Thanks for coming to UCU! Here's how to complete your mini kit.

Here, you'll find stitch tutorials that I use when completing a design, and the steps to take to complete your kit.

Feel free to take what you need and exercise your creativity for the rest.

If you have additional questions, please reach out via email at hello@bybearbean.shop or DM me on Instagram @bybearbean.

  • Step 1: Transfer your pattern

    Start by inserting felt into the hoop. To do this, loosen the screw at the top of the hoop and separate the inner and outer hoop. Place the fabric over the inner hoop, then place the outer hoop on top. Tighten with the screw until the fabric sounds like a drum.

  • Step 2: Thread your needle

    Thread your needle with the floss provided. Start by separating the six-strand floss. Divide into three sections comprising two strands each. After doing that, take a piece of thread and bring it through the needle eye, leaving a long side and a shorter tail

    that’s a few inches long. The

    long side is knotted, and this is

    what you sew with.

  • Step 3: Start stitching!

    You can begin stitching on this pattern anywhere, but it's often easiest to find the biggest section and start there. You are welcome to use any stitch you like, but the three recommended stitches are satin, split, and the long-and-short stitch. Demonstrations of each stitch are below.

  • Step 4: Wash away the pattern

    Once you're done stitching, remove your embroidery from the hoop and run the design under warm water. This will remove the white film (aka the pattern). All that will remain is your stitching!

  • Step 5: Trim into patch

    Let your embroidery dry. (This could take a few hours or overnight.) Then, with a sharp pair of fabric scissors, trim around the edge of the design—about a 1/4" inch (or larger, if you like).

  • Step 6: Attach your patch

    Using the split stitch (or another stitch you like), attach the patch to a jacket, hat, or bag. Don't worry about fraying—felt doesn't fray!

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How to: satin stitch

The satin stitch is one of the primary stitches that I use in my embroidery. I use it to fill in the medium-sized areas on a pattern. (For larger areas, I use the long-and-short stitch.)

The satin stitch is a fill stitch, and the goal is to, well, fill the area of the design! It might not all be perfect, like with the smile of the blue footed booby. Sometimes you just need to make a single stitch in an area to fill it. But keep thinking about how none of the stitches should cross, and that you ultimately want this to be an even surface (just like satin fabric itself).

How to: split stitch

Any outlining that’s on my animal embroideries is done using the split stitch. The split stitch is a lining stitch that looks like the chain stitch, but it’s a little easier to do (in my opinion).

When you move backward in the stitch, you’re splitting the threads to create a chain or a braid-like effect.

For the split stitch, it’s best to have an even number of threads in your needle so that you’re dividing an even number of threads. 

How to: long-and-short stitch

I use the long and short stitch for any and all large areas of my embroidery. Something where the satin stitch would be too much for it to cover. I love how this stitch looks, and I find that it works really well for things like feathers and fur.

With most of my patterns—and probably many other patterns you might try— the organic shapes don’t lend themselves to perfect right angles and therefore totally perfect rows. In that case, you might need to use a single stitch or even a few satin stitches to fill in any gaps. It’s here you get to use your discretion—and creativity to make the embroidery look how you want it.