For me, the question of the Ultimate Design Transfer Technique for embroiderers is an ever-present one. I’ve discussed in-depth the various hand embroidery design transfer options that are available and often used, but you know, I’ve never found the Absolutely Perfect Design Transfer Method, and I don’t think I ever will.

That being said, I did manage transferring a couple of designs this week, and one of them is this one from the “Royal Persian Blossom” collection from Talliaferro designs.

During the transfer process (I used the prick-and-pounce method), I learned a couple little lessons that I thought I’d share with you.

Gilt Faconnee is a metal thread that’s new to me. I’ve never used it before, and when I saw it the first time, I thought, “Hm. This is different.”

In a sense, it is different. But in another sense, it isn’t.

Yesterday, we talked about couching gold thread over flat silk thread, in a technique called “Italian Stitch.” One other thought occurred to me while I was trying out the Elizabethan twist couched over flat silk in random patterns. I wonder how this random couching would look, on top of a colored silk fabric, rather than on thread?

And so I set about to answer that question, by stitching up a small sample, just enough to see what it would look like.

In a very old book on church embroidery (Church Embroidery and Church Vestments by Lucy Mackrille), I was quite taken by a technique that the author called the “Italian Stitch.” Why she called it that, I couldn’t tell you. I would guess that it was a stitch common on Italian-made vestments back in the day. But that’s just a guess. And I could be wrong.

I played around with this Italian Stitch once upon a time, and I did end up liking it a lot. In fact, I used it on the background sky in my Agnus Dei project.

I was thinking about using the same technique in the project I’m working on now, so I played around with it – with some variation.

One technique that I plan to use on the embroidery project I’m working on now is a kind of “basketweave” stitching, using gold threads. The concept is pretty much the same as working with any smooth passing thread – the threads are couched, and they are couched in a bricking pattern, so that on each row of couching stitches holding the passing thread, each stitch falls between two stitches on the previous row. You can see this concept of bricking your stitches in this article about smooth passing thread.

The difference, though, when you want to achieve that woven basketweave look, is what you use to pad your stitches. To achieve a basketweave look with the gold threads, you need some bumps to couch the threads over. Let me show you what I mean!

Laurie Latour, author of The Guide to Gingham Embroidery: Book One – Stitch & Learn Gingham Lace, Snowflaking, & Gingham Cross Stitch, is guest posting here today. Laurie’s an avid collector of gingham embroidered aprons and an expert on the subject of All Things Gingham-Embroidered. I hope you enjoy her article!

Ah, the long lazy days of summer, a time to dream and play and have fun. Or so it was when we were kids. Now, maybe not so much. I don’t know about you, but there’s still a playful little kid inside me yearning to be set free. Free to explore, imagine, and well, just have fun.

These are the very prerequisites for creativity: giving that inner child permission to play, time to dream without the clamor of endless To-Do lists, and freedom to explore without the fear of making a mistake. That applies to our needlework as well as any other creative endeavor.

As we play and try out something new with needle and thread, why not invite a child to join you? Or perhaps an adult who never learned to sew, much less to embroider. Approach needlework as a fun time together, rather than an intimidating endeavor.

My hobby, collecting gingham embroidered aprons, became a call to creativity and has sparked many ideas to try new designs and threads in my needlework. My display of vintage aprons has changed me from someone content to always follow a pattern, to a more adventurous soul who now delights in playing with needle, thread, and fabric. After all, what do I have to lose? A bit of gingham and some floss is not a huge investment, but it is the “perfect playground.”

The aprons also inspired me to teach gingham embroidery to young and old. Because it is easy to learn, and needs only a few inexpensive supplies, most people are willing to give it a try and are pleasantly surprised that their needlework efforts are quickly rewarded.

So on this breezy summer’s day, let me share with you some of the embroidered aprons that inspire me.

Continue reading “Summer Fun with Gingham Embroidery”

For the past couple days, we’ve looked at some silk options to use as a ground fabric for hand embroidery, specifically goldwork and silk embroidery. I tried out some very nice Italian silk satin and a beautiful Japanese silk dupioni.

Today, I’ll tell you my final choice, which is neither of the above, and tell you why.

You see, while I was contemplating exactly what to do fabric-wise, I started flipping through photos I’ve collected of different ecclesiastical works. This particular photo caught my attention: