DIY Embroidered Photos

This project was originally created for Consumer Crafts.

Earlier this year, after taking down all my holiday decorations, my house (and I) felt sad. It made me 1) want to spruce things up a little bit with new decor, and 2) need a therapeutic activity to distract me from the seasonal depression that always follows the highs of the holidays. Enter: these DIY Embroidered Photos. These photos add so much personality to my house AND were the funnest to work on. Using simple stitches (I’m no pro when it comes to embroidery) with fun colors brought these pictures to life, and I love how they turned out.

Supplies

Cotton Embroidery Floss: Bright Pastel Colors
Dritz® Embroidery Needles
Printed Photos
Photo Frame

Step 1: Trace your design with pencil on your photo. I kept this one super simple and did hearts that I traced off my computer screen.

Step 2: Poke the holes you will need to stitch. I used a simple back stitch, and I needed the holes to know where to put the needle through the back of the photo.

Step 3: Start stitching! For the back stitch, bring your needle up through the second hole from the back of the photo, and pull it through until there is about an inch of thread remaining.

Hold the thread in place in the back (or tape it down), then put the needle down through the first hole.

Come up again through the third hole, then down through the second hole. Then up through the fourth, and down through the third. Repeat until you finish your heart. Then tie a little knot and cut the thread.

Like I said before, I’m a total amateur when it comes to embroidery, so I am not equipped to teach any technique. If you need ideas or guidance on stitches, Pinterest and YouTube have you covered!