Embroidery on crochet afghan

[Leandri]

I don’t know anything about embroidery, but would really like to start applying embroidery detail onto my crochet afghans. I have some questions as to what would make this most effective.

1. What crochet stitch would work best if I’d want to embroider on it? Hook and yarn size would be good to know too.

2. Is it then possible to apply embroidery onto the yarn? What equipment would I need to do this?

I have here a picture of the type of embroidery I would like to do on the afghan. Also, some kind of lettering would be a nice addition.

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

There are 2 interpretations that I'm getting from your photo - (1) you want an applique -- the above is not embroidery, it's felt pieces cut out and sewn on  (2) you really mean embroidery, entirely created with needle and thread, as one would on cloth.

There are lots of patterns for crochet appliques, which you can sew to crochet fabric (the best background would be a solid fabric, like straight SC for either appliques or real embroidery), here are some patterns - if you are not a member, you may need to re-set the search, I chose applique in the search box and crochet for the craft.  

If you work your item in straight SC (or HDC, or TSS--you need a square-ish stitch), a common way to embellish blankets is to simply cross-stitch embroider over the stitches, example this vintage pattern.  

Tapestry crochet would be a good choice for something similar for your example where there are 2 colors, it is simply working over the unused color - again in SC.  There is no stranding across the back.  The worked-over color sometimes peeks out a tiny bit between stitches, but that's what give it the woven look.

If you want to 'draw lines', surface slip stitch is the way to go.  It is a little odd to get used to for the first few stitches since the supply yarn is underneath the fabric, but not difficult once you get the hang of it after a few stitches.

None of the above requires special equipment, except you would need a a tapestry needle for the cross stitch  (big blunt needle with a big eye for threading yarn into, they come in plastic or steel).  I machine-sew a lot (or used to), and I would not use a sewing machine- I'd think the feed mechanism (the part that looks like rows of saw teeth under the needle area) would be likely to chew up yarn.  As far as what stitch to use to sew it on - if you use the same yarn & color as the applique, you can probably discreetly make little stitches in a running stitch - - - - - - (in out in out etc) that technically show on the front side, but would get lost in the complexity of the crochet stitch.  

Edited May 18, 2021 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

I thought some more about your question, and realized there was a third interpretation that I missed, because I was thinking in terms of a 100% crochet solution for something that roughly resembled your photo--in other words, not involving craft felt.

If you literally meant to cut out craft felt shapes and sew them on to a crochet afghan, I would not recommend it.  Notice how fine-threaded the fabric substrate is in your photo, it is not as coarsely plied and loosely stranded as a typical crochet afghan yarn.  Your photo is probably of a wall hanging, something that is not meant to be handled or laundered (as far from a usable blanket as you can get).  I would not count on craft felt sewn to a stretchy crochet afghan to survive being tossed in the wash. 

Edited May 18, 2021 by Granny Square

[Leandri]

@grannysquare thanks so much for such a thoughtful and helpful response. 
 

I actually didn’t look at it carefully enough to notice that it’s applique, so sorry about the confusion. I’m after embroidery only. I guess embroidery seems dainty so I’m struggling to envisage how it’ll look like on a more textured surface like crochet. That is why I asked about the best crochet stitch to use as my base. Can I do the embroidery using a fine yarn then?

I’m also a bit concerned about weaving in the ends of the applied embroidery to get a nice finish.

Perhaps lettering/line work might be best be incorporated with a simple cross stitch design? 

[NCcountrygal]

Embroidery video  Perhaps this video will help. 

 

Edited May 18, 2021 by NCcountrygal
Add url link

[Granny Square]

Your welcome, and thanks for clarifying  

I have done all the things I've suggested above, but have never mixed yarn weights.  All I can think of is to experiment with swatches and see what looks good to your eye.

For line work (including lettering)  surface slip stitch is the way to go, it does make a right and wrong side tho - the top looks like a chain, the underside looks like dashes - - - .  But any embroidery is going to have a 'wrong side', which why I threw the tapestry idea out there, it looks the same front and back.  As far as weaving in ends of lines, I've woven it back along the underside of the line, so it shows on the wrong side as being thicker in an area.

For a blanket, where the wrong side WILL show, I think tapestry is the way to go; maybe with a surface slip stitch outline for a little texture, depending on the pattern.

[Granny Square]

NCcountrygal posted just before I did, that's a great example (love the mix of crochet + traditional embroidery, I'm trying to think of the last time I did a lazy daisy stitch  ) but it all looks to be the same (or close to) the same weight as the background.  

[bgs]

I like to embroider but hate trying to embroider on crochet.  I rarely like how my attempts turn out----embroidering decorations on mini stockings or facial features on hotpads and amigurumi.  I cant get the fine, even, smooth details like I want but crochet is a bulkier background.  I am much happier using appliques on it.

[Granny Square]

Agree, I'd rather do colorwork (like tapestry) than most embroidery, but cross stitch isn't too bad like that vintage blanket example.  I like that the floral example above is a hybrid, the big flowers appliqued and just 'linework' embroidered.

[Leandri]

@NCcountrygal thanks for the video, it really is very helpful and possibly the closest to what I would like to be doing.

@bgs it does seem to me that I envisaged something that might just be impossible to achieve - smooth, delicate work on a rather bumpy surface. 

@grannysquare I think the slip stitch work will be best for lettering, as you suggest. I had a quick look at tapestry, but it seems intimidating 😱

I only thought about embroidery on crochet because I came across this (image below) in a crochet pattern book recently. I then started exploring embroidery ideas and found Yumiko Higuchi’s designs, which I absolutely love, but now I realise is perhaps a bit ambitious 😬
 

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Leandri

[NCcountrygal]

You are welcome. I too would opt for making appliqués to add or tapestry. 

[bgs]

2 hours ago, Leandri said:

@NCcountrygal thanks for the video, it really is very helpful and possibly the closest to what I would like to be doing.

@bgs it does seem to me that I envisaged something that might just be impossible to achieve - smooth, delicate work on a rather bumpy surface. 

@grannysquare I think the slip stitch work will be best for lettering, as you suggest. I had a quick look at tapestry, but it seems intimidating 😱

I only thought about embroidery on crochet because I came across this (image below) in a crochet pattern book recently. I then started exploring embroidery ideas and found Yumiko Higuchi’s designs, which I absolutely love, but now I realise is perhaps a bit ambitious 😬
 

 

Something like this is doable.  Note that the stitches here are not perfectly uniform which is what makes me crazy because that is normally the goal.

[Granny Square]

That red square pretty much like that vintage blanket, I like it a lot - rustic but in a nice way.

Have you ever crocheted over a yarn 'end' as you go, to hide the end?  Tapestry is pretty much exactly that, except (using that visual) you alternate pulling the 'end strand' up to stitch with and then stich over the other yarn for a few stitches, and so on..

[Leandri]

@bgs @grannysquare I guess it depends what look you’re going for. I’d probably want to aim for something neat and straight but end up with something resembling the block’s stitches 😂 

Edited May 19, 2021 by Leandri

[bgs]

1 hour ago, Leandri said:

I’d probably want to aim for something neat and straight but end up with something resembling the block’s stitches 😂 

 My experience exactly.

[USpolishgirl]

Very important to remember:  FELT IS NOT WASHABLE!.

Do not make any appliques out of Felt if you are planning to wash that.

Works great for decorations

Krys

[ReniC]

There are several written and YouTube links online on how to embroider on crochet. Martha Stewart even has a tutorial. Just type into your search bar:

embroider on crochet.