| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| hedgewitch |
Embroidery Design QuestionI haven't done embroidery since i was about 11, but I want to start again. My problem is --- how do you get the design on the cloth? I have designs I want to use in a book (not an embroidery book!) and am useless at copying freehand.When I was a kid, my mum used to draw designs freehand for me to embroider, something I just can't do myself. 
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| goldy1 |
I think You can buy a transfer pencil. Trace the design then you iron it on to the cloth. | ||||
| Calli |
Trace it on the reverse of the fabric so that it doesn't get smudged?
Is it heavy fabric or fine enough to use a light through? 
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| goldy1 |
try this http://www.ehow.com/how_5968_transfer-embroidery-design.html | ||||
| marigold |
You can trace the design using tracing paper, then transfer it onto the fabric using dressmaker's copying paper (not ordinary carbon paper).
OR (less expensive, but more inclined to smudge) trace onto tracing paper, rub over the lines of the design with pencil on the back of the tracing and then lay the tracing paper right side up on the fabric and go over the design again with a pencil. The pencil marks will wash out if you don't completely cover them with thread. There are other methods, but these are probably easiest for taking a design from a book. Another possibility is to photocopy the design onto thin paper then use that instead of a tracing to transfer the design. It is MUCH easier to stitch (and gives a better result) if you use an embroidery hoop to hold your fabric taught. Bind the inner ring of the hoop with a long strip of thin fabric so that the fabric you are working on doesn't slip about. You can embroider a big design on a smaller hoop by moving it about as necessary. I like to work on 6-8 inch hoops myself. I've just done a textiles course which included a lot of embroidery (often called "stitch" nowadays), so feel free to PM me if you have any problems. |
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
are we talking freehand embroidery or cross stitch? There's waste canvas that you stitch through for cross stitch and it dissolves with water leaving the stitching behind on the cloth. | ||||
| hedgewitch |
freehand (i think)
Not cross stitch 
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| Mrs Fiddlesticks |
it might have been.. 
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| hedgewitch |
I meant that I know what cross stitch is, but I don't know what it is I want to do. Except it isn't cross stitch. That's no clearer, is it? It's Friday... is it time for a nice glass of rose yet? 
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| marigold |
You need a book to inspire you . I borrowed it from the library - gorgeous stuff! There are loads of inspirational books and websites. http://inaminuteago.com/ is one of my favourites. It has excellent instructions on how to do a myriad of stitches and lots of other info. Follow the links to Sharon's blog for yet more inspiration...
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| hedgewitch |
Ooooh that looks really good! I have a small embroidery frame and was taught to use one as a child. I am going to follow up some of the suggestions here-- thanks everyone! |
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| dottyspots |
I don't think this has been mentioned but re. the embroidery hoop - don't keep your embroidery in it inbetween stitching 
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| marigold |
Why is that dotty? I'm guessing it's so that stitches don't get squashed if you are using a hoop smaller than the piece, but I've never done that, so my designs always fit within the circle. I just iron the fabric carefully (avoiding the stitches) when I'm finished to remove the hoop mark .
This thread is making me want to get stitching again (no pun intended ).
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| dottyspots |
Yes, I think that's the case. TBH I don't do a huge amount of embroidery so am going by recommendations in various books I have - all the embroidery I've done has been smaller than the hoops I have.
I think if you left the fabric in the hoop for a protracted amount of time it might warp the fabric? I guess this might depend on the fabric you're using though. |
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| marigold |
Yeah, warping sounds possible . Maybe discolouration too - especially if you take as long as I do to finish things!
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