Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Embroidered Fabric - Perfect Inspiration!
There are few of us - even the most avid needleworkers among us - who would undertake hand embroidering lengths of fabrics to use for household decor. That's ok. There are companies that make beautiful (and quality) embroidered fabric, and sometimes, it's just downright fun to browse through fabric and textile websites to enjoy a bit of inspiration without actually having to make the commitment to purchase yardage. I mean, we can dream, right? I bumped into just such a website yesterday. A beautiful place with beautiful embroidered fabric that I would love to get my beautiful paws on.

Lengths of embroidered fabric covered with vines, flowers, plants, animals, insects - browse through Chelsea Textiles and take a gander at the delectable offerings!

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


There are heaps of beautiful fabrics featured on this website, and with most of them, you can click on a link to see an up-close detail.

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


From simple motifs that scatter over the fabric ground...

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


... to gorgeous floral bunches - ah! They are all really beautiful!

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


How would you use this tiled design in household decor? I'm not sure how I would - but oh! Would I use it? You bet! (Ok, maybe not in my tiny house...)

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


A sofa upholstered in blackwork would be awfully chic. (I'd settle for a little chair...)

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


Besides hand embroidered fabrics, Chelsea Textiles also carries a line of nice printed fabrics. William Morris, anyone?

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


And this is a sweet printed design - it would make an excellent embroidery pattern. Check out the knots in the flower center.

Embroidered Fabrics at Chelsea Textiles


Finally, the shop carries pre-made cushions and accessories that are pretty stunning, too.

If you live in London or the vicinity, Chelsea Textiles is having a sale (40 - 80% off) through February. I don't know what that means. Browsing through the website is a lot like looking at a menu without prices. You kinda get that funny feeling that things might be a bit beyond ye olde budget. But golly. Wouldn't it be fun just to see them in person? To touch them?

But even if you can't do that, you can still glean a lot of inspiration from the fabric details on the website! So go browse and enjoy yourself!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Wednesday, February 03, 2010
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Friday, January 08, 2010

Great Resource for Needlework Fabric and Supplies - and a Great Sale!
Since I'm exploring a bit of crewel embroidery these days, I thought I'd share some resources with you for different things relevant to crewel embroidery. You'll find that most of these resources are relevant to other types of hand embroidery as well, though, so even if you aren't into crewel, you'll probably find something here that entices you!

Transferring Your Embroidery Design

For transferring crewel designs, a reader suggested using a sepia colored micron pen, as it will be less likely to show (with anything except white). I totally agree! But sepia colored art pens are not always available at craft and art stores, so they're harder to come by. I just ordered a couple from Blick Art Materials. They have both the Sakura Micron Pens and the Prismacolor Illustration Markers. I like both. A product search for "micron" pens will bring these up.


www.DickBlick.com - Online Art Supplies


A light table is also a great instrument for transferring designs. If you like to embroider your own designs instead of pre-printed designs, investing in one of these is a good idea. You can use it for all kinds of applications - not just for tracing onto fabric. I use mine for lots of things - card-making, embossing, designing layouts for needlework, etc. You can find these at Blick's as well, in all sorts of types and price ranges.

Fabric for Crewel Embroidery - Hedgehog Handworks Sale!

Hedgehog Handworks January Sale!


Traditionally, linen twill is favored for crewel work. Besides linen twill, you can also use a plain weave linen. Hedgehog Handworks carries Legacy linen twill for $84 / yard - and right now (through January) they're having a 15% off sale (on everything!), but the twill is 30% off - so it's $58.80 yard. That's an absolute steal. If you want to use plain-weave linen, they also carry Strathaven linen, which works well for crewel when backed by muslin. Both linens can be used for other needlework applications as well. I was thinking the twill would make a nice ground fabric for goldwork and needlepainting, so I'm planning on trying that out later. Hedgehog Handworks is also a great place to pick up Renaissance Dying wool, cotton floche, Gilt Sylke Twist, Soie d'Alger (best price online, while it's on sale!), and Hardwicke Manor hoops.... not to mention goldwork threads... and the list could go on. Do check out their January sale - it's a great time to stock up!

So whether you're exploring crewel embroidery with me right now, or you're playing with other surface embroidery endeavors, the above resources will help you find the tools and supplies you need for your needlework.

