Table of Contents
Watch the video: “How to Stitch Houses BARN AND FIELDS” by Sarah's Hand Embroidery
A tiny red barn. A sweep of green. A sky you can almost feel. This stitch-along turns simple techniques into a textured landscape—calming to work, delightful to display.
What you’ll learn
- How to plan satin stitch fills for neat edges and natural texture
- When to switch directions (vertical vs. horizontal) for contrast on the barn
- How to outline with split back stitch and fill the roof with satin stitch
- A back-and-forth method for dense fields and a smooth, horizontal sky
- French knots for scattered blossoms and finishing touches
Introduction to Barn and Fields Embroidery Project Overview This is a beginner-friendly hand embroidery scene: a red barn, lush fields, and a serene sky. The tutorial uses two strands of embroidery floss throughout for consistent scale and coverage. The barn’s sides are filled in satin stitch with smart sectioning; the roof gets a crisp split back stitch outline before a satin fill; and the fields and sky are worked in straight stitches for texture and flow. If you’re new to landscapes, this is a beautifully guided place to start.
Sarah notes the printed pattern is designed for a 4-inch hoop, but she worked this sample in a 3-inch hoop because the smaller scale felt cuter. If you’d like your piece to read bold and tidy, stick with two strands, just as demonstrated.
Materials and Tools Needed
- Fabric, secured in a hand embroidery hoop
- Embroidery floss in red, gray, white, green, blue, and yellow
- Needle and the barn-and-fields printed pattern
- Pencil for tracing pattern lines
Pro tip: Keep satin stitch lengths under roughly 1.5 cm for stability; if you need more coverage across a span, break the area into smaller subsections and fill in stages. This avoids snag-prone long floats.
Watch out: The video doesn’t specify fabric type. Choose a smooth, non-stretch woven with enough body to support satin and dense straight stitches.
Stitching the Barn Filling the Barn Sides with Satin Stitch Start on the barn’s side wall with vertical satin stitches in red. Before filling, lay a few guide stitches to divide the area into smaller sections—this makes it easier to keep your lines straight and your spacing even. Work each section methodically, so the long edges stay crisp and the sheen lies uniformly.
As you progress, keep dividing large zones into manageable chunks. Fill each with steady satin stitches placed snugly side by side. The goal is a smooth field of red with edges that look clean from arm’s length and neat under a close glance.
Quick check: If your stitches start to lean, add a few additional dividing stitches to reestablish a straight boundary line before continuing the fill.
Creating the Roof Outline and Fill Switch to the barn’s front face and work horizontal satin stitches. This change in direction creates a textural contrast—horizontal on the front, vertical on the side—so each plane reads distinctly. Break the front into parts and fill each section separately for control.
When you reach wider spans, avoid long, unstable floats. Sarah demonstrates an encroaching satin stitch approach—lay halfway across, then overlap into the previous row for a secure, smooth fill—so no single stitch exceeds that comfortable length.
Watch out: Long satin stitches can loosen and snag over time. If a span would exceed the approximate 1.5 cm guide, split it into two passes, overlapping slightly for a polished, durable surface.
Outline the roof with a split back stitch in gray using two strands. This creates a tidy, thicker line that contains the roof fill and gives a crisp architectural edge. Once outlined, fill the roof itself in satin stitch so the body feels solid and evenly colored, framed by that slightly raised line.
Quick check: Make sure the roof outline looks continuous without gaps; the fill should meet the outline cleanly without peeking fabric.
Adding Barn Details With the structure filled, add white straight stitch details: windows, door lines, and trim. Two strands are used here as well. Aim for clarity over absolute perfection—slightly angled lines can add charm and realism, especially on rustic subjects like barns.
From the comments: Viewers responded with appreciation for the finished look; one comment praised the piece as beautiful, and the creator replied with thanks.
Crafting the Landscape Embroidering Lush Green Fields Work the grass with straight stitches in green. Move back and forth across the field, layering rows and overlapping stitches generously to build density. Slightly vary the stitch angle now and then; those deviations keep the surface from looking too uniform and add a natural, windswept feel.
For depth, you can incorporate different shades of green (as the video mentions, color variation is a creative choice). Keep returning across the field, overlapping previous rows to eliminate gaps and create a carpet-like texture.
Pro tip: Leave the narrow band at the horizon unfilled for now. You’ll blend it once the sky is stitched—this helps prevent a hard line where field meets sky.
Bringing the Sky to Life Stitch the sky with straight stitches oriented horizontally. Place them in a more “disciplined” manner for a smooth finish—especially in the first row where a long-and-short rhythm helps you build even coverage. If you like, bring in subtle shade changes of blue or small patches of white to suggest clouds.
Quick check: Does the sky read as calm and continuous from a distance? If you see patchiness, weave extra stitches between rows to smooth the transitions without creating bulk.
