This peony hair clasp combines delicate silk embroidery with raised, layered petals and shimmering gold details. With its rich blue tones and intricate flower motifs, it makes a beautiful statement piece that brings a touch of traditional artistry to your hairstyle.

Materials Kit Overview

This project is a Level 2 embroidery kit, suitable for beginners who already have some basic embroidery experience and would like to learn traditional Shu embroidery techniques such as rolling stitch (滚针), three-three stitch (二三针), turning stitch (车拧针), blending stitch (晕针), and seed stitch (打籽绣).

The kit includes:

1. Embroidery frame
2. Embroidery fabric
3. Connecting fabric
4. Pattern outline sheet
5. Mounting backing board
6. Backing fabric for mounting
7. Thick cotton thread
8. Thin cotton thread
9. Nano adhesive stickers
10. Double-sided fabric tape
11. Mulberry silk embroidery threads
12. Embroidery needles, sewing needles, and pin needles
13. Thumbtacks
14. Wooden thread organizer
15. Heat-erasable pen

Full Tutorial Video

We highly recommend you to check out our video tutorial if you come across techniques that you are not familiar with:)

Color Combination

Refer to the diagram below for the colors we used.

Step 1. Mount the Fabric onto the Embroidery Frame

Preparing the Embroidery Fabric

Take out the embroidery fabric and connecting fabric.

Align one piece of connecting fabric with the embroidery fabric and sew them together using thin cotton thread and a sewing needle. Simple running stitches are sufficient as long as the connection is secure.

Keep the stitches neat, fine, and evenly spaced. At the end, backstitch a few times to prevent loosening. Repeat the same process for the second connecting fabric piece.

Once both sides are attached, iron the fabric flat. Fold and press the seam allowances to strengthen the edges and prevent tearing when the fabric is stretched later.

Mounting onto the Frame

Fold the excess connecting fabric underneath and wrap it around one long side of the embroidery frame. Pull it smooth and secure both ends with thumbtacks.

Repeat on the opposite side, pulling firmly until the fabric is under tension before securing it.

Continue tightening and adjusting as needed. When viewed from the front, vertical wrinkles are acceptable at this stage, but horizontal wrinkles indicate insufficient tension and should be corrected.

Adding Tension Threads

Cut a piece of thick cotton thread approximately 2.5 times the width of the frame.

Using an embroidery needle, sew tension loops along one side of the fabric. Insert the needle from bottom to top, spacing the loops roughly 4 cm apart. Stitch back near the previous entry point to create a loop.

Secure the thread at the end and trim away excess thread. Repeat on the opposite side.

Insert thumbtacks every 4 cm along the frame edge.

Tie a 1-meter length of thick cotton thread to the first thumbtack. Pass it through each tension loop and hook it around the thumbtacks sequentially. Secure the end temporarily and repeat on the opposite side.

Gradually tighten all tension threads until the fabric is stretched evenly and firmly.

Step 2. Transfer the Pattern

Lay the carbon transfer paper face-down onto the stretched silk embroidery fabric, ensuring the correct side is positioned against the silk. Place the paper pattern on top of the carbon transfer paper and adjust it to your desired center position.

Using the white marking pen, carefully trace over the main design lines. Test on a small edge area first to confirm visibility. Remove the pattern paper and carbon paper. Re-trace any faint lines directly onto the silk fabric using the white marking pen.

Note: Do not trace the single outermost construction line, as white marking pen lines are permanent on dark silk. Pre-mark your intended hairpin hole positions on the paper pattern, allowing an extra 2 mm around each opening, and keep these designated areas unstitched throughout the process.

Step 3. Embroidery Process (绣制顺序)

3.1 Bottom Flower Branch

• Technique: Smooth Laying Stitch

• Thread Color: 1/2 Strand Royal-Blue Silk (#1 - darkest shade)

Begin at one end of the bottom branch. Secure your thread with two tiny anchoring stitches rather than a knot. Lay the stitches smoothly side by side, maintaining a consistent direction (inside-out or outside-in) to enhance the natural luster of the silk. Stagger the stitch ends slightly so subsequent sections blend smoothly.

3.2 Bottom-Layer Leaves

• Technique: Fan-Pattern Laying Stitch, Blended Stitch, and Rolling Stitch (滚针)

• Thread Colors: 1/2 Strand Lake-Blue Silk (#1 & #2), 1 Full Strand Blue Silk

Mark the target leaf section. Begin at the outer tip of the bottom-layer leaf using 1/2 strand of Lake-Blue #1 anchored with two tiny stitches. Stitch across the leaf tip in a fanned shape, gradually rotating the stitch direction.

Transition to 1/2 strand of Lake-Blue #2 for the lower leaf section, staggering your stitches into the previous color for a soft gradient. Use 1 full strand of blue silk with a rolling stitch (滚针) along the leaf overlaps to create a raised structural detail line.