Try not to go hog-wild at Hedgehog! (Well.... I suppose you can if you want to!)




(I did.)

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, January 08, 2010
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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Linen for Hand Embroidery
Linen is my all-time absolute Favorite Fabric for hand embroidery, and there are many good online sources for purchasing quality linen. At the request of some readers, here's some information about buying linen for hand embroidery.

The range of types and quality of linen for hand embroidery is pretty vast. It's Very Vast, actually. In sharing my experiences with linen, I'll only be talking about a limited selection of linens available for needlework. I'm always happy to hear about different types of needlework linen, where it's available, and what people like about it - so if you have any input on this subject, please do leave a comment below so that we get as broad a view as possible on different types of linens.

That being said, some linen made for needlework I just can't stand. Have you ever gone into the local craft store - Joann's, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Hancock Fabrics, etc. - and explored the fabrics in the needlework section? You'll sometimes find linen there - it comes folded in bags hanging on hooks or rolled in plastic tubes. I'm not sure of the brands off the top of my head, but I fear some of those packages are probably DMC. Now, I like DMC stranded cotton for an everyday embroidery floss, but golly. Those packages of linen just don't do it when you want a quality fabric. They're ok for learning on, I suppose, but when you're ready to kick things up a notch, it's time to look for better linen.

So, here's some linen talk that may help you decide on what kind of linen you want to use, and some sources for buying linen for needlework.

First of all, what is linen? It's a fabric made from the inner skin of the flax plant. It's been around as a fabric for thousands of years. Way back in history some four or five thousand years ago, the Jews of the Old Testament used it, the Egyptians used it (before they got into cotton, I suppose!), as did the Greeks and the Romans, and eventually, it moved north into Europe with the re-civilization of Europe after the fall of Rome. We can say that flax has been woven into fabric, then, across pretty much all the known ages of the written history of Western Civilization. It's Old Stuff.

Linen has always been somewhat expensive, and this is due to the way it must be harvested, processed, and woven. If you want to read about the making of linen - from harvest to weaving - from an historical perspective, with nice photos along the way, take a look at the article "Linen Weaving" on Maggie Blanck's website. It's really interesting! I stumbled across it a while ago when I was preparing a teaching unit on the book Silas Marner.

When considering linen for needlework, it's necessary to determine ahead of time what type of project you're planning to stitch, because the type of project will determine the type of fabric you want to use. For example, if you're stitching a counted cross stitch piece, you'll want "even weave" linen. If you're stitching a crewel work piece (or something similar to it), you might want to use linen twill. If you're stitching goldwork and you want a linen ground, you don't necessarily need something as heavy as twill, but you'll want a good, sturdy linen (probably with a closer weave, higher thread count - but not necessarily even weave). If you're working regular surface embroidery - say, a fine needlepainting project - you'll want a lighter weave of linen (but not too light that it's flimsy), with a higher count thread that's firm enough and closely woven enough to support all the stitches. Oh, so many things to consider!!

Then, of course, there's the question of quality. Are you stitching a project in which you are investing much time and money, to produce a work of art that you want to last for a long time? Then you probably want to use a good quality linen.

In considering quality of linen, you have to go back to its origins - the flax crop. Flax crops around the world vary in the quality of flax they produce. Flax is grown in many countries, and linen is woven in many countries - from Ireland, to Germany, to Egypt, to Italy, to China, to the US, and so on. It seems to be the common opinion, though, that flax grown in Belgium and other close-by areas of northern Europe is the "best" flax for making linen. Belgian linen is usually considered good linen. Though my experiences in fabric do not encompass every type of linen made in every region of the world, I have tried lots of different linens for stitching. I have to say that I have never used a Belgian linen I didn't like. Even the less-expensive Belgian linens I've tried have been pretty nice.

And that brings us to the question of expense. By less-expensive Belgian linen, I'm talking about $30 - $40 / yard. Many fine quality needlework linens are more expensive than this.

My all-time favorite linen is Legacy linen. It's a Belgian linen woven with nice plump threads, and though it is not all even-weave fabric, even the plain weave comes close to being even weave, as the warp and weft threads are generally pretty evenly sized. It has a GREAT hand. It's got body, but it isn't stiff, and it isn't prepared with sizing to give it body - even after washing, it still retains its nice drape along with linen crispness. It irons beautifully. I just love Legacy linen. But... it is ... whew. Expensive.

