Give Thanks Stitched Vine Card

Angular leaves and berry circles flank 

the stitched vine on the lower layered panel 

of this card with "Give Thanks" cut phrase above. 

Tiny needle holes provide stitching guide 

for perle cotton, embroidery floss or twine *back stitching. 
(*Back-stitching helps the line look solid.)

Berry circles nest into cutout openings in panel, 

and point guide marks make leaf positioning easy. 

Card measures approx. 9.25" long x 3.875" tall 

to fit into a standard no. 10 envelope. 

STITCHING GUIDE:
1. After cutting the shapes, select the needle-hole
punched panel.
Reverse panel to work on the backside.
Cello tape tail end of 24" of 6-ply floss (our recommendation)
 or perle cotton or soft twine near the end of the line 
of vine stitching that will be completed.
The sample shows tail being taped to the right
of the center end of the now-left "arm" of vine.

2. Thread floss end onto a blunt end tapestry needle.
Identify the end hole of the vine line to be stitched,
then insert the needle one position past the
start hole. (This begins the backstitch sequence.)
Pull floss all the way through until it is stopped
by the tape anchor.

3. Insert the needle and floss into the end hole,

pull floss through fully to the back.

4. From backside, insert needle one hole beyond

the hole filled with floss, then pull floss through

fully to the front.

5. Insert the needle "back" one hole (hence the

"back stitch" name) from where it exited

last - this hole will have one pass of floss

already filling it - then pull floss fully to the back.

6. Continue the process, inserting back-to-front

into forward hole . . . 

. .  then inserting in one hole

back where previous stitch has been completed,

until the vine line has been completed.

7. If you run out of thread, or when the line is

completed, "tie off" the thread by weaving the needle

through several completed stitches on

the backside of the work, then trim the tail.

(NOTE the end could also be anchored with

small piece of cello tape, as at beginning.)

Here is the completed first vine as seen

from the front of the work.

8. Complete the second half vine is the same way.

REMAINING CARD CONSTRUCTION:
9. Position and attach the lower base panel

and the "Give Thanks" word cuts on the card

front base.

Center the embroidered vine panel over the

lower base panel, and attach in place.

10. Prepare to attach the leaf shapes by identifying

the tip cut guide marks near upper or lower edge

of vine panel.

Also identify the base point position mark - 

which is the stitch hole that will be closest

to the leaf base tip when the top tip is

positioned at the guide cut marks.

Position and attach each of the 6 leaves.

11. Add a dab of glue to the cut holes . . .

. . . then place a cut berry circle in each position.

Here is the completed card.