4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES

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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES
FROM QUILTING ARTS:
Sewing Ideas to Expand Your
Stitchery and Sewing Machine
Techniques for Quilting
1
Transform a Quilt
with Hand Stitching
LAURA WASILOWSKI
2
Retro-inspired Stitch Samplers
JACKIE CARDY
3
Painting with Pattern Stitches
CAROLE REDLICH
4
Thread Painting 101
TERRY WHITE
1
4
2
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
When it comes to creating a quilt,
stitching is like the icing on the cake.
After all the piecing and surface design
are complete,
we quilters
use needle and
thread to add a
fnal element of
design, texture,
and color, truly
bringing the
piece to life.
Whether
working on a
machine or by hand, Ive always found
stitching to be a soothing and rythmic
process. I love cuddling up on the sofa
for some hand sewing, or getting lost
in the steady fow of my machine as
fabric slides beneath its needle. And
especially as the cold weather arrives,
there are few things Id rather do than
huddle up indoors and sew to my
hearts content.
4 FI NE SEWI NG
TECHNI QUES FROM
QUI LTI NG ARTS:
SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND
YOUR STITCHERY
AND SEWING MACHINE
TECHNIQUES FOR QUILTING
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Pokey Bolton
ASSISTANT EDITOR Pippa Eccles
CREATIVE SERVICES
DIVISION ART DIRECTOR Larissa Davis
PHOTOGRAPHERS Larry Stein
Korday Studios
Projects and information are for inspira-
tion and personal use only. Quilting Arts
Magazine is not responsible for any li-
ability arising from errors, omissions, or
mistakes contained in this eBook, and
readers should proceed cautiously, espe-
cially with respect to technical information.
Interweave grants permission to pho-
tocopy any patterns published in this
issue for personal use only.
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quiltingarts.com
QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE

, P.O. Box 469087, Escondido, CA 92046-9350

QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE

explores ideas, textiles, and techniques

related to embellished and contemporary art quilting. Inside,
youll find design inspiration, step-by-step directions, gorgeous
photo graphy, and motivation for developing your personal style, at
all skill levels.
This free eBook contains several
ideas for allowing your stitching
to take center stage. First, Laura
Wasilowski uses hand stitching to
add vibrancy and color. Then, Jackie
Cardy shows how to create samplers
of serendipitous hand stitching
inspired by mid-century motifs.
If youve ever wondered what to
do with all of those programed
pattern stitches on your machine,
youll love Carole Redlichs article
on using these designs to create
Impressionist-style pieces. Finally,
Terry White describes the basics of
thread painting, and shares one of
her patterns to get you going.
Happy stitching!
PIPPA ECCLES
Assistant Editor
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
transform
A QUILT WITH HAND STITCHING
ADAPTED FROM
QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009
Para.m A.|s .j P:c.:rg =12 - 10
1

2
" 11
1

2
"
BY LAURA WASILOWSKI
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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Hand stitches add color, texture,
and pattern to the surface of small
art quilts. They form detailed marks
that cannot be made with fabric. The
embroidered stitch also helps defne
fabric shapes, provides a focal point,
and most importantly, draws the
viewer closer.
FOUR BACKGROUNDS
FOR STITCHING
There are four basic ways I use
hand stitching to enhance quilt
tops: place stitches on geometric
pieced backgrounds; add them to
a wholecloth quilt without any
machine stitching; place them on a
fused composition and add machine
stitching later; or put hand stitches
on a completed, machine-stitched
quilt.
Geometric background shapes are
ideal for practicing a variety of stitches
(see Random Acts of Piecing #12).
Choose a basic book of embroidery
stitches, such as ELEGANT STITCHES by
Judith Baker Montano, and follow the
stitch directions page by page. As each
pieced rectangle is flled in, you are
reminded of stitch names, variations,
and their visual impact.
In Blue Chair at the Window, the
needle and thread work as drawing
implements. The hand stitches do all
the work in creating the room setting
for the chair.
T
his I believe: a stitch by
hand transforms a quilt. The
simple stitches of hand embroidery
can take a fat, uninteresting quilt
top and bring the quilt surface to
life. Its like transforming from a
cocoon to a butterfy.
Above: Blue Chair at the Window
7" 9
1

2
" - 1hc char shapc ,mac vth a
han-carvc stamp) s stampc cntc a plan
bachgrcun jabrc. Stcm sttchcs cutlnc thc
char, cjnc thc vncv jramc, an clncatc
the division between wall and foor. Cross
sttchcs pattcrn thc jccr an scc sttchcs
tcxturc thc valls. 1hc vcvcn sttchcs jcun
n thc antmacassar a ctal an rav thc
cyc tc thc jccal pcnt, thc char.
P:go| Para.m A.|s .j P:c.:rg =- - 12" 13"
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
The power of
the stitch is
best seen in
Joyful Heart
#21 (following
page). A simple heart is fused onto
a plain background fabric, and
free-motion machine stitches form
canals of thread, guiding the
placement of the embroidery stitches.
This random hand stitching adds
pattern, texture, and color, and
converts a plain quilt top into a little
gem.
RANDOM ACTS
OF STITCHING
Improvisational embroidery is
stitching without a plan, without a
pattern or drawing to follow. Stitch
choices and placement are designed
as you go, with one stitch building on
another. Its a heady, reckless feeling
to stitch without a plan, but thats the
thrill of handwork and why so many
stitchers have a gleam in their eye,
including me.
NOTE: 1hc cclcr cj my han-yc
varcgatc thrcas changcs cvcry 3"
cr lcss. 1hs hccps thc sttch cclcr
ntcrcstng vthcut havng tc changc
thrcas jcr jjcrcnt cclcrs.
M A T E R I A L S
A fused quilt top
Fusible batting
Variegated, cotton embroidery
thread, size-8 or -12
Long-eyed embroidery needle,
size to correspond with thread size
(In hand needles, the smaller the
number size the larger the needle
diameter. Use a size-3 with size-8
thread and a size-5 with size-12
thread.)
Optional
Embroidery hoop
Quilters pencil
Thimble
j.yjui dcar| =22 - S
3

4
" 11
3

4
"
The backing of Blue Chair at the Window was
added after the embroidery was complete. No
stitches show through on the fused back.
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
DIRECTIONS
1. Steam set your fused quilt top to
the non-scrim side of the batting
before adding handwork (fusing to
the scrim may ripple the quilt).
2. Knot or imbed a maximum 18"
strand of thread in the back of
the quilt and bring the needle
and thread to the top of the quilt
to begin stitching. Stitch only
through the batting and quilt top
layers. It is one less layer to stitch
through and you can hide all your
stitching mess when you add the
backing (see the back of Blue
Chair at the Window, page 4).
NOTE: Icr mc, an cmbrccry hccp cnly
hampcrs my jrcccm tc sttch, but usc
cnc j ycu arc ccmjcrtablc usng cnc. A
thmblc savcs jngcrtps an alsc lcchs
rcally cccl`
3. Mark the areas to be stitched with
a quilters pencil, or stitch freely
without following lines.
j.yjui dcar| =21 - 9" 10"
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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C.iccrs Caii:rg 8:ras =9 - 11
3