On the bright side, we don't normally use a whole yard of linen for a needlework project, do we? So retailers often make good linen available in popular-sized cuts.

If you're looking for good linen, here are the brands that I think range from Very Good to good, and readers are welcome to add their input for their favorite types of linen in the comments below, too:

1. Legacy linen - my all-time favorite. I think it's the best linen on the market, personally.

I buy different types of Legacy linen through various sources:

Hedgehog Handworks now carries a good range, especially if you're looking for linen suitable for historical needlework. Out of the linens listed there, I love the alabaster angel, alba maxima, and ecclesiastical.

Needle in a Haystack carries a decent line of Legacy linen, including even-weave.

Wyndham Needleworks (it takes them forever to fill an order - if you don't mind waiting two or three weeks, though, it's a decent source).

Lakeside Linens, by the way, offer some hand-dyed Legacy linens, so if you want the hand-dyed look with the quality of Legacy linens, see what Lakeside Linens has to offer in this line. I haven't tried any of the Lakeside Linens, because I don't normally work on colored fabric, but I've got a project brewing in my head that requires a nice light buttery yellow ground fabric - I may be contacting Lakeside Linens or one of their retailers to see what they have.

2. Weddigen linen - this is a new-to-me linen that I discuss in this article on Schwalm whitework. I've also given the source for it in the article. It's available in two even-weave thread counts, approximately 32 threads per inch and 50 threads per inch. It's a nice linen, and I intend to use it in the future for other projects besides Schwalm.

3. Church linen - I have ordered excellent linen from Church Linens and Vestments. Elizabeth Morgan stocks one kind of linen and it is perfect for church linens as well as any kind of surface embroidery that you want to work on white linen. It's a nice quality linen for surface embroidery and very reasonably priced at $27 / yard (54" wide). I like it a lot, and I'm pretty sure she's still selling it. I need to order more!!

4. Combinations of various types of even-weave linen, from Zweigart to Graziano (Italian linen) to Lakeside Linens can be purchased through various needlework shops online. I have not tried Graziano linen, but I would like to one of these days. Zweigart is ok for counted thread work, and Lakeside linens are actually other types of linen (like Legacy, Zweigart, Graziano, etc.) that are hand-dyed - I mentioned them above under Legacy linen.

Some sources for a variety of linens:

I like Shakespeare's Peddler - she has a good selection of fabrics and is very friendly and easy to order from (she can send a Paypal invoice, which is very convenient).

Nordic Needle carries a wide variety of popular even-weave linens. They don't seem to carry higher end linens (like Dower quality linens - Legacy, Strathaven, etc.) but they have a good selection of decent even-weaves.

Needle in a Haystack - already mentioned above - has all kinds of different types of needlework linens, including some of the higher-end linens like Legacy.

You've probably noticed that my sources overlap, but that's the way it is - I order from a fairly limited selection of shops, but they all carry good linen, have great service, and fair enough prices.

What about you? What type of linen do you use and where do you buy it? What's your favorite type, and why do you like it? Feel free to comment and help me broaden the topic a bit, so that readers can benefit from your input, too! Thanks heaps!

Enjoy the weekend!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, September 12, 2009
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Sunday, February 08, 2009

Atypical Whitework Embroidery
 
I suppose there are a few things I should clarify about the whitework technique embroidery sampler that I've been messing around with! First, though - thanks very much for your responses to my question about fabric.

Many of you could see the decision coming, methinks: I did change the fabric to the darker linen. The deciding factor was the question of photography. I get better pictures on darker fabric, especially when the stitches need to be seen.

36 ct Edinburgh linen, natural, for whitework technique sampler


You can see that the contrast makes the stitches a lot clearer. In choosing between the two fabrics, I was choosing between this fabric (the darker shade) and a shade lighter than this, but not white. The original fabric I started working on was almost a golden color, but, in close ups and with any kind flash or bright lighting, the fabric tended to wash out, so the stitches were not as noticeable.

I also decreased the size of the whole piece. I think it's 16" x 18" now, which is much easier to work on.

