r/Embroidery • u/sasakimirai • 19d ago
Hand First try at embroidery! Tips welcome!
I've been reading Witch Hat Atelier recently, and figured this little brushbuddy would be a good first attempt at a new craft. I'm very happy with how he came out, but if anyone had any tips on how to make my lines smoother, I'd appreciate them!
Swipe to see the sketch I started with 😊
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u/Block-Confident 19d ago
Well done OP brushbuddy looks fabulous 💅
I can hear his tiny "mi mi mi"
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you, he's so precious to me! I was so excited when the anime came out because they gave him so much love 🥰
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you to everyone for all the love on this piece! I had a lot of fun with it so I'm planning to stitch a bunch more of this guy on the same piece of cloth.
I've done one more so far. I will make another post in a few days after I've covered the cloth some more!
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u/dothemath_xxx 19d ago
Very nice!
Honestly, these lines are already very smooth - remember that with a textile art, you're never going to get quite the same smoothness as you might with ink. But you can experiment with different stitches and see if there's one that you like more for certain applications; there are quite a few that are suitable for lines.
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thanks for the reassurance! I guess I spent too long looking at it up close so that's why it seems choppy to me 😂 I'm always having to remind myself that no one else is going to be staring at it as closely as I have while stitching.
I will definitely look into different kinds of stitches though! I just went with a regular old backstitch because it's what I have (limited) experience with from previous cross stitch projects
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u/dothemath_xxx 19d ago
Wait, this is backstitch?? Like just plain backstitch, not whipped????
Sorry, I'm losing my mind a bit now. You know how hard it is to get backstitch to look this smooth?! I guess that explains why I couldn't identify what stitch it was.
Anyway, yeah, you always want to take a break from the work and then look at it again from far away to get a better idea of how it actually looks. Nobody else is ever going to stare at it from as close as you are while working on it.
Some stitches for smooth lines:
You can whip backstitch once it's finished to get it smoother, although honestly I'm not sure how much that would even improve this particular piece.
Outline stitch produces one of the smoothest lines, but you need to be very particular with it - stem stitch is the exact same motion, it's just a difference of where you bring the needle up versus which direction you're stitching, but it'll create a notably different look; where outline stitch is exceptionally smooth, stem stitch has a kind of "ropey" texture.
Split stitch can also be good for smooth lines, but it depends somewhat on how many strands you're using and how good you are at splitting an individual strand. Odd numbers of strands will get you the smoothest look, if you can consistently split one of the strands; split stitch with a single strand is extremely fiddly, but can get a line that looks perfectly smooth and uninterrupted.
But there are also many more line stitches with more texture that can work perfectly well, and sometimes working in texture intentionally can help you feel better about any minute imperfections in the finished work. Chain stitch is great for a bold, textured line. Stem stitch, as previously mentioned, has a strong texture to it but it works well for lines too.
If you want to explore this kind of linework in particular, and you're looking for kits, I'd recommend taking a look at Stitched Stories - they have a lot of kits focused on line-heavy styles, I just finished one myself recently, their "On the Canal" pattern.
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you so so much for all the info! And yeah, this piece is just a straight up backstitch, nothing fancy here.
It's a super small piece (1inch x 2 inches) and I just used one thread to go over the rough outline I drew in with pencil to get started. Kept my stitches real small (approx 2mm each) so the curves wouldn't look too choppy. It was easier on his main body, but when I got to the little tufts of fur on his tail I started having a harder time getting it to look how I wanted 😂
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u/Agreeable-Strike-330 19d ago
When I’m doing detailed lines (like copying handwriting, drawings, etc.) I do a whipped backstitch to smooth it out (skipping some tight curves, etc). I think your backstitch looks great!
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u/CuriousCharlii 19d ago
Reminds me of Mort <3
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Haha, that's what my friend said too when I first showed it to him 😂😂 I definitely see the resemblance!
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u/CuriousCharlii 19d ago
"King Julien!" all up in my brain right now LOL it really does!
Your stitching work is so good by the way! Very clean <3
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u/Karstaang 19d ago
Oh yay I’m a sacrifice! is immediately what popped into my head too hehe
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
🤭🤭 I never watched a lot of the penguins of madagascar show, but I've always thought he was very cute. I'm glad my little guy was able to evoke such a beloved character.
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u/discodinoczar 19d ago
Oh rats, now I have to go watch Witch Hat Atelier again… (joyfully skipping off)
This is awesome, keep up the good work!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Oh darn, I suppose you'll have to take one for the team 🤭 my condolences.
Thank you for your kind words!
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u/PatrThom 19d ago
Immediately recognized who that was and thought, "What an appropriate subject for someone's first serious attempt at creating Art!" Here's hoping the li'l guy keeps you company on your stitching journey, just like the original.
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u/Estellalatte 19d ago
Keep going, your work naturally improves, you can look up stitches but most of embroidery is intuitive.
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you, I'll keep this in mind! I'm coming at this from a cross stitch background, so I'm used to having a pattern to follow 😂
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u/Acheloma 19d ago
This is a great start, and I think it shows that youll probably do pretty well just practicing different stitches until they look right.
Super cute btw
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
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u/Acheloma 19d ago
:) I recently started myself and have only done a couple of projects, but its been very fun. Its nice to other people starting too!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Yay, I'm glad you've been enjoying it too! I always love learning new fibre arts, and embroidery is one I've been wanting to try for a while. I'm looking forward to trying more advanced projecs
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u/AlGoreRhythms_ 19d ago
Who is this diva?! I worship her!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
😂😂 It's called a brushbuddy! It's a pet character from the anime and manga series "Witch Hat Atelier". I highly recommend it if you like fantasy!
