Take a Stitch Tuesday, Machine Embroidery

Sharonb at http://www.pintangle.com/ posted the Chained Cross Stitch this week. I'd never done that one before. I did a couple of rows in the normal way, a row changing the width, and  then did a random one.

This was a piece of pleated fabric that was in my scrap pile. I used leaves as a mask, then transfer printed the background using paper painted with transfer paints. I machine embroidered the outline and veins to make the leaves stand out.This one is leaves stenciled with textile paint on batting then machine stitched.

The Art quilt group comes here today, so I guess I'd better finish getting ready.

Take A Stitch Tuesday, Machine Embroidery

This week's stitch for Sharonb http://www.pintangle.com/ is Bullion Buttonhole. It would make great bushes. I liked changing directions with it and overlapping it.

Here's another free time project. I was looking through stuff and found scraps of silk paper left over from a project, so I decided to make some leaves. It is firm enough that they could be done without a hoop. With different colors of thread in the top and bobbin, the two sides look different.Thanks to everyone who reads my blog and especially to those who comment. I try to get back to people, but if my computer is having a slow day, I get frustrated with it and stop. We changed antivirus programs, so I hope that helps.

Machine Embroidery

After watching the Quilting Arts Video "Gathering of Leaves" by Heidi Lund whose work I love, I decided to do some of my own. They are sewn on Dupioni silk with light green on the underside. Not hard to do. I like to have pieces around so that if I need something, I have a starting point. It's a good way to feel productive when you can't concentrate because of the confusion caused by upgrading some of the things in the house.

Lace

The other day I decided to use up some old rayon thread, so I started with a layer of heavy water soluble stabilizer then puddled the thread on it. The thread was variegated. After there was a nice layer, I put a thin water soluble stabilizer on top and machined it thoroughly. The heavy stablizer meant not having to use a hoop. The final stitching was done lightly with a metallic, so when the light hits it, there is a slight sparkle. Being rayon, it drapes nicely. I think I will use it for appliques.