Now, to explain the whole sampler. I'm afraid the term "whitework" only refers to technique. I realize it is not properly "whitework," since it is not done on a white ground fabric (which is usually the case with real "whitework"). The point of the samper for me is to explore different types of whitework techniques, demonstrating "how to" and troubleshooting and whatnot as I go. In the process, I'll work up a few photo tutorials of different techniques for you, like the one on re-weaving the edges in drawn thread work and the one on finishing the edges with satin stitch.

The finished piece isn't meant to "be" anything, other than a sampler. I'm not trying to create a gorgeous work of art or anything, although I do hope it comes out fairly nice! I have no idea what it will look like yet, when finished, but I have blocked out a drawn thread section and a small Ukranian sample, and I've transferred a Schwalm design on the fabric, using Christine Bishop's book, Schwalm Whitework Embroidery (the link will take you to my review of the book).

Besides this sampler, which isn't meant to be my sole occupation for the next however long it takes, I've got plans for other embroidery, too - so don't worry, I won't bore you to death with whitework (I hope!).

In the embroidery arena, I've got some interesting things coming up! I'm eagerly waiting some sample projects that I'll be working on, from some well-known designers. I don't want to whisper anything too loudly right now, but just so you know, in the near future, there are some exciting projects coming out for embroiderers, with the possibility of some new kits becoming available ... and, well. Just a hint: think long and short stitch shading and flowers, and you may just guess who I'm talking about!

And, with my present creepy, crawly, cruddy cold dissipating, my voice is getting somewhat back to normal, so there's a good chance I'll be able to add sound to some videos this week. (Keep your fingers crossed for me!) I just can't do the frog voice on something that is more or less public and permanent!

Coming up, I've got a little photo tutorial on transferring a design using tissue paper (very easy, though somewhat time-consuming). Along with that, look for a photo tutorial on simple hemstitch and a beautiful piece of embroidery from a reader. Also, some thread tips, thanks to Pam and Inspirations, are in this week's line up.

A busy week ahead, but I hope you all enjoyed the weekend, got some stitching done (I managed a wee bit!) and are looking forward to a good week!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, February 08, 2009
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Thursday, February 05, 2009

HELP! Considering a Fabric Choice...
 
I think I may have made a mistake. (Shock! Horror!) This is a fabric mistake, and actually, it's not very surprising. I tend to make mistakes, and I tend to especially make mistakes when I settle for one thing, knowing deep down I should just waaaaaiiiiiit. This is the problem: I received an order of fabric today!

Receiving a fabric order isn't the worst problem in the world. In fact, I was happy to see the package arrive! But it had this fabric in it - this 36 count natural Edinburgh linen, which is exackitackily the color I wanted to work my whitework sampler on.

Now do you see the problem?

Let me show you the difference...

Linen: 36 count natural Edinburgh vs. 32 count flax Belfast linen


The linen I'm presently using is a 32 count Belfast linen in flax (that's the color). The new linen I recently ordered is 36 count Edinburgh linen in natural. It's the top linen in the photo above.

The natural Edinburgh linen is definitely darker than the flax Belfast linen, and it's the color I had in mind when I set about contemplating the whitework sampler. But, see, I had the Belfast linen. And I didn't know what the difference would be in the two colors - I actually thought the natural would be lighter. But in my head, the color I wanted was the color that arrived this morning!

Linen: 36 count natural Edinburgh vs. 32 count flax Belfast linen


Now, you may be tempted to ask what the heck? What's the big difference? And, to a degree, you're right. But there are some pros and cons to switching fabrics...

The advantages of switching to the darker fabric:

1. Better photos - it'll be much easier to see the white threads and the patterns they form, etc., on the darker fabric.
2. Higher count and smoother hand - the Edinburgh linen seems to have a smoother hand, and it definitely has a higher count thread, which is good for non-counted, non-drawn-thread whitework techniques, such as regular surface embroidery. The higher the count, the easier (I think) it is to work trailing designs, satin stitching, and so forth.

The disadvantages of switching:

1. OHHHH - it's SWITCHING!!! I probably don't need to explain this one!! I've already made some progress, I'd have to rinse and iron and re-frame the fabric... you know the drill. Argh! We could almost include wasting the other fabric in here, but I don't really consider it a waste, and it isn't that much fabric. UGH! The set-up of a project is not my favorite part, needless to say!

2. The higher thread count also poses a con, when working drawn thread techniques. It's just downright easier to do drawn thread work on a lower count fabric. Also, in the Ukranian drawn thread stuff, I wonder if 36 count might be a wee bit too high? I'll have to contact Yvette on that one....

So ---- HELP!!!

Whadyareckon? What are your thoughts? What should I do?

To switch, or not to switch - that is the question!
Whether 'tis nobler to suffer with discontent of color,
Or to take scissors against this framed-up pale stuff,
And by cutting and unframing, end it?

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, February 05, 2009
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Friday, December 19, 2008

Not Quite Needlework Fabric, But...
 
After trying desperately to stick to my resolution of a completely hand-made Christmas as far as gift-giving is concerned, I found I had to waiver on a couple points. I can't, for example, make an aebleskiver pan by hand! But this fabric, I think, still fits the hand-made category, at a stretch! This was kind of an exciting adventure, and I'm pretty pleased with its conclusion - let me show you what I'm talking about!

I have a niece who likes to sew, and she makes all kinds of things: aprons, totes, wallets, clothes for her baby sister... For her Christmas present, I decided to have some fabric printed for her from a doodled design.

I doodle a lot, but I don't usually scan or photograph the things I doodle! However, since I had a few scans in my photo folder, I thought I'd see what they would look like as fabric. I chose this design:

Doodle Design made into Fabric


Then I went to Spoonflower, where you can have custom fabric printed on demand. You can choose the layout repeat of your design, so I chose a mirrored image, and ordered a yard of fabric. It's a bit pricey for a yard - $18 - but since it's a Christmas present, since it's custom-made, and since it's my design, I really think my niece will enjoy receiving this! So I plunged, and ordered.

Doodle Design made into Fabric


I received the yard of fabric today. It's printed on a nice weight cotton, about a typical quilter's weight. The design came out pretty well! I am really pleased with it! In the future, if I ever venture forth into this type of purchase, I'll make sure I touch up the design and the photo so that the lines where the patterns join are not so visible. Still, I like how it came out!

Doodle Design made into Fabric


Here's the mirrored image a bit closer. The fabric is draped over my embroidery stuff on the couch - hence, the bulging here and there.

I'm really hoping my niece likes this gift! I'm pretty sure she will, and I hope she makes a few interesting "somethings" out of it. Well, it's only a yard... but perhaps a small tote, or some little wristlets, or something....

If you're looking for a unique gift, you might have something of yours printed into fabric. I was thinking it would be kind of fun to touch up a photo of an embroidered motif - extracting the embroidery from the rest of the image (in Photoshop or another graphics program), and then see how that would look repeated on fabric. It could be interesting! If nothing else, it's kind of fun to play around on Spoonflower to see what types of designs you can come up with from your own photo or graphics collection!

I have one more major Christmas present to finish, by the way. I'm making the tote bag from the Breath of Spring embroidery project I finished last summer, and giving that to my mom. I want to sew that up this afternoon. Considering it will be the first tote bag I've ever made, I'll need all the luck I can get!

I hope you enjoy your Friday!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Friday, December 19, 2008
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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Time Sensitive: Building Your Needlework Stash?
 
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I broke down and bought some needlework supplies for upcoming projects, and I showed you some of the silk buttonhole twist that I purchased. Well, here's some good news for you! There's a sale on...

Evening Star Designs is the place I recently purchased a heap o' stash stuff - some fabric packs, some fun threads to play with, some hand-dyed silk ribbon, the silk buttonhole twist I wanted to try out, some ribbon samples, some bead packs, and on and on and on...

New Embroidery Stash Supplies: Fabric, Threads, Beads, Ribbons


Evening Star Designs is a great place to pick up sample packs of different things - from fancy fabrics perfect for crazy quilting and other applications (I'm using a few pieces from my new stash to back embroidered Christmas ornaments) to bead mixes to trims - as well serious quantities of supplies for special projects. For example, if you're making a Christmas dress for a little one and you want some nice lace, you might find that the selection of laces (which can be purchased by the yard) is just right for your project. You can also find some fabrics by the yard, as well as a good selection of embroidery threads and silk ribbon.

New Embroidery Stash Supplies: Fabric, Threads, Beads, Ribbons


It's a great place to shop any day, BUT... for those of you reading this post today, Sunday, November 30th, if you're not on the mailing list for Evening Star Designs, you might not know about the sale going right now!

New Embroidery Stash Supplies: Fabric, Threads, Beads, Ribbons


Until midnight tonight (Sunday, November 30th), you can get 25% off most everything in her shop (it doesn't include already discounted merchandise).

This is a pretty good deal! But if you want to take advantage of it, you have to do so before midnight, Sunday, November 30th.

I found it a good opportunity for trying out some other threads.

New Embroidery Stash Supplies: Fabric, Threads, Beads, Ribbons


By the way, at Evening Star Designs, you'll find Needle Necessities threads (they've gone out of business, but she has a pretty good stock of them still on hand) deeply discounted. The Needle Necessities overdyed cotton floss, for example, is only $1.67 / 20-yd skein. That's a great price, and there are still some beautiful colors left. (Note: Because it's already so deeply discounted, the Needle Necessities thread is not included in the 25% off sale.)

New Embroidery Stash Supplies: Fabric, Threads, Beads, Ribbons


I hope you get a chance to check out the sale today at Evening Star Designs. Even if you miss it, though, you can still find some good deals on the website, and you will certainly enjoy browsing her stock of STUFF.

Enjoy!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Sunday, November 30, 2008
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Thursday, June 05, 2008

Embroidery on Felt - Other People Like It, Too!
 
Last year in my summer embroidery classes for kids, the children embroidered notebook covers on wool felt. I learned a lot during those classes which I'm implementing in this year's classes. For a couple projects, we'll be using the felt again.

Wool felt is nice for embroidery - for kids or adults - for at least a couple reasons: 1. it is stiff enough to be held in hand, without a hoop; 2. In most cases, even with lighter yellows or greens, you can still get away with some thread carriage. For kids, this is important. While you do want to teach them from the very beginning the importance of keeping the back of their work neat, on small spaces if they have to start and stop a lot, they get easily frustrated or bored.

Embroidery on Felt


So, for example, when a kid is embroidering a purple lazy daisy daisy, carrying the purple thread from one petal to another is no big deal. On a light fabric like muslin or linen, it could very well be unsightly. On felt, not really! Who would know?!

This year, we're making two items out of embroidered felt: a bookmark and a little coin purse. They are both very simple concepts - no sewing machine is required or really any "extra" finishing. They are also small enough to be managed in a couple classes.

The coin purse is simply a tri-fold piece of felt, with angled corners on one end (for the flap). We'll use either a snap or velcro catch (I don't really like the idea of using velcro with felt or embroidery), and the pouch will be lined with a coordinating calico that is fused onto the felt. The edges are stitched up with a close buttonhole stitch or overcast stitch. I'm started making the sample and it's coming along ok - I'll post pictures when it's finished.

The bookmark is another question: it's extremely simple, as there's no folding involved, and edge stitching is not required (but could be done, if desired). The bookmarks, finished size, are about 3 inches wide and 7 inches long. Only the simplest pattern will be worked - I've got a couple very basic patterns that I'll have already on the felt before the classes begin.

The problem I was running into was the backing and how to apply it. It seemed to me that an extra layer of felt made the bookmarks really thick. But if I wanted fabric beyond the edge of the embroidered front of the bookmark, it had to be something stiff, and felt seemed the only option - after all, the edges don't require finishing. All I knew was that there absolutely had to be something to cover up the back of the booksmarks! So these were the original questions besetting me as I prepared these projects.

You can imagine how delighted I was, then, to come across an embroiderer who is actually testing the making of felt bookmarks in different ways! If you have not checked out Alicia's blog, Curiosities 808, you really should! There are a couple things I really like about it: 1. She does some things the way I do them - like tracing a bottle cap from eye drops for circles on her fabric! 2. Her photography is really nice. And 3. She's exploring thoroughly this question of felt bookmarks. She begins with her plan for making felt bookmarks to try out different stitches, and then she progresses through the making of them. She'll be testing out different suggested backings, too. So that will be really interesting to me.

I've already decided on my mode of backing, but I'm always open to new and better ideas!! If any of you are familiar with making bookmarks on felt, what do you use for a backing? Heck, even if you're not familiar with it, do you have any ideas?