3.3 Upper Leaves & Leaf Veins

• Technique: Structure-Covering Stitch and Rolling Stitch (滚针)

• Thread Colors: 1/2 Strand Lake-Blue Silk (#1 & #2)

For the upper leaves, work from tip to base using 1/2 strand of Lake-Blue #1. Transition to Lake-Blue #2, ensuring the lighter stitches completely cover the underlying rolling-stitch structure lines smoothly and evenly.

For the leaf veins, create a raised structure line along the center vein using rolling stitch with a mix of Lake-Blue #1 and #2. Cover one side first, then fill the remaining side with Lake-Blue #2, staggering the joins for a seamless finish.

3.4 Petal Raised Outlines (Cotton Cord Couching)

• Technique: Couched Anchor Stitch

• Materials: Thick Cotton Cord, 1/2 Strand White Silk, Sewing Needle

Thread the thick cotton cord from the back of the fabric to the front using a sewing needle.

Use 1/2 strand of white silk to couch the thick cord securely along the marked petal outlines. Guide the cord smoothly around curves, and draw it through to the back at the end of each line before starting the next petal.

3.5 Bottom-Layer Peony Petals

• Technique: Structure-Covering Stitch and Blended Long & Short Stitch

• Thread Colors: 1/2 Strand Royal-Blue Silk (#2 & #3)

Begin with 1/2 strand of Royal-Blue #2 to stitch the outer petal edges, completely covering the couched cotton cord structure lines with smooth, even stitches. Leave room for the inner color transition.

Switch to 1/2 strand of Royal-Blue #3, staggering stitches naturally into the darker border to build a soft radial blend. Repeat this process for the bottom-layer petals on both the right and left peonies, making sure to leave the marked hairpin hole areas clear by 2 mm.

3.6 Layered & Backward-Facing Peony Petals

• Technique: Multi-Layered Structure Couching and Blended Stitch

• Thread Colors: 1/2 Strand Lake-Blue Silk (#3 & #4)

Add secondary thick cotton cord structure lines for the upper petal layers. To embroider the backward-facing top petals, use 1/2 strand of Lake-Blue #3 along the outer edges to completely conceal the cord.

Fill the inner petal spaces with 1/2 strand of Lake-Blue #4, staggering the stitches along the color boundary for a smooth, high-contrast Diancui gradient effect.

3.7 Peony Flower Centers

• Technique: Cluster Laying Stitch

• Thread Color: 1/2 Strand Yellow Silk

Draw subtle radial guidelines in the flower centers. Using 1/2 strand of yellow silk, stitch small, smooth clusters along the guidelines to form the textured base of the flower centers rather than filling it as a solid block.

3.8 Gold Couching Cord Accents

• Technique: Gold Cord Couching

• Materials: Gold Couching Cord, 1/2 Strand Yellow Silk, Beading Needle, Sewing Needle

Create a small thread loop with a sewing needle to pull the end of the gold couching cord cleanly through to the back of the fabric.

Use the tip of a beading needle to guide the gold cord around the delicate curves of the yellow center clusters. Couch the gold cord down using 1/2 strand of yellow silk thread, bringing the cord ends through to the back after each cluster section is outlined.

Step 4. Remove from the Frame & Mount

Press the completed embroidery lightly with an iron set to low heat ("silk" setting) while it is still mounted in the hoop.

Trace the pattern outline onto the felt padding and cut it out. Smooth and round the front edges of the felt core. Cut a piece of double-sided fabric adhesive slightly larger than the felt template.

Remove the silk fabric from the hoop and peel away the bonded extension fabric from the border. Place the embroidery face-down, layer the double-sided adhesive over the back, and position the felt core on top (front side facing down). Iron carefully over the layers to bond them securely.

Trim away the excess embroidery fabric, leaving a 1 cm margin around the felt core. Using fine cotton thread, sew a line of evenly spaced running stitches around the edge margin. Gently pull the thread tails to gather the fabric neatly over the back of the felt template.

Make tiny release snips into lower inward curves so the edge lays flat, press with an iron to set, and tie off the thread.

Trace the ornament shape onto the suede backing with a beading needle and cut it out. Peel away the adhesive backing, press the suede onto the back of the mounted piece, and smooth the edges.

Finally, align your hole punch precisely with the reserved unstitched hole positions and press down firmly in a single, decisive motion to create the clean hairpin mounting slots.

Finished Piece 

Your Diancui-Inspired Peony Hair Clasp is now complete!

This piece pairs vibrant silk color gradients with dimensional cord structures and couched gold accents to mimic classic kingfisher feather jewelry. Slide your hairpin hardware through the clean slots to wear this handcrafted masterpiece or present it as an extraordinary gift.