BLOG 307

BLOG 307

And now for something completely different as they say! I often buy lovely cards for inspiration, there are so many in the shops these days. Here is such a card.

            Card

I thought I would use the butterfly for a piece of machine embroidery so I traced it first onto a layer of Utrasolvy, a medium that washes away when submerged in boiling water.  I started by going round the shape and colouring in the body with a circular scribble stitch. (HINT: When you do this method, it is important that the threads join together so that they don’t come adrift after the soluble medium is removed. This compact scribble stitch makes an excellent base.)

              Outline

            Progress 1

              Progress 2

                Progress 3

Over the scribbled base layer of stitches, thread detail is added so that it follows the lines in the original picture. When you are happy with your image, place it in a heat proof container and pour boiling water over it. The soluble layer will start to dissolve but you may need to help the process by carefully moving the embroidery about in the water; rubber gloves are necessary for this.

              Dissolving

               Drying

When the embroidery is dry, it can be used in whatever way you want it. I want to mount it onto the front of the card.

               Mounted card

 Another task I was involved with this week was helping school children to make applique pictures. There will be a Harvest Festival and quilt show in our local church in October and, as the village school is a church school, it was decided that they should also have fabric work on display. The older children made designs on paper first before interpreting them into fabric. The adults sewed on the borders ready for the children to quilt. They will hang at the end of the pews.

             Samples

Now the children need to sew their masterpieces by hand or by machine and judging by this boy’s practice piece, I am full of hope! Next are the little ones and we are doing printing and stamping and transfer colouring … heaven help us!

                 Sewing practice

And for the dog lovers amongst you, here are a couple of pics showing two of the dogs from our ‘dog-days’ which end this evening. The cats will be ecstatic as they will be able to come down the corridor to the lounge again!

               Bonnie

                Melyn