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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Free Hand Embroidery Pattern: Monogram C – and Avoiding Satin Stitch!

 

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I’m doing some clean-up work on posting mistakes, so here is really the Letter C – but I will repost the letter G in its own spot. If you added the monogram for the G to your favorites, you’ll want to visit the list of monograms and go to the “real” G! Thanks for understanding!

I’m sure I’m stating the obvious when I tell you that monograms don’t have to be white, and they don’t have to be embroidered in satin stitch! If satin stitch intimidates you, try other stitches! For example, a simple stitch combination is the whipped backstitch as an edge, and seed stitch as a filler. Although I’ve shown it before, here’s a leaf worked in that combination:

Simple hand embroidery stitches can be used on monograms or other whitework for elegant results

These are two very easy stitches, and the nice thing is that the whipped backstitch can be a very precise stitch, so it takes curves and points very well.

But for some of you, it may not be Intimidation by Satin Stitch that inhibits you from embroidering monograms. It may be that the satin stitch just doesn’t thrill you.

If this is the case, you have GOT to check out Paule’s website, where you will see a gorgeous variety of stitches used on monograms, in beautiful shades of roses and reds. They are stunning, and so perfectly stitched. Look, for example, at the “B” and “T” worked in feather stitch, or the outlined “O.” Aren’t they pretty? If you take the opportunity to browse through the images of Paule’s sampler, I think you’ll find some very inspiring ideas for working monograms!

So it’s pretty feasible to embroider a monogram and completely avoid the satin stitch altogether. If nothing else, you could have fun experimenting with all kinds of stitch combinations!

Here’s the “C,” then:

Monogram for Hand Embroidery - Letter C

Once the clean up work is done on the “M,” I’ll post it – and the “S” seems to be a popular request, too. If you haven’t seen it yet, you can find the “A” here.

I’m also going to make up a monogram index page to make finding them a lot easier! I’ll list that under my index of hand embroidery patterns, which probably needs the same kind of attention I gave my gallery last week!

Enjoy!

For more monogram patterns, please visit my Index of Monograms for Hand Embroidery.

 
 

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(9) Comments

  1. Hi Mary
    I love these letters!! I’m waiting for the “E” and the “R” but I realize these things take time. I have noted a problem with the letter “G” – it seems that it is the same as the letter “C” and even the download says: “monogram_1_c” Would you please check into this?
    Many thanks,
    Edna

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  2. You’re right – there’s a mistake on this. I think I noted it further up in the post. This is the letter G – you can go to the index and click on the “C” to go to the letter “C” – they aren’t “that”much different, but there are slight differences. I need to change the name on that download – but it is G, not C….

    Thanks for bringing that fix to my attention!

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  3. Mary, found your site and felt you might offer some info for me. Am looking for a pattern of upper & lower case letters and the numbers to embr. name and date of baby on christening gown for granddaughters. Any suggestions for size/pattern? Plan to use white on white thread. Thank you for any ideas, Nancy

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    1. Hi, Nancy! Well, I just have monograms on here, which isn’t quite what you’re looking for. But how about using your computer and selecting a nice font, printing out what you want, and tracing it? Or, if you have nice handwriting, you could write it out yourself and trace it. That would personalize it a bit. That’s generally what I do, when I need text in upper and lower case for personalization – I either resort to the computer, or I write it out. As for size, since it’s going on a christening gown, I’d shoot for something relatively small, and use a fine stitch, like stem stitch or an overcast satin stitch. Hope that helps! ~MC

  4. Mary,

    Just discovered your wonderful website and am already making my third monogrammed oatmeal linen guest towel. When doing whipped back stitch, how do you keep the song “Whip It” by Devo from playing endlessly in your head? Hope I didn’t just give you an ear worm!

    Anne

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