Uploaded November 2023 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Step by step instruction starts at 21:35
For this tutorial you will need: a finished ornament to embellish
A non permanent marking tool - I used a chalk pencil, I recommend the Bohin pencils
A small ruler
Inexpensive scissors
Fine needles: I recommend a #10 milliner's (soft edge finish, like a pillow) or curved beading needle (hard edge finish, as seen here)
Crystals or beads of your choice, I used 4mm crystal rounds
Silk wrapped purl in the size and color of your choice
Update 12/19: Finishing packs are currently sold out, although individual boxes of size 4 purl are still available. They will be returning for Christmas in July 2024, so I have left the information about the packs up in the description. A new color has been commissioned for holiday 2024 as well.
Finishing kits are available at katie-strachan.com/shop
The finishing packs have one box of silk wrapped purl (size super), the recommended needles, 4mm crystal rounds and a spool of 100/3 silk that match the purl
As used in this tutorial, the pack will make 20 1/4" edging, although formulas to calculate length needed for the different variations are listed below.
All ornaments shown in this tutorial are individual motifs from the Modern Folk Embroidery pattern Through the Bitter Frost & Snow: modernfolkembroidery.com/product/through-the-bitter-frost-and-snow-pdf-pattern
Silk wrapped purl comes in size super (smallest), 2, and 4 (largest)
One box of super contains an 18 inch length, sizes 2 and 4 come in 1 yard lengths
You can find the purl variation trims shown - silk scallop, laid down trim, and metal lined laid down trim here, as well as regular silk wrapped purl: thistle-threads.myshopify.com/collections/silk-purls
Needle in a Haystack has photographed many of the silk wrapped purls and has them listed here: needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/Goldwork_Purl_Gimp.html#SilkWrapPurl
The Knotted Needle and Traditional Stitches also carry silk wrapped purl, although any LNS can special order it for you
I recommend Artbeads as a source for crystal beads:
artbeads.com/prestige-crystal-components-color
As well as crystal pearls:
artbeads.com/prestige-article-5810-round-crystal-pearls
Formulas for the different finishes:
The single loop finish demonstrated in this tutorial uses a 1/2" cut of size super purl, stitched down on a 1/4" length, with 5/16" between loops
To add a double scallop as seen in the lighter green, round ornament, add 7/8" cut lengths of size 4 purl, staggering them behind your front loops as demonstrated in the tutorial
For the double scallop on the small square ornament, the front rows were 1/2" cuts of size super pearl, stitched down on a 1/4" loop length, but spaced 1/4" apart. The second, back row of scallops were 5/8" cuts, staggered behind the front row
For the single scallop seen on the red square ornament: 1/2" cut length of super purl, stitched down on a 5/16" loop length, with 1/8" between scallops where I have placed a single 3mm round crystal
The double scallop with metal purls (on the blue ornament stitched in White Gold Glint Bijoux) used a 3/8" length of smooth purl stitched down over a 1/4" loop length, with 1/4" between loops. The second row of scallops used a 5/8" cut of check purl, staggered behind the front loops
To calculate how much silk wrapped purl you need:
Measure the finished edge of your piece - ornament, pillow, etc - to know what your total vertical length is
Choose your purl - remember, super comes in a 18" length while sizes 2 and 4 come in 1 yard lengths
Add together one stitched length and one space: for the single loop finish shown, that came to .5625 with 1/4" taken up by one loop, and 5/16" between loops
I was using 1/2" cuts of purl, so every 1/2" inch of purl equals .5626 inches of a finished edge
1/2" cuts for a 18" length means I can get 36 cuts out of one box of super purl, so I would also need 36 beads if using the full length of purl
Crystal pairings for Katie's Greens
For the blue toned greens (as shown on the double scallop round ornament), I recommend crystal color Erinite, as used on the double scallop ornament, or for a lighter crystal that matches the color more exactly, Chrysolite or Chrysolite Opal
For the yellow toned greens, crystal color Palace Green Opal
Step by step instruction starts at 21:35
For this tutorial you will need: a finished ornament to embellish
A non permanent marking tool - I used a chalk pencil, I recommend the Bohin pencils
A small ruler
Inexpensive scissors
Fine needles: I recommend a #10 milliner's (soft edge finish, like a pillow) or curved beading needle (hard edge finish, as seen here)
Crystals or beads of your choice, I used 4mm crystal rounds
Silk wrapped purl in the size and color of your choice
Update 12/19: Finishing packs are currently sold out, although individual boxes of size 4 purl are still available. They will be returning for Christmas in July 2024, so I have left the information about the packs up in the description. A new color has been commissioned for holiday 2024 as well.
