Embroidery Library Urban Threads The Study

💫Get 10 Designs for $20!

SHOP ELIGIBLE SINGLE DESIGNS

Wear It. Stitch It. Love It. 🌟 Apparel & Accessory designs are 60% off!

Embroidered Folding Screen

Embroidered Folding Screen

This delicate folding screen will add exotic Asian flavor to any curio cabinet, bookshelf, or buffet table. Display it as a stand-alone piece or a simple, yet eye-catching backdrop for crystal, figurines, or simple flower arrangement!

The frame is made of bamboo, which can be found in the floral department of any craft store.
The finished screen is 38 inches wide by 18 inches high.

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials

  • 1 yard fabric (a thin twill or linen works well)
  • Sticky-back, tear-away stabilizer
  • 21 1/2 feet of 1/2 inch wide bamboo stick
  • Leather jewelry cord
  • Small hand saw
  • 1/8 inch eyelets
  • Eyelet tool
  • 6 small metal hinges (or you can use cord or yarn)
  • Hot glue
  • Self-healing pad
  • Craft knife
  • Air-erase pen
  • Small hammer
  • Beads

Gather Materials:

The folding screen is made from two narrow fabric panels for the ends, and two wider fabric panels for the middle panels. We chose a twill for our panel fabric.


Measure and mark two 8 x 15 inch rectangles for the small panels, and two 11 X 15 inch rectangles for the large panels.

Mark the center of each rectangle by measuring each side of each rectangle and dividing by two. Draw horizontal and vertical lines connecting the marks -- these lines will be used for hooping.

Hand holding pen drawing lines with a 12-inch metal ruler on white fabric marked with a grid of small purple dots and faint purple lines.

Print full-size paper templates of the designs. Trim around the templates for easy placement.


Poke a hole in the center of each template, and mark the center points onto the fabric in each of the rectangles. The center points will be used for aligning the needle later. 

White fabric laid flat on a table with several printed paper designs pinned or placed on top, showing bird and plant sketches for embroidery.

Cut a piece of sticky-back stabilizer a bit larger than your hoop, and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.

Rectangular embroidery hoop with rounded corners placed on a white fabric with faint blue grid lines and a central cross mark.

Start Embroidering:

Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point, and embroider the design. Repeat the stabilizing, hooping, and embroidering process for each panel.

Close-up of embroidery machine stitching a blue floral and leaf design on white fabric stretched in a hoop, with a sewing needle in motion.

When the panels have been embroidered, carefully remove the excess stabilizer, and cut out the shapes from the fabric.

Piece of white fabric with blue embroidered floral design in center, marked with blue pencil lines, held by hand cutting with orange-handled scissors on wooden surface.

Cut two more 8 x 15 inch rectangles and two more 11 x 15 inch rectangles for the backs of the panels.


Align the back pieces with the embroidered front pieces, right sides together. Pin in place.

White fabric pinned with multicolored pins on a dark wood surface, partially lifted to reveal blue embroidery of bird legs and part of a bird.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the right and left edges only - leave the top and bottom edges open. Do this for each panel.

Close-up of sewing machine needle and presser foot stitching white fabric, with red and blue pins securing fabric under bright sewing light.

Turn each panel right side out and press the seams.

White fabric with blue embroidery of birds and a pagoda, positioned on an ironing board. A white iron is partially visible on the right side.

Fabric "pockets" on the top and the bottom will hold the bamboo sticks.


With the panels wrong side up, measure and mark 3 inches from each of the corners on the seamed sides.

White fabric placed on a wooden table with a stencil of a cherub and another figure. A hand holds a blue pen near the fabric edge. A metal ruler lies nearby.

Fold the top and bottom edges over 1/2 inch...

Close-up of a white fabric edge folded and pinned with blue pins on a dark wood surface, a hand with a silver ring holds the fabric corner.

...and fold again up to the 3 inch mark. Pin in place.

White fabric with faint floral embroidery folded and pinned with red and white headed sewing pins on a dark wooden surface.

Sew a seam 1/8 inch away from the inner fold. Do this on each end.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a folded edge on white fabric under the presser foot with bright lighting focused on the work area.

