Friday, November 24, 2006

Good tools are half the fun

A true Hanne repellent is to say - You have to do it like this. No twists allowed.
That is how stitchery was presented to me in the past.
Drawn with brown Pigma Pen, layered with cotton batting, preferably in an embroidery frame too.
I took to stitchery like a fish to biking ;-)

First I got rid of the frame - I do Not enjoy stab stitching and I like to have a good finger feel with what I am working on.
Cotton batting made my stitches to big and uneven, so I switched the cotton batting for thin polyester batting. Still not liking the stitches and all the planning that had to be done regarding the size of the finished work and the extra batting, I got rid of the batting altogether.
Now I use an extra layer of muslin so knots and thread do not show through. It works very well indeed, and I do not need to do any planning for the end product. An extra layer of muslin does not give an extra thickness worth mentioning, and I can use the stitcheries wherever I want, whenever. It also gives me the freedom of having ongoing stitcheries without any plan at all, like the needle book heart started :-)

I now use a mechanical pencil or my scanner and printer to transfer a pattern.
With the scanner and printer I use fabric ironed to freezer paper, scan very colour reduced and then print.
More often I use the mechanical pencil, which allows me to change the design too - if I want to.

Embroidery needles are nice to work with, and I prefer to use embroidery floss, 2 strands mostly and 1 strand to small details.
Last week I bought a Clover table size needle threader. It is so neat ! Now I do not need to use so much energy threading the needles.

The angels will soon be put into some planned small things.
I was so lucky to get the pre-printed muslin with a Bronwyn Hayes Christmas stitchery as a gift earlier this autumn. I will enjoy it now before Christmas, in red only.
Maybe it will be a pillow front when it is done ?

12 comments:

  1. I never heard of a table sized needle threader but it sounds like a fantastic gadget. I sometimes spend more time threading than actually sewing. I must look for one. THanks for the tip.

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  2. Very pretty Hanne - and very interesing. I've done stitchery for years and have NEVER heard of trying to do it through batting! If a layer of batting is desired it is put behind the piece after the stitching is finished. I use an embroidery hoop, but always keep it loose enough so I don't need to stab stitch. I can't imagine doing it the way you first describe!

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  3. Your angels are adorable. I'm thinking of doing some stitchery myself. I don't have a table top threader, but I do like my needle threader I use.

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  4. Loved reading your thoughts on embroidering! I don't use a frame either and I find I get much farther faster doing it that way--and no ugly creases in the fabric to smooth out later! Cute patterns you've got going too!

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  5. small projects are nice-I love these angels..how sweet they will look in a pillow or whatever you choose. Enjoy your quiet stitching time!

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  6. I could have sworn I posted a comment this morning. HMMMM - I wonder what I did. Oh well.

    I love your thoughts about stitchery. I don't do much but have a strong desire to. Maybe someday.

    Oh, that tabletop needlethreader is a favorite of mine. I love that gadget.

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  7. I love your idea for the double muslin for embroidery. I am a machine quilter and I can't tell you how many times I've quilted customer quilts with show through from the back of the embroidery after I quilted it. Doesn't look pretty that way. Your idea would make for a very professional look. Wonderful ideas.

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  8. What wonderful projects you are working on, Hanne! You are my hero with this stitching! of course, you need to do it your way--look at the results!

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  9. Since you are offering a tutorial of sorts, do you have to sandwich the stitchery first? (I though you could "just" embroider the muslin.)

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  10. You have the loveliest fabrics. Nice scissors fob. Your angels say what I hope for you.

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  11. Anonymous9:15 am

    Det frister med stitchery for tida, men jeg har en del påbegynte korssting jeg må ta meg av først - tror jeg...

    I'm tempted to start some stitchery, But there are a few cross stitch works that have to be taken care of first - I think...

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  12. Your angel stitcheries are really pretty. And thanks for the tip about using muslin. I never used anything, didn't know I was supposed to, but using muslin will help keep things from showing from the back.

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