As you can tell, my biggest preoccupation right now is the summer instruction. I hope it doesn't bore you too much! To break the monotony, I promise something Monumentaly Interesting (!! maybe a bit of an exaggeration !!) in the next couple days. And I'll be taking a bit of time off work shortly, so that will give me more time for photos and progress reports!

Have a terrific Thursday!

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Thursday, June 05, 2008
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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Embroidering on Old Linens
 
Perhaps instead of "old linens," I should use the term "vintage," which has a much better ring to it! What about working your own hand embroidery on vintage linens? Do you think it's a good idea, or would it be a waste of time, since they're already... um... "old"?

I was considering the question of doing some hand embroidery - specifically, whitework - on vintage linens because I had the opportunity to acquire a couple vintage pieces that I liked.

One piece is a table runner or dresser scarf with a hand-crocheted edge all around it, and a very elaborate crocheted design with tassels on each end.

Vintage Linen that I'm considering embroidering


The crocheted edge needs to be pressed and re-situated, but you can see that it's a rather complex edging which could propose a problem for the embroiderer: I wouldn't want to mar the crochet with a hoop or snag it or anything like that! So that could be an "in-hand" job, if necessary.

Vintage Linen that I'm considering embroidering


The edging all around the linen is very pretty, and a bit simpler. I love the picot at the tip of each scallop.

The other is a buffet cloth - long and narrow, scalloped on three sides, with a straight edge that would run along the back of a buffet. The scallops are finished in an overcast stitch, and then a crocheted edge is added for a nice finish.

Vintage Linen that I'm considering embroidering


The linen on the piece is exceptional - a smooth hand, and a crisp finish. It's so nice! It's not slubby at all. It reminds me of Legacy's Ecclesiastical Linen - a perfect weight for whitework.

Vintage Linen that I'm considering embroidering


The edge is nicely done. The only flaw in the piece is a tiny whole at one point on the linen. I was thinking that, if I did do some whitework on this piece, I could use a pattern with eyelets and get rid of the hole by turning it into one!

These were offered as vintage linens from a reputable seller, and you can tell they aren't new, but I don't know enough about vintage textiles to approximate when they were made - they're not that old, anyway. The sheen of both is nice, but the second piece is certainly finer linen. It's a brighter white, while the first piece is slightly ecru and the linen itself is more coarse.

So, that is what I am contemplating - should I or should I not add further embellishment with some whitework on either linen? What do you think? Have you undertaken such a project before? Any tips?

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Saturday, April 26, 2008
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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Fabric for Surface and Tips on Linen
 
If you've got the bug to take up embroidery or to start a new project, you might begin by contemplating what fabric to use. Over this past week, I've received from readers many questions about fabric used for embroidery, so I thought I'd write a little bit on the subject.

First of all, there's the primary question: what are you planning to stitch? Are you just practicing, or are you preparing a major project for yourself or for someone else? Your answer to this question will help determine the quality and type of fabric you're planning to use.

Right off the bat, I prefer to use natural fibers. For some reason, they're just better to stitch on: linen, 100% cotton, or, for fancy stuff, 100% silk are my choice fabrics.

If you're a beginner and you want to practice an embroidery technique such as needle painting or just some simple surface embroidery with regular embroidery floss, I'd say to go with something less expensive, such as a good quality muslin in white or cream. Southern Belle is a nice brand of muslin and is available in quilt shops or online. I use Southern Belle muslin for needle painting projects and as backing for goldwork projects that are done on silk.

If you're already confident in your needlework skills and you're launching into a major surface embroidery project as a gift or for yourself, and if you have the funds to use for it, I'd go with linen of some sort.

Linen is my favorite choice for general surface embroidery projects. If I'm doing anything that has goldwork on it, I go with a medium weight linen. If I'm doing whitework, I go with a lighter linen with a higher thread count. If I'm doing crewel work or surface work in silks, I'll use a medium weight or even a linen twill. (For crewel work, linen twill is the norm, I believe.)

