Patterns for huck embroidery vary extensively, ranging from simple bands to words or motifs to complex all-over designs. But like with counted cross-stitch, blackwork or other counted thread types of embroidery, once you learn to follow a pattern or chart, the process is quite easy. You’ll also find that it’s fairly fast to work this type of embroidery, which makes it a good choice for making small gifts for friends and family. Several types of fabric work for huck embroidery, but each will work a little differently and the results may vary. If you’re working from a pattern, pay attention to the suggested or required fabric. Most of these fabrics can also be finished with a self-fringing edge. Huck Fabric - This fabric is the most common for huck embroidery and it’s very easy to use. Huck fabric has only vertical floats for sliding your needle through. This material also commonly comes as toweling, with two sides finished at a width that is perfect for making tea towels, or you may want to look for finished huck towels. Monk’s Cloth - For a heavier fabric, choose monk’s cloth. This material has both horizontal and vertical floats, and should always be pre-washed. Monk’s cloth is frequently used for creating huck embroidery afghans and other large pieces. Aida Cloth - Typically used for counted cross-stitch and blackwork, Aida fabric also works for huck embroidery. As you work, stitch through the front floats only. Other fabrics, such as waffle or popcorn fabrics also work but may be harder to find.
Needles
Always use a blunt needle for huck embroidery. This ensures that you are only passing the thread through the weaving of the fabric and not piercing the fabric. A counted cross-stitch needle will work for this, but a huck embroidery needle makes the job easier. Huck embroidery needles have a blunt and angled end, which makes it simple to scoop the needle under the floating threads. These needles are also longer, so you can work a long area with a single pass.
Threads
Stranded embroidery floss and Perle cotton are both excellent choices for huck embroidery. The examples shown in this tutorial all use size 5 Perle cotton, but different sizes and types are just fine. In fact, as long as a thread is colorfast and will pull smoothly through the floats, it will work. To order all of your supplies at once, Nordic Needle is an excellent source for supplies and kits. If, for example, a pattern says that the thread is 2T, you should cut a piece that is two times the width of the fabric you are stitching. For long pieces, you may want to use thread conditioner to help prevent tangles.
Where to Start
It is unnecessary to work in a hoop when doing huck embroidery. In fact, being able to move the fabric more as you pass the needle under the floats is much easier without a hoop. Many huck patterns have a design that should be horizontally centered on whatever you are stitching. For this reason, it’s best to start at the center and work to the left and the right. Find the center of the fabric and mark it with a crease or a safety pin. Thread your needle and bring it under the first set of floats you are stitching. Pull the thread through so the middle of the thread is at the center of the fabric. Stitch the design going one direction, then remove the needle, thread the other side of the thread and work going the other direction. It’s easier to do this if you flip your work around so you are looking at one side upside down. For designs that don’t need to be centered, you can work from one side to the other. If you are starting at one side and working across the entire design, use this same method to start. Just take at least five stitches going in the opposite direction you will be working, then double back as you work the designs. Work row by row, loading as many stitches as will fit comfortably on the needle or as the pattern will allow. Just be sure to only load needles from one row of floats at a time. Some rows will share some floats with stitches from other rows. In this case, pass the needle through just as you do for other rows, but take care so that you don’t pull at the stitches or floats too much. With every row of stitching, pull the threads so they are slightly taut, but never so tight that the fabric begins to pucker. To work the design above or in the first image of this tutorial, use lengths of thread that are 1-1/2 times the width of your fabric for the straight rows and 2 times the width for the rows that curve or zig-zag. These patterns are a good place to start, then look for more patterns and books to continue your huck embroidery work.