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u/farting_buffalo 19d ago
Adorable! I’d love to see more brushbuddy adventures
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
What a great idea! I stitched it on a big piece of scrap cotton, maybe I should just fill the whole thing with brushbuddies 🤭
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u/Ellyyyt 19d ago
Nothing about embroidery but I’ve just watched the anime of this and cannot stop thinking about this little guy so to see it in embroidery has made my day, cute stitching!!! <3
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you! Yes, he is sooo cute, I loved what they did with him in the anime! I was grinning the whole time I was stitching it. I'm glad he was able to bring you some joy too!
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u/LadyofHoss 19d ago
Oh my word he’s so CUTE! You did a great job for your first time!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you! I do have quite a bit of experience with cross stitching, and I've always liked to draw, so lucky for me those skills were very transferable 😂 honestly, I foresee my biggest issue being patience when filling in shapes 🫣
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u/syn-spark 19d ago
I love him so much! 😩🥹 haha
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you! He's one of my favourite parts of the series, so I wanted to make sure I did him justice 😂
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u/smuffleupagus 19d ago
I don't know what this is, but I love it
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u/Brief_Needleworker62 19d ago
I love him! This might be my new Jimothy
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
That's very high praise, thank you very much! If you like anime or manga at all, I highly recommend Witch Hat Atelier 😊
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u/SunIsSunshining 19d ago
I love brushbuddy so much, he’s so cute!!! Definitely one of the highlights of Tongari Boushi 💜
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u/dingdangdoodles 19d ago
I have no tips, I just wanted to say this made me smile like an absolute goofball
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u/coolestdudette 19d ago
aww man I love this freaky little guy, this is so cute!! your stitches look really nice as well.
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u/Yona1412 19d ago
I love the brush buddy!!!!! I wonder if you can use big loopy stitches to make it fluffy
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Ohhh that's such a creative idea! Maybe one day when I have more experience I will try it 😂
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u/LeopardBlossoms 19d ago
Awww a cute little brush buddy:D nice job!
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u/Suspicious-Lemon2451 19d ago
I'm stunned this is backstitch! You did amazingly well!! This guy is adorable!!
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u/ulterior71 19d ago
Ahhhh! The lil brushbuddy! He's so precious. I loved his "end credit" scene in one of the volumes 😆
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Yes, that was very funny! The little daddy brushbuddy with his moustache always makes me laugh.
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u/bobcat_bobcat 19d ago
love love love this and insane this was your first!! Like others said different stitches result is different textures! Looked like you may have used stem stitch here? I personally love using whipped back stitch to help with smooth lines and it gives it a more 3D effect!
But keep doing what you're doing this, is so good!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you very much! I actually used just a normal backstitch for this piece. I think my cross stitching experience helped a lot with tension and needle management tbh.
I will definitely check out stem stitch and whipped backstitch to experiment with textures in the future!
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u/NeedlePunchDrunk 19d ago
Omg so cute! And if you told me you’ve been doing this for over a year, I would have easily believed you. Keep going!
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u/missezri 19d ago
Little Brushbuddy is so cute!
Also, as others have mentioned you are working with textiles so the fabric and thread is going to move and bend making it not look straight compared to paper and ink. Also, most of the time, people are not going to be looking at it as close as you are when stitching but from a distance.
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you!
Yes, I will try to keep those points in mind. I'm always my own biggest critic, but next time I feel discouraged, I will remember all the kind comments on this post 😊
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u/Extra_Emu_9588 19d ago
I have no idea who this is but I love him, your honour.
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
He's the one and only brushbuddy! We must all bow before him!!
Glad you like him though 😂
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u/ComfortableSyllabub2 19d ago
That is the energy I gotta bring into my day; just some ✨️🤸💃✨️ razzle dazzle
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u/DayLife2216 19d ago
What a cutie! I think you did great, your lines look pretty smooth and even to me. The details are his tail are excellent!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you so much! It was his tail I was most worried about, so I'm glad it came out well!
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u/Tusita 19d ago
He's so cute! Your lines are so clean too!
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u/sasakimirai 19d ago
Thank you, I tried very hard 😂 I think doing it with one strand helps with keeping it looking neat.
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u/poke-hipster 19d ago
I'm working on a brush buddy of my own! I use 3 strands and the outline stitch for the shape, and I plan to use a long-and-short stitch to fill it in.
HOWEVER I've been practicing the fringe stitch and the velvet stitch in hopes that I can use one of them to fill it in for EXTRA fluffiness.
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u/Glass-Butterfly- 19d ago
He’s so cute!! 😍
As others have said, your lines are already really good. You could try a split stitch and it might help blur the breaks at the segments where sometimes they don’t line up exactly right. It might also bulge slightly where it’s split though, making it not really any crisper. You could also try a whipped backstitch, but where you’ve got purposeful breaks for fur texture you’d have (maybe noticeable, maybe not) texture and height differences in the stitches that are whipped and aren’t whipped. But all of that is super nit picky and I’m very happy when my long lines of backstitches look as smooth as yours!
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u/wonderinglady20 18d ago
Pwee!! So cute. Love Brushbuddy and can’t wait for the next chapter ♥️ would you do the ink coloured one too??
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u/mouldymolly13 16d ago
This is very cute! I feel it should be throwing sequin confetti in celebration!
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u/Basic_Treat_4370 19d ago
I have no tips, just wanted to say this lil guy is SO cute. 🥰