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Candlewicking is a form of embroidery done with heavy thread on muslin. It is considered "traditional" because it uses an old technique called the "colonial knot".
Steps
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Cut a piece of the muslin large enough for your selected design. -
Lay the muslin on top of the pattern.Advertisement -
Lightly trace the pattern onto your muslin. A light box can make this faster and easier. -
Pin the fabric to the pattern to keep it from sliding as you trace. -
Use a washable marker to make small dots to indicate the placement of the colonial knots and any other embroidery stitches used in the design. -
Check to be certain that you have transferred the entire Candlewicking pattern to the muslin and haven't missed anything. -
Remove the pins and set the pattern aside. -
Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop. -
Thread the embroidery needle with 4 strands of Candlewicking thread or 6-12 strands of embroidery floss. The amount of floss you use will determine how large your colonial knots will be. [1] X Research source -
Tie a knot in the thread or floss and stitch your first colonial knot. If this is your first Candlewicking design, practice making colonial knots on a small piece of muslin before you begin. [2] X Research source -
Systematically work the design - left to right, top to bottom, or whatever to prevent soiling finished areas. [3] X Research source -
Launder when finished to remove the marker. -
Size the finished piece by laying the piece face down on a clean, prewashed white towel and iron it from the back. -
"Pat" the fabric with the iron when ironing to avoid damaging the colonial knots. -
Finished.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIs there a backing I could place behind the stitching to protect it and cover the appearence?Community AnswerI iron a Pellon type fabric onto the back of my work. This keeps threads in place and makes for a more finished piece.
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QuestionWhat size thread is candlewicking thread?Community AnswerThe size of the thread is usually 3.541 mm.
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QuestionHow do I do the knots? Is there a specific way?BellaLovesToBake1122Community AnswerThere is not a specific way. One way is to go back to your previous stitch and go underneath it. You made a loop; go under the loop and you've got a knot. To double knot just repeat this process.
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Things You'll Need
- Medium to heavy weight unbleached cotton muslin
- Candlewicking thread (substitute cream colored six-strand embroidery thread if need be.)
- A large sharp embroidery needle
- Washable fabric marker
- Straight pins
- A pattern
References
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