3-D Lemon Embroidery Tutorial & A Virtual Book Tour
In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a realistic lemon that literally pops off the fabric! Using stumpwork (3-dimensional embroidery techniques) and thread painting (a style of embroidery that primarily uses the long and short stitch to blend colors), you’ll be able to create this vibrant lemon embroidery.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase an item.
This post is part of Megan Zaniewski’s digital book tour for her brand new book, Stumpwork Studio: Mastering 3-D Embroidery.
I had the pleasure of participating in the book tour for Megan Zaniewski‘s first book, Stumpwork and Thread Painting Embroidery. (See my felt padding embroidery tutorial, which includes an overview of the book) I was thrilled when she reached out again to ask me to be a part of this tour!
As part of these digital book tours, I like to include a short tutorial on one of the stumpwork techniques Megan introduces in the book. When I saw how Megan used needle felting in her book, I knew I wanted to try using it for this tutorial.
I’ll show you how I used this technique in this tutorial, and stick around at the end because I’m going to share a peek into the book and you’ll have a chance to enter the giveaway for the ebook!
3-D Lemon Embroidery
To create the 3D effect, we’ll do a bit of needle felting. You’ll need a few special supplies for this, including felting needles, wool roving, and felt padding or a thick piece of foam.
Note: You can technically use a regular needle to felt the wool, but it’s much easier to use a felting needle, which has a special shape and barbs along it that help pack the wool into the fabric.
Supplies Needed
- Felting needles – purchase at Benzie Design
- Wool roving – Benzie Design
- Cotton or linen fabric
- Traceable design – download here
- 4 inch embroidery hoop
- DMC floss colors:
- 434
- 472
- 725
- 745
- 898
- 3052
- 3852
- 3781
- 3865
- Felting pad – Amazon
Getting Started
Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop and transfer the design onto the fabric. Then flip the fabric so the design faces the back of the hoop, so the fabric will make contact and lie flat along the felting mat while felting the wool.
Needle Felting
Tear off a small piece of wool roving and place it along the fabric’s surface, inside the design. Begin piercing the fabric repeatedly with the felting needle to pack the wool into it.
Continue felting the wool roving until you’ve filled in the shape, and it feels secure along the fabric. To create a smooth, contoured shape, add more wool towards the center of the lemon.
Next, switch to an embroidery needle. I used 1 strand of floss throughout.
Thread Painting The Lemon
Begin filling in the edge of the lemon with long and short stitches using 434, stitching on top of the wool.
Fill in the edge of the lemon until it looks something like this.
If the wool is too long along the back of the embroidery and feels like it’s getting in your way, feel free to trim it, but make sure to leave a small amount of pile along the back so it stays securely in the fabric.
Using 3852, fill in more along the edges of the lemon, overlapping into the brown stitches to blend the colors.
Work your way towards the center of the lemon with long and short stitches, using 725. The stitches can slightly curve along the shape as pictured.
Once you start filling in the shape, make sure you pack the stitches densely enough so the wool underneath doesn’t show through.
Using 745, fill in towards the center of the lemon with more long and short stitches, leaving a small amount unstitched.
Add a highlight in the remaining area with 3865, again using long and short stitches.
Fill in the stem with long and short stitches using 3781.
Using 3052, add some long and short stitches along the base of the stem. Then split stitch the stem of the leaf and add some stitches that branch out along it. (Leave the edges unstitched.)
Fill in the edges of the leaf with the lighter green color 472. Then, split stitch down the center of the leaf.
I added a few long and short stitches using 3852 along the base of the stem to give it a little bit more shape.
Along the bottom edge of the lemon, add some long and short stitches using 898 to add even more contrast.
And voila! You’re done.
A Little Bit About Stumpwork Studio
In Stumpwork Studio: Mastering 3-D Embroidery, Megan walks you through 15 nature-inspired projects that build on some of the basic techniques introduced in her first book. Megan notes that you can start with either book, but Stumpwork Studio introduces some additional techniques and some brand new materials to work with.
Megan is a master at her craft. The projects are absolutely breathtaking. Even with the level of intricacy in her designs, she does a really great job at breaking everything down into approachable steps for readers. I think you’ll be really surprised at what you’ll be able to make when you follow along with the book!
If you’ve been a reader of this blog for a while, you will know that birds are one of my favorite subject matter to embroider. When I saw the three-dimensional swan embroidery I was incredibly excited. Another project that really stood out to me was the tree frog which, believe it or not, is double sided!
If you’re looking to build on your embroidery skills, learn a new embroidery style, or you’re feeling a little bit creatively stunted and need some inspiration, I think any of these reasons are a great reason to pick up Megan’s book. You’ll be thrilled you got it!
Leave a comment with your name and email to enter to win an ebook of Stumpwork Studio! The winner will be announced on my Instagram Tuesday, April 14th 2026.
Hello! Amazing book and great tutorial
Thank you, Carolina!