As far as brands of linen, this is the thing: some linen can be just awful for stitching on, because there is "cheap" (as in, poor quality) linen out there. For major projects that I intend to withstand the test of time, my favorite brand of linen is Legacy linen. It's a European linen imported by Access Commodities, and, from what I know of linen (which is not necessarily exhaustive!), it's the best linen out there. Legacy linen has great body - which, unlike the case with some linens, is not the result of added starch. It keeps its body after washing. It has a smooth surface and nice hand (feel to it), and it isn't slubby. It's not coarse or brittle, either. Legacy makes even-weave and plain weave linens in various counts. But whether even or plain weave, the horizontal and vertical thread counts in Legacy linen are pretty closely the same. The linen is woven with warp and waft threads that are close in size, if not identical. I use Alba Maxima for a lot of my surface work (like this strawberry or my silk shading sampler, as well as for the Agnus Dei project from last year). For cutwork or whitework, Legacy's ecclesiastical linen is excellent. It is crisp and firm and beautiful! And, for really light stuff, Legacy makes an equally beautiful shadow-work linen.

I don't always buy Legacy linen, though, since it's not always in the budget! It's pricey. When I want a good linen that isn't as expensive, I at least make sure I'm buying linen from northern Europe, where the best flax crops produce the best linen. Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, and northern France all produce beautiful linen.

You're best off buying linen from needlework suppliers rather than fabric outlets, although occasionally your local fabric store may stock a relatively good linen. Make sure you look at it first, though. "Medium weight" linen sold on websites such as Fabric.com tend to look really good price-wise, but keep in mind that this type of linen is for clothing: it's not super-attractive up close and it's usually slubby and loose, intended for blazers and so forth. "Shirt" linen from such sources generally has a tighter weave, but can often be so irregular upclose as to be unsuitable for stitching. Any body to it washes out on the first go, too, leaving you with a flaccid linen with a proclivity towards stubborn wrinkles.

As far as silk goes, I like silk with body. Italian silk is beautiful and when I need a firm, buttery silk with good body, I generally will look for Italian silk. (I used a golden Italian silk as the ground fabric for this stole.) But there are different types of silk from all over the world available - depending on your project, you'll want to select the right weight of silk for what you intend to do. Even if I'm using a heavier weight Italian silk, I back my silk with muslin before I stitch, framing up both the muslin and the silk at the same time and stitching through both layers. This is especially necessary with lighter, crisper silks, such as shantung and dupion.

Some further tips on fabric preparation:

If you are planning to wash your project before doing the finish work, it's a good idea to pre-shrink your linen. Linen shrinks. If you're making something like a table cloth or a book cover or anything measured, wouldn't it be the pits to make the thing, wash it, and find it's smaller than you intended? Anyway, I like to pre-shrink my linen to ensure that I'm not going to end up with puckers afterwards. There's usually still enough shrink left (even after pre-shrinking) to account for any thread shrinkage (if there is any). But if you haven't pre-shrunk, you can count on noticeable shrinking when you wash the piece at the end.

Here's my shrinking formula for linen:

Lay your folded piece of linen in a clean bucket or shallow tub in your sink (sometimes, I use a clean glass bowl, depending on the size of the piece). Boil a kettle of water and pour the water on the linen. Swish the tub to get the water to move through the linen and heat it all up. Then rinse the linen under the coldest tap water, until it's cold all over. In the meantime, have the kettle boiling again, so that you can repeat the process. Pour on the boiling water the second time and swish the tub to make sure the water penetrates through the layers of your folded linen. And then again, rinse with cold tap water. For the last soaking, boil the kettle, pour it on, and leave the linen to sit in the water until the water is room temperature. Rinse with cold water. The change in cold-hot-cold-hot is what shrinks the fabric.

Take the linen out of the water. It'll be really stiff. Lay it on a clean towel and gently press the excess water out of it. Then you can either hang it or lay it to dry.

While it's still damp, you can iron it, but don't iron it to dry it. Iron it just to remove wrinkles. (You can wait until it's completely dry, too, and then mist it with a spray bottle.) If you iron it to dry it, you risk overdoing it with the iron and scorching the damp linen!

If you're working with a small piece of linen, consider taking a clean mirror and spreading your damp linen onto the mirror. Smooth it out over the clean mirror and leave it to dry. When it's dry, you can peel it from the mirror and it will have nary a wrinkle in it!

So that's a little bit about fabrics that I use for embroidery.

I would love to hear what you use - what's your favorite fabric to work on?

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Posted By: Mary Corbet on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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