Creating Dimensional Objects - Part Two - Padding

Yesterday, we printed two objects on our cotton fabric. We also planned our design by printing the image on paper first. Today, we will pad the fabric image and get it ready to applique down. The padding is thin, but will give it some dimension by raising the image slightly off the background block. However, this technique can be done with fusible interfacing that does not "pad" the image as well.  

Step One: Trim the paper image to represent the final required size and shape of the fabric portion of the image. You will cut away all of the parts of the image that you don't want to use. For example, in this design...the corset lady's hair will be stitched...so the bun is not needed. And, for the CanCan dancer...the skirt will be created from lace...so is not needed...just the legs.  

 Step Two: Use this paper as a pattern to cut your interfacing for padding the image. A small dot of glue can  be placed on the reverse of your paper pattern to hold it in place while trimming around the pattern. Then remove the paper from the padding.

 Step Three: Carefully peel the fabric from the freezer paper in your fabric printed sandwich.  

 Step Four: Trim around the fabric images loosely...and the press with a hot iron...front and back.  

 Step Five:  Place the padding shapes on the back of the fabric images...aligning the shapes with the same shape on the image.   

 Here are the three parts...the paper trimmed image, the padded part, and the fabric image. A small smear of thin glue can help to hold the padding to the fabric image and keep it in place...but only put it in the center area...not along the edges where stitching will later take place.  

Step Six: When the padding shape is securely in place...trim the fabric to within 1/4 of an inch of the shape...and clip the curves and inside corners along these shapes.  

 Step Seven: Fold the fabric excess over the padded shape and baste down or glue down lightly.  

  I use a water/glue for this. Children's washable white glue works fine...and I use 3 parts glue to 1 part water for my solution. It creates a little stiffness, but not so much that you can't stitch through it. When ironed, the glue dries and holds everything in place.  

Step Eight: Press the padded image front and back to set the ink, help create a defined edge for sewing, and set the glue bond. The images might not be perfect as the legs and head shifted a little...got in too big of a hurry. However, they are not so bad that they can't be used because the embroidery work for the hair and skirt will hide any slight changes if the shape is pretty good. The smaller or thinner the object...the harder it is to keep in line. Just keep trying, and you'll get it right. You can always print more than one...on the same sheet of fabric/paper so you have more to work with that I've done here...only printing one. And, depending on the image you are working with...the amount of precision needed will also change. These finished padded images are ready for applique to the background. It will be enhanced with more stitching and embellishments.    This ends the tutorial...but stay tuned for how I choose to embellish these padded images for Wilma's block.  

Creating Dimensional Objects - Part One - Printing

I'm working on a crazy quilt block for Wilma, and the theme is "I Love Paris". My idea for this project is to add a CanCan dancer's legs...and a corseted lady somewhere on the block. So, I went to the internet searching for images that could help me to create my idea. This tutorial is about "what to do" with the images once I located them. Hope it inspires your own embroidery of dimensional objects in some way.

The process for dimensional work is not too different from other embroidery/crochet/tatted/etc motifs. You create the motif, and you stitch it down. For images...that usually means purchasing a special fabric to print an image on to...like silk. These images are referred to as "silkies". But, that is not the ONLY way to work with an image...and today...this tutorial is about another process. It involves printing on standard cotton fabric...and embellishing the final printed result with embroidery, ribbon, beads, etc. Printing images on fabric is a pretty easy process. It can be done without special fabrics or solutions...if the item you are creating is not likely to get many washings. And, heavy encrusted crazy quilt blocks...like you get in open round robins...won't usually be washed at all. However, for larger crazy quilt projects where you do intend on using the quilt often (and probably won't be using loads of beads, charms, ribbon, etc...use purchased fabric that has been treated to hold the printer ink longer. Now, fabric does not easily feed into a printer, It has to be stabilized first. That can be done with freezer paper (a waxed type of butcher paper used to wrap meat for the freezer).

Step One: Cut a piece of finely woven cotton fabric and a piece of freezer paper that are both larger than a standard sheet of printer paper. 

 Step Two: Place the freezer paper, wax side down, on the fabric and press with a hot iron. This will temporarily fuse the fabric and the paper together.

Step Three: Trim this fabric/paper sandwich to the standard paper size for your printer. For me, that was 8.5" wide by 11.0" long.  

Step Four: Test the print orientation of your manual feed tray. Mark one side of a piece of standard printing paper with a marker...as I've done here with a "squiggle mark". 

Load the paper into the manual tray or single sheet feed slot of your printer with the "squiggle mark" up...and print your images.  

Step Five: Note the side of the paper your "squiggle mark" and you image is printed on. Is it the same side? Or, is it opposite sides? 

  This is important...so that you know which side of the fabric/freezer paper sandwich needs to be facing when placed into the printer. The image needs to obviously print on the fabric side...and not the freezer paper side. Another good aspect of this "test" is to see if your images are the appropriate size for your design plan.  

