This machine embroidery is a bit addictive! I had another little practice yesterday and again today and I think I'm beginning to get a little more control. When I started I seemed to put my foot down and run the machine hell-for-leather but today I have been sewing at a much more relaxed pace and I've been able to control the stitch to some extent.
First of all I had a general practice (which I odn't appear to have photographed) and then I thought I would have a go at machining fabric snips onto a water soluble membrane. The photo above is the fabrics machined with a zig-zag stitch onto the membrane. The stitching doesn't show up too well as it is a metallic thread. I have also used a transparent thread in the bobbin.
Above you can see the result after dissolving the support. The idea is to cross all the stitches over each other so that after the support is dissolved the fabric pieces are all held together. I have ended up with a few holes where the stitches didn't quite mesh but I am pleased with my first attempt at this technique.
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Today I have been trying to embroider with a little more control and I am pleased with what I've done so far:
Again it is a metallic thread so not as clear as it might be. I found the triangle difficult to stitch as I couldn't keep the line straight and kept forgetting which way to turn. Practice, practice, practice!
I had intended to practice some more but I ran out of steam at lunchtime so I'll save it for another day. So far I've worked with a ring to hold the fabric taut but I think I will try without and see how I get on.
I also did some fabric dyeing/painting this morning but I'll wait until it's dry before I put it up here.
Finally, a little shopping! My friend whisked me off to Newark yesterday afternoon and we went to the Scrapstore. If you've ever wondered what happens to fabric sample books I can tell you
They end up at the Scrapstore! I came away with just 2 but there were a lot more. These are all luxury fabrics and there is a wonderful assorment of patterns and colours. The fabrics include silks, linens and cottons, some plain and some with machined patterns. Each piece is 6"x10" so they will be ideal for ATCs and Postcards. I just have to find somewhere to store them now! Oh! How much did all this cost? 99p! (50cents) Can't be bad! I bet I don't manage to spend as little as 99p when I go to the Sewing for Pleasure show at the NEC on Saturday! lol
8 comments:
Very impressed with all this free machining Julie... I like your constructed fabric.
Fabulous find at the scrapstore. I'm sure we must have one near here?
Love the FME. You're really getting in a lot of good practice.
Good for you making the coup at the scrapstore. Those fabrics sound ideal for what you do.
Ooooh lovely scrapstore finds!
I love your machine embroidery and am really intrigued about the soluble fabric so will be trying that very soon!
xx
Hi Julie
Great strides with the FME, you really are getting the hang of it.
Lucky you, having such an amazing store near you, is it really called the Scrapstore?
I don't suppose we'll have one this end of the country but I'll google it just in case.
Thanks for your lovely comment on my blog, but where's your pastel work:-)
Well done you! It's quite fun isn't it? That water dissolvable film is very useful. You can draw onto it with felt tip and if you use a double layer of it can machine into it without any fabric. Because it's clear you can trace onto it and after a couple of hours of stitching, you get some fantastic pictures. I have a butterfly I did like this for a piece, which I will try and post a picture of tomorrow. It's not wonderous but was good fun and made me feel a bit like an artist. BTW - just in case it's not obvious, it's me, the wittering rainbow! I've been rebranded.
You are doing amazing things with your art Julie! And I can't wait to see what you make with your fabulous fabric finds!
Oh - and how extravagant of you to spend 99p :)
WOW!! Disappeerin fabrik!!! Can yu mayke pants outta that???
:@D
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