Amsterdam View 🇳🇱

Story of the Amsterdam View design

The Amsterdam View embroidery design gives you a joyful mix of stitches. Furthermore, it is a fun pattern to practice the background, middle-ground and fore-ground perspective. For this particular design, the silhouette of Amsterdam makes up the background. Thereafter, the adorable channels that runs through the city takes up the space in the middle and creates a distance to the foreground.

You might have guessed by now that the bridge and the authentic bicycle makes up a strong foreground. When you're faced with illustrations and embroidery designs with this perspective, we always recommend to begin with the contours. To stitch the contours first will help you to get a better overview of the different levels. For this design the contours are stitched with single-stranded black thread using the back stitch technique.

The back stitch technique is perfect for neat and straight lines. In addition, they help you capture the smaller details such as the tiny windows on the buildings in the background. In case you're not too familiar or used to the back stitch technique, we urge you to also grab one of our favourite backstitch patterns. As with everything, the best way to improve is by practice! One stitch at the time and you will find yourself a back stitch professional.

After the contours are sewn, you get to stitch the bicycle on top (or in front) of the bridge fence. You do this with satin stitches and split stitches. Last but definitely not least are the charming miniature floral embroidery knots. By simply reducing the number of strands for your French knots, they become the cutest flowers.

Embroidery stitches used in this pattern:

• Back stitch

• Satin stitch

• Split stitch

• French knot

You can learn how to embroider the above techniques in this article or via our free video stitch library Going Knots .

Materials you need to complete this embroidery design:

• 🖼️ Cotton canvas (or any non-stretch and non-transparent cotton fabric such as Duck canvas 7oz)

• 🖼️ Embroidery hoop of 15cm (6")

• 🎨Embroidery needle (We love to use 1-5 Bohin France or DMC needles)

• 🧵 Embroidery floss (DMC colour codes are indicated on your pattern pdf)

• ✂️ Scissor

• 📝 Carbon paper for transfer (Alternatively solvy paper, iron-on pen or any other transfer method of your preference)

• 🖊️ Pointy ball point pen

• 📏 Optional: Small ruler

Here is an article with more information about the various materials that we use.

BONUSES

→ Included in your pattern pdf is a video tutorial on how to transfer our architectural hand embroidery designs with carbon paper.

→ Upon purchase you will also receive an invitation to our supportive Private Facebook community that is available only for stitchers of our designs and courses.

Learn more with online courses

Are you keen to dive deeper into the Architectural hand embroidery style?

Then you’d want to have a look at our in depth Architectural hand embroidery and threadpainting courses on Charles and Elin Academy!

In addition to courses on Architectural designs we also offer other inspiring courses to support you on your exploration of modern hand embroidery.