Attempting Shadow Technique!!!

3rd December 2013

Shadow technique is where shapes are layered between two pieces of transparent fabric.

I chose some shaded organza and pink skeleton leaves....

..the leaves are attached at the centre with a small circle of bondaweb.

Next I folded the organza over to make a 'sandwich' and heat cut the edges. For the centre I heat cut 4 layers of fabric into 2 circles...( for back and front of work)

..and stitched with gold thread...

unfortunately the organza puckered!!

..so I used my soldering iron to cut out the flower..

..a bit lop sided!! 

 This is also not a panel to hang on a window, hence attempting in the title!!

I think I will have to use a tear-away fabric/paper for stitching. 

This is going to take a LOT of practise!! 

Soft Edge Applique

2nd December 2013

I have never done soft edge applique before and it took me a while to decide what I would do.

As I was walking through the park I noticed some dead thistle heads and I took my idea from the shape-vaguely!

I used a small piece of my tea dyed fabric and cut out a simple shape and using bondaweb ironed it onto the ribbed silk backing. ..

... set up my machine for free embroidery and this is the result....

...I am quite pleased with my first attempt!

Might try something similar in black and white....

Experimenting with a Heat Gun and Polyester Fabrics

1st December 2013

Went for a beach walk, amazingly no wind at all today and quite mild.

I have used a heat gun before to emboss my cards but never used it on fabric so today I decided to play!!!

I collected a variety of suitable fabrics.. 

..and stitched in layers onto linen scrim...

...using free machining, cotton thread and following the design on the fabric.

Next came the heat gun but I found I had to cut the top fabric to allow the heat gun to work. I did this with my soldering iron....

I loved the effect and found that if I focussed the gun closely to the fabric it more or less disappeared and revealed the base linen scrim. The edges are really hard but I do like the effect and think hand stitching and beads could really enhance the piece.

Next I placed some scraps of patterned polyester onto a piece of acrylic felt and Sizoflor..

..and heated gently about 15 cms away...

I love the 'organic' shaped edge.

I then sandwiched scraps of the same fabric between 2 layers of organza...

..cut the edges and centre  with my soldering iron....

...and blasted with the heat gun..

I found this organza did not melt very well so added more scraps of fabric and attached this with heat to acrylic felt and sizoflor. This is very textured, don't know what to use it for but it was fun making it. 

So I had a great time experimenting and found out it is very difficult to control the outcome when using heat!!!.... a bit like dyeing.... quite exciting!

Hard Edge Applique and Poinsettias

30th November 2013

I used my poinsettia template to make these using my soldering iron, very quick and easy, then stitched small gold beads in the centre to secure. The red is organza backed with bondaweb and ironed onto polyester lining, the green is sponged scrim backed with bondaweb ironed onto green lining.

Think I will make them into cards but they could also be used as a decoration.

In Unit 5 I have to show an example of hard edge applique. I have used this method many times in other units, usually with flowers, so decided to make a simple picture for a child.

I searched my dyed fabric stash and found a space dyed cotton which looked like the sky....

..painted a 'horizon line' using a lovely metallic fabric paint....

...then painted 'waves' using two shades of blue and some white.  The sun was printed with a cork.

I backed this with a fine wadding and stitched horizontal straight lines in two shades of blue for the sky and wavy lines in two darker shades for the sea.

A boat and sails were added, these show hard edge applique (satin stitch) and lastly I free machined over the sun in a circular motion using gold metallic thread.

This could be made into a personalised picture or wallhanging for a child.

Poinsettia Card

29th November 2013

Been out having a very long and enjoyable lunch with friends, lots of laughs, brilliant!

I haven't had much time the last 2 days to do crafty work but I did manage to produce a poinsettia flower card.

First I made templates for the petals and leaves...

Cut these from red and green felt, needle felted them together and then needle felted yellow wool in the centre...

I am going to try this with organza using my soldering iron.

Also I have decided not to have a craft stall anymore so have put greatly reduced items in my facebook shop as I need the space!

Christmas Cards and One Last Textured Sample!

27th November 2013

I have made a few more Christmas cards....

Felt leaves and felted berries on Hessian (more texture!)

Tree 'heat cut' from polyester lining on a background of felt, free machined...

..this tree is organza, gives a frosty look!

I do love hessian and scrim as a backing!

The flower is from a kit I bought in a sale last January!

I made one more textured sample ( I think I could go on forever!!)

 Using my hand-made felt as a backing, I gathered some tea dyed silk and attached this to the centre of the square. I covered this with tea dyed scrim securing with a programmed stitch in gold metallic thread then cut back the centre revealing the silk. This was covered with gold organza, stitched, cut away so that only a border of organza remained.

You can feel the texture more than see it. 

I have also been making a template for a fabric poinsettia flower, but that is for next time...

More Experimenting with Shirring Elastic and Twin Needle

26th November 2013

I started by placing a fine wadding between two pieces of thick cotton. I then formed a grid using my twin needle in a programmed stitch, changed to free machining and a single needle and played!!

Although I only used a fine wadding I am pleased with the effect...

..photos not great!!

Next I put some string between two pieces of white cotton fabric and stitched with my twin needle...

I spoilt it by free machining between the ridges in a darker thread!!!

  Experimenting with shirring elastic in the bobbin...

..free machining on cotton and linen scrim..

..satin..

..straight rows of stitching..

..grid stitched on thick cotton.

Last but not least I tried cable stitch using my own dyed yarn. I haven't attempted this since my last attempt caused my machine to break down!! This time I didn't thread the yarn through the tension and the result was much better and easier.

Love the texture in this one.

Might make a few more cards now!