Modern and Traditional Embroidery Dress

Today I am going to show you how to stitch a plushwork wreath for the holidays!

For best results - I highly suggest tapestry wool.

This wreath is stitched with DMC Tapestry Wool (which DMC has so kindly provided).

DMC Green 7344 and Red 7108

Back up again next to that stitch on the same side and repeat until your template is covered.



Here is the first layer complete.


Remove the cardboard template.


Here it as without any fluffing - notice you can see a gap in the wool.



Here it is trimmed and fluffed. You can still see a line around the middle but it's less than the first wreath.


Here is the wreath finished with the bow and french knots!

My last few posts have shown the plushwork technique with tapestry wool and cotton floss. I wanted to keep experimenting with different flosses, so when a couple reader comments suggested pearl cotton, I decided to give it a try!

I chose an orange and green pearl cotton #5 and used the same template in my previous posts.


Layer 1: Orange

I have lots of spacing in between my stitches - but it is the first layer and I will be covering it up with more layers - so it doesn't need to be perfect!


Layer 2: Green


Layer 3: Orange


Layer 4: Green


Time to cut through the layers and remove the plastic template.



Here it is before "fluffing"..


... and after "fluffing".


I decided to trim the pearl cotton with my scissors to see if it would change the appearance.


Here it is after trimming with the scissors and fluffed.



I do like how the plushwork turned out with the pearl cotton, but I have decided the best results are when you use the tapestry wool.




P.S. I saw a reader comment on the previous post asking how the plushwork does not fall apart when you cut it. Here is a photo of the back.


It is actually the surface satin stitch - where you will bring the thread up from the back right next to the previous stitch on the same side - there are only long threads going across on the front side of your work. (This plushwork tutorial explains it also)

Compare the results from my other posts:

• Plushwork with tapestry wool
• Plushwork with cotton floss

Half way through my first layer of satin stitches - so far I like how it looks with the variegated pink.


I completed 4 layers of floss on each petal.


Pull out the template...


Here is what it looked like before I "fluffed" it ...


I really like the end result with the embroidery floss! I also thought it was easier to stitch with the floss than wool, since wool is much more bulky, but I am also new to wool stitching.

A few more photos of different angles...




I see lots of possibilities of using this technique to add more dimension to my stitching too.



What do you think? Which version do you like better - cotton floss or wool?

I have a few more ideas for plushwork, so you may be seeing some more posts about it in the future.....

The technique is very easy to learn -  if you know satin stitch you can do this!


Done with the first layer.


I repeated two more layers of the same wool.


After I cut all the layers I removed the plastic template.


Here is the finished plushwork flower!


See how fluffy! It reminds me of turkey work.


Here it is with one layer of light blue and adding my second layer of dark blue.


Added another layer of dark blue - for a total of three wool layers.


Cut through the layers and remove the template...



I definitely like the end result with the thicker DMC wool. What do you think?