An eyelet at the top of each panel is used to attach the beads.


Measure the top of each panel and divide by two to find the center. Mark about 1/4 inch down from the top pocket seam. 

Hand holding a blue marker drawing on white fabric with blue embroidery patterns of a bird, tree branches, and a structure; metal ruler marked Westcott.

Using a self-healing pad, and a craft knife, cut a small "X" on each mark. Insert the eyelet into the "X", turn the panel over and use the eyelet tool and hammer to tap the eyelet in place.

Close-up of a tool with a wooden handle piercing a white fabric folded edge, with a blue and yellow measuring mat underneath.

In total, 20 bamboo sticks will make up the frame of the screen.

Cut eight 18-inch pieces, six 11-inch pieces and six 8-inch pieces.

Using a hand saw, cut the bamboo. To prevent splintering, use slow, smooth sawing motions. 

Close-up of a small saw with a yellow handle cutting a thin wooden dowel on a wood grain surface. The saw blade is black with a silver bolt.

Take four of the 11-inch pieces and insert one stick into each pocket of the two large panels.


Take four of the 8-inch pieces and insert one stick into each pocket of the small panels.

Close-up of white fabric embroidered in blue thread with a detailed garden scene, held taut by a wooden rod on a dark wood table. A hand holds the rod.

Lay two 18-inch pieces on either side of each of the four panels.


Measure 2 1/2 inches up from the bottom of each 18 inch side piece. Add hot glue to each side piece, and glue the bottom bamboo piece in place.

Close-up of a white fabric wrapped around a bamboo rod being glued with a blue hot glue gun; a steel ruler lies nearby on a dark wooden surface.

Pull the panel taut. Then glue the top bamboo piece in place.

Blue embroidery of a pagoda, tree, rock, and fence on white fabric stretched on a bamboo frame; hand holding a blue hot glue gun nearby.

Add hot glue to the top ends of the side bamboo pieces. Add the remaining two 11-inch pieces to the large panels and the remaining two 8-inch pieces to the small panels.

Close-up of a wooden frame with bamboo-like sticks, partially assembled on a dark wood table. A white fabric with blue embroidery is attached to the frame. A blue hot glue gun is held nearby.

Carefully trim the ends of the bamboo from the sides of the panels. Doing this will allow the panels to hinge together more smoothly.

Close-up of a wooden embroidery frame holding white fabric, resting on a dark wood surface with a blue wall background.

Tie the frame corners with leather jewelry cord for reinforcement.

Close-up of hand tying thread around a bamboo rod attached to the corner of a white fabric panel on a wooden surface.

Thread leather cording from the front of the panel through the eyelet to the back. Then, thread the cord through a bead and tie a knot at the end to hold the bead in place on the back side.

Close-up of a white fabric folded over a wooden rod, secured with a beige string tied to a small blue bead and a black bead on a dark wooden surface.

Pull the cord taut. Add the beads to the front side, and tie and knot the other end of the cord onto the top bamboo piece. Repeat the thread and beading process for each of the four panels.

Blue and white beaded cord with ceramic beads attached to a wooden frame holding fabric with partial blue embroidery visible on white cloth.

We added metal hinges. You may also use leather cord, yarn, or string to tie the panels together.


To bring the panels together using hinges, lay one of the large panels flat and hot glue the hinges to the inside of the bamboo pieces.

Close-up of a small folding screen with a bamboo frame and white fabric panel featuring blue embroidery of a decorative vase with flowers and fruit.

Stand the first panel upright and align the second large panel next to it. Hot glue the other sides of the hinges to the second panel.


Add the hinges and small panels to the center panels as you did the large panels.

Close-up of a bamboo frame corner joined by a metal hinge with glue being applied from a blue Surebonder hot glue gun to secure the joint, white fabric attached.

And there you have it! A unique addition to home decor or an elegant hand-made gift.

Four-panel folding screen with gold-tone bamboo frame and white fabric panels embroidered in blue, showing birds, bonsai tree, and decorative scroll patterns.