Christmas in July Sale!!!
I'm having a Christmas in July sale in my Etsy shop until 24th July. Use coupon code july10 to get 10% off your entire order. Also, check out the SALE section to find jewellery already 30% off!!
Here's a few for you to look at:
I was shopping at Bluewater the other day and came across this awesome window display! The clothes store All Saints currently has their windows decorated with loads of vintage Singer sewing machines!! I took a few shot on my phone so they aren't the best, but you can still see how great this display is!!!
Another piece derived from my experiences at Rosie James' workshop. This piece started out life as an experiment and finished as this fabric collage.
The figures come from a photo I took in Hawaii of my dancer friend. They are stitched on sheer fabrics and layered to create the illusion of movement.
The photo was taken on a beach so I ran with this idea when choosing my colour pallet and creating the collage. I used textured fabrics in silvers and blues. I free machine stitched a wave shape on silver lame to add to the collage.
I finished this piece off with the phrase 'To Be Free' which the figures inspired. I free machine stitched these through the blue and silver net layers.
I like the funky colours and textures I used in this piece. I am currently trying to find my signature style and this boldness might be it!
I made this piece while on Rosie James' machine embroidery workshop.
Watched By The Lady (2008)
I started with this photo that I took on my travels in 2008. I then used machine embroidery techniques from the class to reproduce it.
The Lady was transferred to metallic organza and free machine embroidered with black thread.
The grate was sewn from the back of the piece with wool in the bobbin of the machine to give the raised effect. The figures were cut out of bondaweb applied to lining fabric and attached over the top.
The flowers were not part of my original design. I needed to make the piece bigger for the canvas I had and found the floral backing. When I placed the whole piece on top it just happened to fall with the yellow square over the flower. I decided to embroider over the top to incorporate it into my design.
I'm a big fan of these techniques now so expect to see more work like this from me - thanks Rosie!
I decided to give you guys a tutorial for some mirror work. I originally learned this stitch from this blog post. I used the instructions on that post as a basis and kinda did it my way. So I thought I’d show you how I do it.
Fancy Shisha Stitch:
1
I used a large sequin for this but a mirror can be used as well. I glued the sequin down before I began just so it doesn’t move around while I’m trying to work. I used a simple glue stick for this. The stitches will eventually hold it in place. I used stranded cotton but used all six strands. Bring the needle up at the bottom of your sequin.
2
We are going to create foundation stitches. Take the needle down at the top of the sequin directly above where you brought the needle through.
3
Make the second foundation stitch horizontally creating an cross over the sequin. Try to make this as even as possible, it will help later.
4
The final two foundation stitches create an ‘x’ over the top of the other two. Again, try to make these as even as possible.
5
Now we begin the decorative stitch. I always start at the top. Bring the needle up to the left of the spoke.
6
Go back down on the right of the spoke making a very small stitch along the edge of the sequin
7
Bring the needle back up on the left of the spoke and the stitch
8
Pass the needle under the spoke right to left. Pull thread tight
9
Take the needle down on the right of the spoke as close as possible to the beginning stitch
10
Bright the needle back up to the front right next to the last stitch – don’t do it too close as it will undo the original stitch but close enough that there isn’t a gap.
11
Put the needle under the spoke left to right this time, pull the thread tight.
12
Take the needle down on the left of the spoke as close as possible to the beginning stitch
13
Bring the needle back up to the front right next to the last stitch – don’t do it too close as it will undo the original stitch but close enough that there isn’t a gap
14
Repeat steps 8-13 twice more so you create a filled in V shape around your spoke
15
If you followed the steps right to the end your thread should be on the left of the spoke and V…
16
Now wrap the thread around the rest of the spoke by taking your needle under the spoke right to left, wrapping about 4 times until you get to the middle of the foundation stitches.
17
Once at the middle take the needle under the spoke to the left from right to left.
18
Wrap the thread down the spoke as before, taking the needle under the spoke right to left until you reach the edge of the sequin. Secure the thread by taking the needle down through the fabric on the right side of the spoke really close to the point the spoke comes up through the fabric.
19
Now you will make the V shape on this spoke by following steps 5-14. When you finish this V shape you may want to secure your thread and begin a new piece, that’s what I do!
20
Follow steps 5-19 three more times until you have filled the last 6 spokes – and you’re done! Pretty huh?!
I hope these instructions make sense and are helpful! Leave me a comment with any questions or comments – they are much appreciated
After seeing the exhibition of colonial samplers in Boston back in December I was inspired to use one of the quotes I found there in my own work.
I created this piece for Bridget Frankowiak, also known as BeeFranck, over at Mr X Stitch because she is just so awesome! And I know she loves traditional samplers.
The background fabric is the product of one of my painted fabric experiments. I liked that is looks a bit mouldy and gives a sense of age to the piece.
Last weekend I went down to Brighton to attend a work shop with the embroidery artist Rosie James. If you are not familiar with her work, Rosie uses stitch to draw her pieces, often on sheer layers. I love her work and was very excited!
Over Saturday and Sunday, Rosie showed us her process and let us experiment with various different ways of making marks on fabric using a sewing machine. There were several techniques I would not have thought of, like putting wool in the bobbin and sewing from the back and loosening the tension to create different effects.
By the end of the weekend I had two pieces almost finished, several samples and a bunch of pieces in mind for the future! I even had a go at quilting which I really want to pursue.
It was a really fun weekend. I met a lot of interesting people and now I get to call Rosie my friend because she gave me a lift home! I've finished the two pieces and mounted them. I've got a sneak preview of them here. I like both pieces a lot so I'm going to blog about them seperatly.
A big thank you to Rosie for an excellent weekend! If you want to see more of her work, check out her blog StitchDraw here.