Finishing kits are available at katie-strachan.com/shop
The finishing packs have one box of silk wrapped purl (size super), the recommended needles, 4mm crystal rounds and a spool of 100/3 silk that match the purl
As used in this tutorial, the pack will make 20 1/4" edging, although formulas to calculate length needed for the different variations are listed below.
All ornaments shown in this tutorial are individual motifs from the Modern Folk Embroidery pattern Through the Bitter Frost & Snow: modernfolkembroidery.com/product/through-the-bitter-frost-and-snow-pdf-pattern
Silk wrapped purl comes in size super (smallest), 2, and 4 (largest)
One box of super contains an 18 inch length, sizes 2 and 4 come in 1 yard lengths
You can find the purl variation trims shown - silk scallop, laid down trim, and metal lined laid down trim here, as well as regular silk wrapped purl: thistle-threads.myshopify.com/collections/silk-purls
Needle in a Haystack has photographed many of the silk wrapped purls and has them listed here: needlestack.com/WebStore/Thread/Goldwork_Purl_Gimp.html#SilkWrapPurl
The Knotted Needle and Traditional Stitches also carry silk wrapped purl, although any LNS can special order it for you
I recommend Artbeads as a source for crystal beads:
artbeads.com/prestige-crystal-components-color
As well as crystal pearls:
artbeads.com/prestige-article-5810-round-crystal-pearls
Formulas for the different finishes:
The single loop finish demonstrated in this tutorial uses a 1/2" cut of size super purl, stitched down on a 1/4" length, with 5/16" between loops
To add a double scallop as seen in the lighter green, round ornament, add 7/8" cut lengths of size 4 purl, staggering them behind your front loops as demonstrated in the tutorial
For the double scallop on the small square ornament, the front rows were 1/2" cuts of size super pearl, stitched down on a 1/4" loop length, but spaced 1/4" apart. The second, back row of scallops were 5/8" cuts, staggered behind the front row
For the single scallop seen on the red square ornament: 1/2" cut length of super purl, stitched down on a 5/16" loop length, with 1/8" between scallops where I have placed a single 3mm round crystal
The double scallop with metal purls (on the blue ornament stitched in White Gold Glint Bijoux) used a 3/8" length of smooth purl stitched down over a 1/4" loop length, with 1/4" between loops. The second row of scallops used a 5/8" cut of check purl, staggered behind the front loops
To calculate how much silk wrapped purl you need:
Measure the finished edge of your piece - ornament, pillow, etc - to know what your total vertical length is
Choose your purl - remember, super comes in a 18" length while sizes 2 and 4 come in 1 yard lengths
Add together one stitched length and one space: for the single loop finish shown, that came to .5625 with 1/4" taken up by one loop, and 5/16" between loops
I was using 1/2" cuts of purl, so every 1/2" inch of purl equals .5626 inches of a finished edge
1/2" cuts for a 18" length means I can get 36 cuts out of one box of super purl, so I would also need 36 beads if using the full length of purl
Crystal pairings for Katie's Greens
For the blue toned greens (as shown on the double scallop round ornament), I recommend crystal color Erinite, as used on the double scallop ornament, or for a lighter crystal that matches the color more exactly, Chrysolite or Chrysolite Opal
For the yellow toned greens, crystal color Palace Green Opal
