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Everything you need to bring your Whimlet to life — from threading your first needle to adding your last Spark. Watch these anytime, in any order, as many times as you need.

Stitch School — How to Stitch

1

Threading a needle

The very first step before you stitch a single hole — getting your thread through the eye of the needle and secured so it won't slip out while you work.
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  1. Cut a length of thread about as long as your arm (roughly 18–24 inches) so it's less likely to tangle as you stitch.
  2. If you're using embroidery floss, separate out the number of strands called for in your kit's instructions.
  3. Trim the very end of the thread at an angle with sharp scissors so it comes to a clean point.
  4. Hold the needle up to good light with the eye facing you, and push the pointed tip of the thread through the eye.
  5. Pull 4–6 inches of thread through the eye. If you're stitching with a single strand (not doubled), tie a small knot in the long tail end — the one you didn't just pass through — so it can't pull back out of your fabric.
2

Starting your first stitch

How to anchor your thread at the very beginning so your stitching stays secure and tidy from the first hole onward — no knots working loose on the back.
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  1. Thread your needle, and tie a small, secure knot at the tail end of your thread.
  2. From the back of your fabric, push your needle up through the very first hole of your pattern so the knot rests against the back and the thread pulls through to the front.
  3. Give the thread a gentle tug so the knot sits snugly against the back of the fabric without puckering it.
  4. Make your first stitch by pushing the needle back down through the next hole indicated by your pattern.
  5. Continue following your pattern, keeping your tension even — snug but not tight — as you go.
3

Ending a thread

How to finish off a thread neatly on the back of your work — whether you're switching colors or you've just run out of thread mid-design.
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  1. When you have about 3–4 inches of thread left, or you're ready to switch colors, finish your last stitch on the front so the needle and thread end up on the back of the fabric.
  2. Turn your fabric over so you're looking at the back of your work.
  3. Slide your needle under 3–4 nearby stitches on the back, weaving it through without catching the front of the fabric.
  4. Pull the thread through until it's snug, then weave under a few more stitches in a different direction for extra security.
  5. Trim the excess thread close to the fabric, being careful not to snip your stitches.
4

Starting your next thread

Once one thread ends, here's how to pick up right where you left off — anchoring the next length so your stitching stays continuous and secure across color changes.
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  1. Thread your needle with your next length of thread — no knot needed this time.
  2. From the back of your fabric, slide your needle under 3–4 of your existing nearby stitches, leaving a short tail of thread behind as you pull it through.
  3. Pull the thread through until just a small tail remains tucked snugly under those stitches.
  4. Bring your needle up through the front at the hole where your pattern picks back up.
  5. Continue stitching your pattern as before, giving the tail a gentle check partway through to make sure it's staying secure.
5

Adding your Sparks ✦

How to attach the sequins, beads, or rhinestones on designs that include Sparks — the finishing touch that gives a design extra sparkle and dimension.
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  1. Thread your needle and knot the end, or anchor it under a few existing stitches on the back if you're continuing from earlier work.
  2. Bring your needle up through the fabric at the spot marked for your Spark.
  3. Slide the sequin or bead onto the needle and down the thread until it sits flat against the fabric.
  4. For a sequin, bring the needle back down through its center hole (or just past its edge, depending on the look you want) to anchor it in place; for a bead, simply pass the needle back down through the fabric right next to where it came up.
  5. Give the thread a gentle tug so the Spark sits snug and flat, then move to the next marked spot and repeat.
  6. When you're done adding Sparks in that area, secure your thread on the back the same way you'd end any other thread.