Thank you for the thorough lemon tutorial! I can’t wait to make a cutie lemon to practice for Megan’s intricate patterns in her second book! I’m at ckw301@gmail.com 🙂
You’re very welcome! Hope you enjoy stitching it as well as her phenomenal book!
Amazing work as always, Amanda! I will try this technique soon 😊
Thank you for the tutorial 💕
You’re so welcome Maria, happy stitching!
I’m very new to this but I bought a giant, well loved embroidery box from yard sale filled to the brim with thread, needles, and metal and wood rings. Do you have any recommendations on which is better? Wood or metal? I can’t wait to try and “paint with thread”. I like that idea! That way I can always “unpaint” it haha. Thank you for the tutorial. Aplace0924@gmail.com 🙂
That’s such a good find! I would suggest trying the wood embroidery hoops. The metal ones can sometimes leaves stains on the fabric, especially old ones. Thanks Alyssa, happy stitching!
Loooove this! Lemons are my jam ;p
Thanks Tammy!
Have done nearly all projects in Megan’s first book. Cannot wait to try the 3D stumpwork. Fabulous tutorial. Hope I can master the felting. Am a lifelong forager and really want to try the fly agaric… Here’s hoping
All of the projects look so fun to create and both books are incredible resources. Thanks for entering Lucy!
Beautiful tutorial. Easy to follow. Thank you for this!
jenna_logan@hotmail.com
Thanks Jenna, happy to share!
Wow 🤩 your work is incredible! Such beautiful 3d works of art 🙂
Thank you so much!
The lemon is truly beautiful! I’ve wanted to try my hand at creating stumpwork fruit & I think this might be my 1st piece.
Your review of Megan’s new book was wonderful!
I have both books now. & have a couple of her pieces as well which I dearly love.
Ann
Thank you so much Ann! Both books are amazing resources, and that’s awesome, she makes incredible art! 🙂
Love the lemon 3d felting tutorial step guide, I’d love to try out the frog it looks ribbeting 😁❤️.
Name: Anna
Email: annabroadhead@hotmail.com
Thank you! Yes, that frog is lifelike isn’t it?!
This is a great tutorial, very easy to follow, this has been on my list of things to try for awhile, I’m excited to give it a go! Thank you! 💗
Thanks so much Kate! Hope you enjoy!
I love this book ♥️where can I leave a comment to win this book? I love the artwork of this piece and all these amazing works ♥️
This comment works as an entry! 🙂
What a cute lemon!
The lemon is gorgeous and now I want to try making all the 3d fruits! Would love a copy of the book.
All I can say is WOW! I have never tried this advanced technique and I am inspired! I love how the lemon truly comes to life and I really appreciate the details in your tutorials. Thank you!
All I can say is WOW! I have never tried this advanced technique and I am inspired! I love how the lemon truly comes to life and I really appreciate the details in your tutorials. Thank you!
Sorry – I am retyping this as I forgot to add my email!
kims3blessings@gmail.com
Thank you again!
Love Megan’s works, and thank you for the lemon tutorial!
Lovely tutorial! Benzie wool felt is a favorite for my springtime crafts. 😊
Great tutorial as usual. I can’t wait to try this and would love a copy of the book. First thing tomorrow morning I am going to check my threads and try to get started.
Thank you!
So fun! Thanks for helping to make new techniques approachable. And what a stunning book!
This lemon tutorial is super easy to follow, and now I really want to try stumpwork and needle felting for the first time. Thank you for sharing such a detailed guide! I would love to enter the giveaway for Stumpwork Studio—it looks like an amazing resource.
It looks so cool!! alishajpass@yahoo.co.uk
Her work is so amazing! You can tell the love and time you guys have put into your work!!
Can’t wait to see if I have the right colors to try to reproduce the lemon. Would love to win the book! Thank you for a fantastic tutorial.
Thank you for the tutorial! I appreciate that you do both a video and stills!
Loved your lemon 3D tutorial and you did a beautiful long and short stitches (I am still trying to learn how to fill the threads in more neatly).
Thanks again for the tutorial
Kristy (kristytze2001@yahoo.com.tw)
I too love birds and would like to try stumpwork. I don’t have Instagram or any social media for that matter, so will you be posting the winner in an email in addition to on IG?
Hi Amanda,
This book looks incredible. I will definitely be purchasing. I thoroughly enjoy your emails and tutorials. I was introduced and fell in love with the thread painting technique through your teachings. I have purchased some of your designs as I am also a lover of nature. They are gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your creative designs and knowledge!
Wow! Amazing work! Thank youbfoe the walk through-you make it so easy to follow. I would love to win the book and try more techniques!
What a great tutorial! I can’t wait to try it and get into stumpwork. I’d love to win a copy of the book and learn 3D embroidery. At the moment I’m practicing thread painting. 🪡🍋🧵
Beautiful lemon! Can`t wait to try it! I`ve tried stumpwork with wire but I haven`t tried with needle felting yet
Thanks for the tutorial- I’m keen to have a go at stumpwork and this makes it looks straightforward
Beautiful lemon! 🍋 💕