Introduction to Gold Embroidery
A course by Elena CiarrocchiEmbroidery Artist
A course by Elena Ciarrocchi, Embroidery Artist
Learn traditional techniques to create 3D gold embroidery pieces for clothes and accessories
Can you think of a more elegant way to make your clothing and accessories sparkle with style and personality than decorating them with gold? Discover the beauty of gold embroidery, a timeless technique you can use to create vibrant compositions.
Elena Ciarrocchi, professional embroidery artist specialized in making holy vestments, teaches you how to create an embroidered heart step by step following a pattern and give it a unique touch by adding gold thread, French wire, and other brilliant details. In this course, learn the secrets to this ancient art form, make it your own, and transform your designs into gold.
What will you learn in this online course?
19 lessons & 9 downloads
The materials
6 minutes, 2 seconds
Frame and padding 1
10 minutes, 53 seconds
Sewing gold technique
19 minutes, 54 seconds
Revisiting the technique 1
11 minutes, 27 seconds
Traditional embroidery with tinsel
18 minutes, 55 seconds
Preparation of the substrate: felt and drawing
10 minutes, 52 seconds
What's included in this course?
Get to know your teacher Elena Ciarrocchi as she tells you about her creative journey through the world of embroidery. She also shares the artists and artwork that inspire her own creations.
Begin with an introduction to goldwork embroidery and learn the basic techniques. Go over the materials you need for the final project and how to use them.
Now it's time to work on your sacred heart. Prepare the hoop and a black felt background for your design and start embroidering. Then get to the heart of the matter by inserting padding and stitching the primary features of your design.
Learn how to use the gold stitching technique to embroider a line or fill in a surface before seeing how to go back over it with colored cotton thread instead of golden thread.
Finally, discover how to embroider with French wire and add the finishing touches to give your piece a personal touch. Once your composition is ready, Elena shows how to turn it into a pin or an appliqué for clothing and accessories.
What is this course's project?
Embroider a sacred heart patch with felt padding and French wire flames.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
Anyone who wants to learn how to create accessories using the goldwork embroidery technique.
Requirements and materials
The materials you need for this course include French wire, metallic and cotton embroidery thread, an embroidery hoop, black and yellow felt, and other materials that are readily available in a haberdashery.
Reviews
- 1 month ago
Un curso muy practico, de fácil entendimiento incluso para personas que apenas están iniciando en el mundo del bordado. mi valoración es positiva
- 5 months ago
A fantastic course, very inspiring.
- 6 months ago
excelente curso ,delicadamente explicado
- 8 months ago
Learning to embroider with gold has always been one of my dreams. From what I've seen, Elena Ciarrocchi can give me the basic knowledge to get started. I'll finally be able to use my threads properly! I'm thrilled with this course.
- 1 year ago
merci pour les détails .
She gained experience in a costume shop, where she embroidery historical garments, and later in a footwear company. After honing her craft, she decided to open her own business, focusing on goldwork embroidery, and specialize in embroidering holy vestments and recovering this ancient art form. When she's not working for clients, she enjoys creating more personal compositions where she experiments with different materials and techniques.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- Presentation
- Sources of inspiration
- U2
Basic techniques and review
- The materials
- Frame and padding 1
- Frame and padding 2
- Sewing gold technique
- Revisiting the technique 1
- Revisiting the technique 2
- Traditional embroidery with tinsel
- U3
Patch processing
- Preparation of the frame
- Preparation of the substrate: felt and drawing
- Central body padding and embroidery 1
- Central body padding and embroidery 2
- Central body padding and embroidery 3
- Padding and tinsel embroidery 1
- Padding and tinsel embroidery 2
- U4
Details and application
- Final details
- Refine the final patch
- Transform the patch into an application
- FP
Final project
- Brooches embroidered in gold
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
Gold embroidery on felt is a decorative technique using metallic gold threads to create raised, three-dimensional designs. It’s used on clothing, fashion accessories, religious vestments, and to make custom brooches or patches.
Yes, the course is designed for those with basic embroidery skills who want to deepen their knowledge of specific techniques like stitched gold, couching, and felt padding to achieve 3D effects.
To get started, you’ll need an embroidery hoop, felt, metallic gold or alternative threads, couching threads, perlé cotton, scissors, needles, sewing thread, beads, crystals, and beeswax for the thread.
You’ll learn how to prepare the felt base and hoop, use stitched gold and couching techniques, apply padding for 3D effects, decorate with beads and crystals, turn embroideries into patches or brooches, and restore antique pieces.
The hoop is set up by stretching the fabric evenly, using clamps and cotton tape to ensure stability and precision while embroidering.
Yes, synthetic metallic threads or golden perlé cotton can be used to mimic real gold, expanding creative options and lowering costs.
Once the embroidery is finished, edges are trimmed, a stiff backing is added, and a pin or backing is attached to make it a removable accessory.