Finishing Touches Adding French Knot Flowers Return to the horizon and complete the last row of grass. Let a few green stitches encroach into the lower edge of the sky to soften the blend and avoid a stark boundary. This slight overlap adds realism, as if blades reach up into the skyline.
Then, scatter small yellow French knot flowers across the field. Work with two strands, placing knots singly and in little clusters. Use the field’s open spots to sprinkle blossoms naturally—some bunched, some set apart—so the eye wanders pleasantly across the meadow.
Quick check: Step back after adding knots. If one area is too busy and another too bare, rebalance with a few additional knots where needed.
Final Review and Display Give everything a last look: edges crisp, fields rich, sky smooth. Trim and back your hoop as desired for a clean finish. The result is a charming little landscape that rewards both close inspection and display at a cozy distance.
Tips for Beginners Mastering Stitch Techniques
- Satin stitch: For large areas, divide first. Keep stitches parallel and snug, and avoid lengths beyond about 1.5 cm. If you must cross a wider span, use overlapping passes (encroaching satin) for stability.
- Split back stitch outline: This is excellent for edges you plan to fill. A thicker, tidy contour helps contain the satin stitch and elevates the look.
- Straight stitch texture: Vary lengths and angles slightly in the field. Keep the sky horizontal and more uniform for a calm, expansive effect.
Pattern Customization
- Hoop size: The pattern fits a 4-inch hoop, but the sample was stitched in a 3-inch hoop for a petite look.
- Color play: Greens of different shades in the field and blues in the sky can add depth; white patches can suggest clouds.
- Raised effects: To make the barn pop, you can try a padded satin stitch (the video references this as an option; details are not covered in-frame).
Watch out: The tutorial uses two strands for the entire project. Changing strand count will affect coverage and texture; test on a scrap before committing.
Share Your Masterpiece Join Our Community Show us your barn and fields! Share progress shots, color variations, or your own twist on the flower scatter. If you enjoyed this stitch-along pace—where you can follow nearly the entire process—you’ll feel right at home taking on more scenes in the hand-embroidered houses series.
From the comments: Community feedback on this project was warm and encouraging. Consider leaving a kind note for creators when their tutorials help you level up—positivity keeps great instruction flowing.
Helpful notes on tools and hoops This project is pure hand embroidery using a standard hand hoop, needle, and common floss colors. If you also explore machine embroidery in your practice, you may be familiar with specialized accessories. While not used in this tutorial, some stitchers like to research contemporary options for other projects, such as magnetic embroidery hoop.
For readers in regions with robust retail options, window-shopping can be inspiring—many crafters browse brands and regional suppliers for accessories like embroidery hoops uk when planning their studio kit.
There are also niche accessories frequently discussed in the machine embroidery world—for example, snap hoop monster is a term you might encounter in forums and gear roundups. These can be useful in different contexts than the hand-hooped approach shown here.
If you’re comparing tool ecosystems, you’ll find general references to mighty hoop in machine embroidery discussions. Again, that’s outside the scope of this hand project, but worth knowing if you work across both hand and machine methods.
Some machine embroiderers also experiment with magnetic frames for embroidery machine to streamline hooping on dense fabrics. This differs from the classic wood or plastic rings typical of hand embroidery.
Curious how hand and machine disciplines overlap? Many crafters enjoy both—one day a meditative scene by hand, the next day digitized motifs on a brother embroidery machine. If that’s you, keep notes on which tools serve which workflow, so your materials stay organized.
As a general category, magnetic embroidery hoops refers to attachments used with machine rigs; this barn scene, by contrast, uses a simple hand hoop and needlework techniques you can master with an evening and a cup of tea.
FAQ Q: How many strands are used in this project? A: Two strands of embroidery floss are used for the entire piece.
Q: Can I change the colors? A: Yes. You can switch shades of green for the field and blue for the sky, and add white patches for clouds if you wish.
Q: How do I make the barn stand out more? A: Try padded satin stitch for a raised effect (referenced by Sarah; specifics aren’t demonstrated in-frame).
Troubleshooting at a glance
- Slanting satin stitches? Add more dividing stitches and realign before filling.
- Patchy sky? Weave additional horizontal stitches between rows to smooth the surface.
- Harsh horizon line? Let a few grass stitches encroach into the sky to blend the boundary.
- Sparse field texture? Overlap more and vary angles slightly.
Quick finish checklist
- Barn sides: vertical satin, smooth and dense
- Barn front: horizontal satin; long spans managed with encroaching method
- Roof: split back outline + satin fill
- Field: layered straight stitches with angle variety
- Sky: disciplined horizontal straight stitches
- Flowers: scattered French knots in natural clusters
Display ideas Mount in the hoop for a rustic look, frame under glass for a crisp presentation, or stitch a series of small houses to create a gallery wall. Keep your thread tails secured and your back tidy for easy finishing.