You can trim the paper image you created in your "squiggle mark" test...and place them  on your project to see if they will be the right size for the space allotted on the project. If they aren't...then adjust your image files until you are happy with them. No wasting fabric that way. Noe: If you want to use purchased fabric sheets...that is fine. And sometimes, as stated above, that is the ONLY way you should proceed. This part of the tutorial is just in case you don't have those...and want to use standard cotton fabrics because you will not be getting the images wet later on. Ink that comes directly from the printer on to standard cotton...will degrade over time...because it does not saturate the fibers of the fabric well enough to withstand time. It will be heat set and can stay adequately for some time.  Another note, you can also use permanent extra-fine markers to "color over" your printed images to have them last even longer...but, your hand must be steadier than mine...cause I usually make a mess of that! Tomorrow, we'll discuss how to work with the printed fabric image.

Marvelous Monday Motifs - 6/27/2011

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 19-20 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.

Vintage Butterfly Pattern

 Isn’t this a beautiful photograph! I love the delicate nature of the stitch design. It is the cover of the October 1918 Needlecraft Magazine.  At first glance, I thought the butterfly cloth to be a small doily…but, each butterfly measures over 9 inches wide! That would make this more of a table cover!

This magazine is one of many vintage documents available for preview at the antique patterns library. I encourage you to go check them all out. As I was reviewing this specific magazine, I saw that it included a photo of the original pattern and instructions. Here is the artwork included in the magazine…

and below I've re-typed the portion of the article that describes the butterfly…(I’ve tried to be correct in the way the author punctuated…and the sentences are long…)

QUOTE:
A Handsome Centerpiece for the Library-Table
By Marion Matthews
“The butterfly is a popular motif, always; and probably it has never been used to better advantage than in the decoration of the centerpiece illustrated. The colors are well chosen and effectively combined; although rich in appearance there is nothing about the work to hint of gaudiness—it is in the best of taste, and the centerpiece may well find a place in the library, living room or hall of any attractive home.
The butterfly measures nine and one-half inches from ti to tip of upper wings, and reminds one of the rare specimens sometimes found in collections, but never seen outside them unless in some tropical land.
The legs and antennae are outlined with black, in close, heavy stitch; body and wings are also outlined with black, but this is not done until the embroidery is completed. The upper part of the body is done solidly with black, as are the tips of the wings. Beginning with the lower part of the body, work the tip in satin-stitch with the darkest shade of golden brown; make the next bar of black, the next with a medium shade of golden brown, the next of black, next of yellow, next with medium brown and finish with the lightest shade of brown. Work the edge of the lower wings, between the lines that are to be outlined with black, with medium brown, taking stitches of this up into the black of the tips, inside the second line fill in the top with dark blue, leave a space which is filled with scattered French knots of yellow, make a narrow band of blue across the wing—outlined on both sides with black, as are all the bars save those across the body: leave a space to be filled with the knows, as before and finish with blue. The upper wings have the space between the lines, or the edge, worked with the darkest shade of brown, taking stitches up into the black tip, as before; two narrow bars of yellow, curved, cross the wing at even distances apart, and the spaces between these and the portion joining the body – also of yellow – are filled in with scattered knots of blue. At the base of the antennae two tiny circles are outlined with yellow and filled in with black. As a whole, the butterfly seems very real indeed. And is certainly a lovely creation of the needle.”
ENDQUOTE

I tried to re-draw the butterfly pattern for you.

 Hope you enjoy the pattern.

Marvelous Monday Motifs - 6/20/2011

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 17-18 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.

SRE Basket

Silk Ribbon Basket done with simple Lasy Daisy flowerheads and Straight Stitch leaves. The embroidery work is also simple...French knots, chain stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, and straight stitch. Here is the chart, and I'll include photos of my progress.

First, I wanted to print this on fabric...and started to do muslin on freezer paper. But, then I decided on a piece of moire...however, it was too thick to run through the printer. I removed the paper...and just ran the fabric through. It slipped and slid...and I do not recommend doing that. I lucked out and still got a usable image, so I'm stitching over it. But, I was so scared when it started to shift going through the printer rollers! So, don't try this at home. Here is the chart printed on the moire. 

The basket began with the long straight stitches for the vertical basket lines. Then the horizontal lines were another long straight stitch, woven under/over the previous vertical lines stitched.

The last basket layer was the same process as above, but for the diagonal lines. Next the bottom was chain stitched and the sides were back-stitched.

The top and handle of the basket was four pieces of size 8 perle cotton, lain along the shape of the basket and couched in place with a single strand of the same perle. I used two needles...one really large one to hold the 4-strands...needle up at the start and down at the end. In between...I couched with the second needle.

Then came the French Knot flowers and stem stitch vines

Lastly, the bow. I thought I'd tie a simple bow of silk ribbon and couch it down with some beads...but, then I remembers that I have some really bright blue fiber. So, I couched it in place instead. 

This completed the embroidery portion. The silk ribbon work was easy to do, and is seen in the first photo.I think this design could just as easily be done in satin stitch work too.

Marvelous Monday Motifs - 5/30/11

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 11-12 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.

Wednesday Wine Country Monograms -- E

This one is for Eileen G.!

Marvelous Monday Motifs - 5/23/11

You can read all about my idea for Marvelous Monday Motifs here. Today we have pages 9-10 of the J. F. Ingalls Company, 1886 Catalog of Perforated Parchment Stamping Patterns. 

Please NOTE: This catalog is not under copyright any longer; but the scanned version released to the public domain on 17 July 2007 (the source of my information) does come with restrictions. None of these designs can be sold. They are for your individual use.