to use.
Adding Details
You could add lace like details to the petals or, like me, add veins to the leaves.
I chose to use the Single stitch type, but you can make a different stitch type selection from the bottom Toolbar.
- Under the Digitize Toolbox, select Open Object.
- Draw your design over the fabric area.
The designs don’t have to touch the outline stitches.
Create nodes by clicking with your mouse. Right click make a curved lines and left click makes a straight line.
Press Enter on your keyboard to end the design at your last click point. - Select all the designs you just drew and click on the Branching Tool under the Edit Toolbox.
Click Enter on your keyboard twice and the software will combine the stitches and minimize the amount of jump stitches.
- Select the whole design and group it all together.
- Repeat the above steps for any other designs.
Finishing Touches
- In order to make my flower, I need 2 of the large flower templates and 3 of the small flower templates so I duplicated them as necessary.
I decided to only have 1 set of leaves.
- Select the Hoop.
You can right click on the Hoop icon to choose a different hoop size.
- If all the designs do not fit within your hoop: cut (hold down ctrl and press X) the selected designs, open another page and paste (hold down ctrl and press V) them.
Arrange them to fit within a hoop.
Ensure that the designs do not overlap or touch. - Save, export or send each completed design to your Bernina machine via the WiFi Device.
Embroider
- Place the Wash-Away Stabilizer below the Organza in the hoop.
- Keep in mind that the embroidery design will be seen from all angles so wind your bobbin in the same embroidery thread.
- Set up your Embroidery machine as you normally would.
On the display screen select the Reduce Colour Change icon.
- Press start when ready.
The machine will embroider the Cutting Line first.
- Once the Cutting Line is stitched and the machine has stopped:
Lift the presser foot and remove the Hoop from the machine.
Do not remove the fabric from the Hoop.
Neatly cut the fabric (not the stabilizer) about 2mm outside the Cutting Line.
Make a snip at one of the corners and slip the scissors between the fabric & stabilizer. Then cut around inside of the Hoop before cutting around the design.
- Replace the Hoop and proceed to stitch.
The next stitch the machine will want to do is the Tackdown stitch.
This will help secure the fabric edge you just cut.
- Proceed to embroider the Coverstitch Line.
- Remove the embroidered stabilizer from the hoop and cut away the excess stabilizer.
- Repeat for all the pieces.
- Rinse or soak the items in water.
Refer to the instructions that came with your stabilizer to know if the water should be warm or cool. Place the embroidered fabric between 2 towels, gently roll and press out the liquid.Lay the pieces flat, right side down, to air dry.
If the pieces have curled too much once dry, you can press them.
Place a pressing cloth or piece of fabric between the embroidery and iron.
Assemble
The idea is with each layer of petals, to overlap the petals less and less. You don’t have to do many stitches, maybe 2 or 3 just to secure the overlaps and the bases.
Just a heads up, this part could take a bit longer than you might expect. It took me about 2.5 hours but I was figuring it out as I went along, doing many stitches to secure each overlap, making notes and taking pictures.
- Start with one of the smaller flowers.
Place it on a table with the wrong side facing up. Fold the two opposite petals to the centre, standing up.Then fold the remaining two petals up and overlap around the previously folded petals.
The idea is to keep the shape of this Flower Centre part somewhat tight and narrow (maybe not as tight as I did this one).Hand stitch where the petals overlap.
- Place another small flower under the Flower Centre (wrong side facing up).
Rotate the flower so that the centre of the petals line up with the overlap of the previous petals. Hand sew a few stitches to attach the bases.Fold two opposite petals to the centre.
Then fold the remaining two petals up and overlap around the previously folded petals.
The shape will be less tight/narrow now.Hand stitch where the petals overlap.
- Place the other small flower under the sewn petals (wrong side facing up).
Rotate the flower so that the centre of the petals line up with the overlap of the previous petals. Hand sew a few stitches to attach the bases.Fold two opposite petals to the centre.
Then fold the remaining two petals up and overlap around the previously folded petals.
The shape will be looking fuller as the petals start to overlap less.Hand stitch where the petals overlap.
- Now place one of the big flowers under the sewn petals (wrong side facing up).
Rotate the flower so that the centre of the petals line up with the overlap of the previous petals. Hand sew a few stitches to attach the bases.Bring all petals to the centre.
The petals should only overlap a little bit.Hand stitch where the petals overlap.
- Place the last big flower under the sewn petals (wrong side facing up).
Rotate the flower so that the centre of the petals line up with the overlap of the previous petals. Hand sew a few stitches to attach the bases.Bring all petals to the centre.
The petals should only overlap a little bit or just touch.Hand stitch where the petals overlap/touch.
- Arrange the leaves as you like.
Stitch the leaves (with right side up) to the base of the flower.
- Attach the brooch to the base of the flower with some stitches (or glue depending on your brooch).
Tips
- Use the same thread when hand stitching to match the embroidery.
- You can ungroup embroidery designs on the B735.
So, if you would prefer to embroider only one of the leaves, ungroup the embroidery design, select and delete the parts of the leaf you don’t want, then group the remaining leaf. - I chose to use Wash-away Stabilizer for this project as I needed the stabilizer to completely disappear for a neat result. I also like how the stabilizer creates a starch effect on the fabric once washed off.
- You can use any shape brooch you prefer. The rounded base would be great. I just used what I had on hand.
I would love to see what you make, please feel free to share with me!
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-Hannah-Rose
Anxious to try this next week! I think it will be the perfect accessory on the vintage bags I sew ! Thanks for sharing!
That is great Noreen!
Please could you post a picture in the comments here if you do. I would love to see your colour combinations and of course your bags!
The embroidery files will not open on my Bernina 88O Plus????
Hi Gypsy
Hmmm, I have reloaded the compressed zip file, please let me no if you still have know luck