Blooming Napkins - Simple Napkin Embroidery

Hi people! It's spring! The weather is so beautiful here on the east coast. I was inspired to create something springy today, so I put together an embroidery project using my Felix Populi Tablecloth Check Napkins. It's the perfect base for daisies! The white, yellow and green look so cheerful on the red and white check ground. I love simple embroidery and this project is just that! I used three stitches and four different colors of yarn. Here's what you need: 

 Napkins  
Embroidery floss in ecru, yellow and two shades of green
Embroidery needle
Embroidery hoop
Scissors

I did this freehand, so no markings necessary. If you're new to embroidery, you'll want to practice the stitches on some scrap fabric first. I started with French knots, which formed the flower centers. To make a French knot, come up at the point you want the knot to sit, wrap the yarn around the needle twice.

 Then put the point down very close to where the yarn comes out of the fabric, but not in the same hole. Pull the yarn closely around the shaft of the needle and press it down to the surface of the fabric.

Then pull the needle through and it will catch the loops and make a nice little nubbly knot on the surface of the fabric.

When working on something like a napkin that will get a bit of wear, I like to leave a tail when I begin my knots and then tie them off with the tail that comes back through the fabric with a square knot or a granny knot.

The petals are a detached chain stitch. Come up through the fabric close to the French knot, then go down right next to the up-stitch but don't pull the loop flat - about 3/8" away from the French knot, perpendicular to the stitches you've just taken, come up and with the point of the needle, catch the loop.

 Insert the needle just beyond the first stitch and pull the stitch tight. It will catch the loop and create the petal. Tie off as you did your french knot. Keep your stitches short so they are less apt to get snagged.

 The leaves are done in satin stitch. I've separated one strand of the two different colors of green into three threads each and combined them.

The satin stitch is done by imagining a leaf shape on the surface of the fabric and filling it in by creating parallel stitches over the surface of the shape - coming up at the bottom and down at the top along the edges. Again, tie off with a knot on the back.

 To finish the design, I've scattered a few French knots in white through it to represent the charming potential of daisy buds. Once you get going this doesn't take long at all. You can complete a full set of napkins over a weekend - perfect for spring meals alfresco!