11.13.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
- Use the best materials you can afford.
- If you can, use a hoop or frame that’s big enough for the entire design.
- If this is not feasible, try to use a slate frame or other framing method that rolls the embroidery rather than crushing it. Or remove your hoop when you stop stitching for the day.
- Use SHORT lengths of wool. I can’t stress this one enough, though I often forget it myself. Wool stretches as you stitch with it, no matter how careful you are with your tension. Just the friction of drawing it through the fabric will stretch it. If your wool thread gets thinner this way, it just doesn’t look good when it’s stitched.
- If you are transferring a design to your fabric, try to use either a removable ink, or a transfer method that can create a line thin enough to completely cover with your stitching.
- Did I mention use the best materials you can afford?
- Make sure your needle is the correct size — it should be large enough that the wool doesn’t “drag” when you pull it through the fabric, and small enough that the hole in the fabric will close back around the yarn when you are done.
- Use a needle that isn’t discolored or worn out! Discoloration can sometimes rub off on your fabric, and burrs on a worn needle can wear the fabric or the thread, or both, depending on their location!
- Clean hands = clean and not grungy final project. Washing and blocking will still do amazingly wonderful things for your project, but a black grimy fingerprint is a LOT harder to remove than just doing a cursory wash. Especially since wool can felt if you rub it too much! ask me how I know this one. I may not admit to it, but I’ve done it.
- Always use the best materials you can afford!!!
Yes, I know I listed this three times, but it really is that important, especially if you are just learning. The inexpensive kits often have yarn that is inappropriate for the fabric or the size of the design, and sometimes just poor quality materials in general. This all adds up to a really frustrating experience. And stitching shouldn’t be frustrating over the long term (we all have our moments!), it should be relaxing!
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11.09.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
“Heirloom” may mean different things in different contexts.
When I look at my y embroidery collection, pieces I have that were made by my great-grandmother classify as heirloom in my mind – I never knew her, and they are all I have left. But most of them were intended to be used – and much to the horror of some of my friends, I have used them!
My mother was a graphic design major in school. Among my things I have several “kitschy” cocktail napkins that she stenciled, and a few that she hand-stitched. These are heirlooms to me, but probably wouldn’t be to others. They actually haven’t been used since i was a child – cocktail parties aren’t a thing in my group of friends, and I haven’t had a use for them. I’d post photos, but they are living in a storage unit with my piano. Soon I hope to have them home safe. 
When we think of stitching an heirloom today, we often think of an elegant, framed piece for the wall. This is very well and good, but most of us only have so much wall space. I find, personally, that most of the heirlooms I cherish most are the things that weren’t made to be heirlooms – the things that were made to be used.
I cherish the black velvet dress my grandmother made me for Christmas in the 1st grade. I cherish (even as I use them) my great-grandmother’s table toppers, my mother’s napkins. The fisherman knit sweater Mom made herself that disappeared in college. (I took it with me to college after she died. Someone stole it soon after. I hope they were cold and it helped, but I doubt it.)
This has colored my view on heirloom gifts I give. I try to use materials appropriate for the item to be used – washables for tableware, high quality threads for wall art, things children can use and enjoy, knowing they will wear out but still be loved and remembered. I still have that little velvet dress – unfortunately, the rainbow dress from earlier the same year was worn into oblivion, but it still lives in my memory!
MY definition of heirloom?
“A tangible reminder of wonderful memories.”
Use the best and most appropriate materials you can — then send your work off to be loved and used. The pieces that survive truly are the heirlooms.
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08.26.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:00 am by deRomilly
I am really enjoying my foray into the deeper levels of Crazy Quilting. It will likely remain something I do mainly for myself: it’s extremely time consuming, but also very satisfying.
It has also renewed my interest in my little band sampler – I got it into my head to work all the stitch combinations in Carole Sample’s Crazy Quilt Stitches book in thread of some sort. Of course, choosing different thread and spacing can make the exact same stitch combination look completely and utterly different. Currently, though, I’m using what’s easy – the cottons in my “traveling” box with few, if any, beads or embellishments. I’m changing the weight of the thread by adjusting the number of strands, and I’m mostly only stitching each stitch combination once, in one color or thread-weight scheme. I may amend that as I go, but this is a DENSE book that will keep me busy for years as it is!
And then there are the historic works available online for free, like this book, which has nice, clear diagrams that “pop.”
Some of these techniques could be adapted to embellishing clothing – without the “crazy” element. Maybe that’s my next step… I do have this tunic in progress… and there’s that velvet choli top I need to finish so I have something to teach in….
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07.31.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 3:08 pm by deRomilly
Working my way through my box… also on the “decorate a bathroom in my house” concept, there are three of the Kats by Kelly designs all stitched. These are actually stitched with the KbK signature in the corner, rather than my initials, because I feel Kelly’s signature is very much a part of the design, and they ARE her artwork. I love these. In particular, Gone Fishin’ reminds me of my own baby Rhys, gone now for a bit over a year. I miss that cat. He used to “fish” just like that on our dinner plates in college when we didn’t have a table to eat at. And if you called him on it, he would get this look like “What? Oh dear. How DID that paw get THERE?!” As if we didn’t know.
Yeah. Rhys. I miss him.
Click to see the entire image in a larger format.
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Gone Fishin’
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Paperwork
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Purrnina
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07.21.09
Posted in Stitching Genres at 7:37 pm by deRomilly
I have a box full of “half-finished” needlework. What I mean by “half-finished” may not be what you expect.
You see, what I mean is that the embroidery is finished, but the product isn’t. So. Half-finished. You see, I hate prep work and “finishing” work with a passion. the prep work has to be done or I don’t get to stitch. but the finishing work — which entails either “real” sewing (and me terrified I’m going to ruin a piece I stitched and love) or more work similar to the prep work (for example, lacing to a board for framing), or paying someone else to do these things is something I often don’t get around to doing. So, I have a box of unfinished finished objects in my studio that is getting close to overflowing, and none of my own work on the walls or chairs in my house.
Anyway, I noticed last week that the box was getting overly full, and something had to be done. So instead of tackling the main problem – the finishing work — I took photos of the work to share here over the course of the next few weeks. Yup. I’m still procrastinating about finishing them.
The first one is a piece that I did to hang in our bathroom, which is supposed to, in the long run, gain a Gothic Castle theme. There’s a shower curtain that is most definitely a UFO and will probably stay that way as well… I’m still considering whether to admit that I bit off more than I can chew with that one. I may go ahead and start a different one in a technique that’s more likely to actually get finished! LOL Click on the images for details.
Remember that I’m a horrible masochist when it comes to needlework. This is done in mostly satin and stem stitch… on cotton muslin, and measures about six or seven inches wide. When you look at the details — all of that satin stitch is done with one strand of DMC floss. I told you I was crazy…
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Full Gothic piece
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Gargoyle detail
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Detail of base
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