You do not have to be a seamstress or have any advanced sewing skills to add a bit of stitching to your work. By adding a few simple stitches in your arsenal of techniques, you are sure to create a lovely layer of unexpected texture in your collages.
Thread an embroidery needle with embroidery floss. Place the needle into the fabric, coming up and out approximately 1⁄4" (6mm) from the starting point. Repeat this action until the desired number of stitches are created. If working in a linear fashion, place the needle into the fabric, come back out at the top and proceed to fold the fabric onto the needle until the desired length has been created.
Thread the needle as in step 1. Working from the back, go up and through the fabric with the needle and floss coming to the front, allowing a 1⁄2" (12mm) tail to remain at the back of the work.
Hold the needle with thread firmly with your nondominant hand, pulling away from the fabric and making sure not to pull the tail through.
Bring the thread over the needle several times, making sure the needle’s point is pointed away from the fabric.
With the thread on the needle, place the point back towards the fabric. Place the needle through the emerging thread. Slide the knot onto the fabric as you pull the thread through.
Once the knot is taut at the front of the fabric, tie the thread off in the back using the tail and threaded needle.
Bring the threaded needle through the back to the front. Pull the thread across the fabric in a diagonal manner and take the needle back through the fabric.
At the back of the work come across from the last stitch and go up through the fabric. Create a second diagonal. Tie the thread off at the back and trim any excess.
When working with paper and fabric, it is a good idea to use a tapestry needle since it tends to be less sharp than an embroidery needle. This will help alleviate the chances of tearing the paper.