Last week, I began offering a new series of monograms for hand embroidery – a delicate alphabet with a few simply flower sprays adorning it.
Today, I’ll share the letters D, E, and F with you, along with some stitching ideas for beginners (and beyond).
If you have some ideas you’d like to share for stitching the letters, by all means, leave a comment below! It’s always nice to hear suggestions from everyone, when it comes to stitching ideas – the more ideas, the better!
This decorative alphabet lends itself well to beginner and advanced embroidery techniques, I think.
For the beginner, simple line stitches, French knots, and daisy stitches would be an easy approach to embroidering a pretty monogram.
The outlines of the letter, for example, could be worked in whipped backstitch. The whipped backstitch is super-easy (just remember to use a tapestry needle when whipping the stitches), and it creates a rope-like, relatively smooth, raised line.
Quite a while ago, I embroidered this whitework design using whipped backstitch and seed stitch. If you look at that project by visiting the link, you can see how the whipped backstitch creates an accurate, raised, solid line.
For the flower sprays, the stems would look quite nice in a fine stem stitch, and the flowers at the tips of the sprays and all the leaves would work well in detached chain stitch (or daisy stitch). The flower centers and the small decorative dots could be worked in French knots.
All of these stitches are particular suited to beginners, but they aren’t limited to beginners! They’re easy embroidery stitches that can create impressive results.
Each time I share subsequent letters in the alphabet, I’ll try to offer other stitching suggestions, but remember – you aren’t limited to what you read here! If you want some ideas for embroidering letters, look through the various line stitches on the How-To Video page (where you’ll also find an Embroidery Stitch Dictionary arranged from A-Z), and feel free to experiment with other stitches!
Monograms for Hand Embroidery – Printables
If you’d like to print these letters for your files, or save them to your computer, here are the links to the individual PDFs for each letter. On each PDF, you’ll find three sizes: 1.5″ high, 3″ high, and 4″ high. If you turn off the scaling options on your computer, the letters should print at those sizes.
If you want to change the sizes of the letters, use the scaling feature in your printers settings, or use a photocopy machine.
Monogram for Hand Embroidery – Delicate Spray D (PDF)
Monogram for Hand Embroidery – Delicate Spray E (PDF)
Monogram for Hand Embroidery – Delicate Spray F (PDF)
Favorite Monograms – PDF Collection
You’ll find this complete alphabet – along with 15 other decorative alphabets – all in one place in Favorite Monograms, a downloadable PDF collection of 16 monogram alphabets perfect for hand embroidery and other crafts.
In the photo above, you can see samples of each alphabet available in Favorite Monograms.
Each letter in each alphabet in Favorite Monograms has been carefully traced into a clean line drawing that can be easily enlarged or reduced on a home printer or a photocopier.
The 16-alphabet collection is delivered as via a download link to your inbox shortly after purchase, so that you can begin creating right away! Priced at less than $1.00 per complete alphabet, monogram lovers can’t go wrong with this collection!
Favorite Monograms is available in my shop, here.
Hello Mary, When I think of monograms I always envision them done in satin stitching, but try as I might I’ve not been able to create a respectable satin stitch. So thank you very much for suggesting other stitches! Your work is always so lovely and a real treat to see.
Thank you so much! These are lovely. I’ll keep practicing and maybe one day my embroidery will be worthy of your designs!
Each day I enjoy reading your letter and for the last few weeks I particularly appreciate all the info regarding monograms that can be embroidered and which I consider as artwork. My question is the following: can we find numbers which could be embroidered on pillows or framed to celebrate a particular anniversary, i.e. wedding anniversary, 90th or 100th of an elderly person, etc. Bravo for your devotion and the clarity of your explanations. You are my inspiration. This morning I will use the “D” to embroider pillow cases.
Did you receive the email I sent on the 16th? Thanks
Hi, R – I’ve been out of town for a couple weeks, with limited email access, and I have yet to catch up on all my email! Hope to soon! Was it pressing or time sensitive? If so, you might re-send it so that it is at the top of the inbox. -MC
No, no hurry. You just usually get to things quicker so I was wondering if it got stuck in traffic or blocked or what was going on. đ
Dear Mary
Such lovely monogram designs I will keep these in mind next time I embroider a monogram as they could be embroidered many ways. The whitework monogram you embroidered a while ago is lovely, I’m looking for a raised stitch so I might use this as part of my removable motifs for clothes that I’m currently embroidering. Thanks so much for sharing these monograms and for the free monogram patterns.
Regards Anita Simmance
I’m a huge fan of Korean TV (especially the historical epics) and the showcase of embroidery on the costumes is beyond fabulously scrumptious. (Bollywood films are also a feast for a stitcher’s eye) Through my obsession, I’ve become increasingly spellbound by Silverwork. I find it not quite as heavy to the eye as Goldwork (although I do enjoy seeing the amazing Goldwork as well) and the design shines through more.
So I’m imagining these monograms in glittering silver threads on a deep sapphire, amethyst, or black silk background. Maybe for pillows or book covers.
I even begin to contemplate goldwork on white silk, so pretty!
I am so excited for this series! I love monograms and search for those suitable for hand embroidery. I am anxious for the J ! I am having trouble coming up with a good monogram for my initial J, my last name G, and my husband’s name B. Nothing seems to work out balanced or pretty đ
Mary, thank you so much for these monogram letters. I have been looking for something like it recently. The letters are beautiful.
Hi Mary,
Do you know when the “H” will be available in the Delicate Spray?
Love this monogram and want to use it in a wedding quilt.
Thank you, Cindy
Hi, Cindy – it’s up next! I have it tentatively scheduled for this Saturday…maybe sooner, depending on if I can get to it. I’m still playing catch up from a road trip, but I hope to have everything on track soon!
Thanks so much Mary, really appreciate it!
Kedves Mary!
HĂLĂS KĂSZĂNET a GYĂNYĂRĆ° Ă©s ingyen letölthetĆ mintĂĄkĂ©rt.Hajnal van Ă©s mĂ©g mindig nem tudom letenni a kĂ©zimunka mintĂĄkat.
KĂSZĂNĂM Ă©s mĂ©g egyszer KĂSZĂNĂM.
Ădvözlettel Piroska
Dear Mary,
I’m trying to embroyd the letter E (delicate spray) but you do not say with which stich I can embroy the inner side of the letter.. satin stich??
Before satin and then whipped backstich??
Help me please!
Thank you and best regards đ