4
" 13
1

4
"
This fused quilt composition was steam set to batting. The stitching is just through the batting and top layer of the quilt; red French knots were added
to the leaves for hits of color. The bird became the focal point with the addition of running stitches to pattern the wing, back stitches to outline the wing,
and lazy daisy stitches and French knots to create his coronet. Once the handwork was done, the backing was put on the quilt; machine stitching flls in
the background, adding subtle pattern and texture.
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
Placement of stitches is dictated by
the shapes on your quilt top. Start
with the easy stitches you know; use
them separately or in combination
with other stitches. The running stitch
leads the eye around the quilt top.
Back stitches or stem stitches
outline and defne fabric shapes.
Cross-stitches build pattern. French
knots add dynamic hits of color and
texture that attract the eye and are
often mistaken for beads.
TI P: 1c gaugc thc lcngth cr thc curvc cj
a sttch lnc cn an cpcn jcl cj jabrc,
rav that lnc vth thc tp cj thc ncclc
an thcn jcllcv thc crcasc n thc jabrc.
NEW LIFE THROUGH
STITCHERY
Another beneft to adding hand
stitching to a quilt top is that it can
revive old work. Having documented
the transformation of a piece from
before embroidery to after
embroidery, I can confrm there is a
marked change in the vitality of the
piece. Hand stitching adds vigor and
spark, texture and pattern, to a quilt
top and rescues it from obscurity. It
also invites the observer to step closer
to the work to share the beauty of the
embroidered stitch. And, maybe, they
too will be as captivated by the joy
and the power of the hand stitch as
Iam.
1c scc mcrc cj Laura`s vcrh, vst
artjabrh.ccm.
A
A
French knot
Running stitch
Stem stitch
Cross stitch
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
RETRO-INSPIRED
stitch samplers
DESIGNING WITH DYED SILK, VELVET, FIBERS,
AND NOSTALGIA
I am an untidy worker, and Im
constantly thrilled by unexpected
meetings of color. I remember
with delight when a piece of bright
turquoise velvet landed on a piece I
thought was fnished. It was a sizzling
orangey-red, and when the funny
little bit of turquoise fell on it I just
had to sew it down. It was a peculiar
shapejust the shape and size of a
snippetbut it sang out and became
the focus of the piece in a way I could
never have planned.
My serendipitous approach has led
me in a new direction recently. I
stitched some pieces of velvet to the
cover of a sketchbook as usual one
day, for selling at a craft fair. They
were bendy rectangles and when
I surrounded them with stitch and
F
abrics and threads fll me with inspiration, and combining them with stitch is my absolute favorite activity.
My greatest delight is to sit down at my machine with a big pile of materials, picking up whatever colors
come to hand, stitching them together, and drawing in extra lines and patterns with the machine thread. I
get into a kind of automatic modecombining, snipping, stitching, and addinguntil a little piece of art is
completed to my satisfaction.
BY JACKIE CARDY
ADAPTED FROM
QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE
JUNE/JULY 2009
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
added a bit of extra crosshatching
around the edges, it took me straight
back to my childhood.
Having been born in 1951, the height
of the age of atomic design, I
suppose I must have grown up steeped
in mid-century style and become more
aware of design around the late 50s
and early 60s. The deep memories of
curtain fabrics, wallpapers, summer
dresses, my mothers aprons, TV
graphics, and packaging design came
fooding out of my head through my
sewing machine and onto the fabric
constructions I was making. I showed
them to my son who said, without
being prompted, It reminds me of I
Dream of Jeannie. I dont know why.
I found the patterns and designs of
my childhood came easily to me as
I worked on a series of pieces for
an exhibition. That 50s feeling
overtook me, and, without any
preliminary design, I stitched and
composed whole pieces inspired by
the frst style I encountered in my
early life.
DIRECTIONS
DYEING
1. Dye your fabrics. I dye silk velvet
randomly to the intense jewel
colors I enjoy using. As I have said,
I am a haphazard sort of worker, so
I can rarely repeat a tone or hue,
except by accident. I use a Shibori
dye method to get subtle shading,
often twisting the silk velvet tightly
and tying it into a huge knot, and
then syringing the dyes into it. I
let the colors and shades meet to
create other unexpected colors.
Sometimes, I syringe in plain water
to make the dyes move further
through the fabric, or to create
paler areas or areas of separated
colors, a kind of chromatography.
2. Leave the fabric soaking in the dye
overnight, then rinse and dry it.
NOTE: | jn thc bcst vay tc prcscrvc thc
plc cj thc vclvct s tc jnsh ryng t n
my rycr jcr a jcv mnutcs, cthcrvsc
a crushc vclvct cjjcct s achcvc, an
that sn`t sutablc jcr my vcrh.
3. Dye your assortment of bers so
that you have a whole range of
your favorite colors ready to use.
I also buy some ready-dyed silk
bers if the colors appeal to me.
BACKGROUND
4. Construct the background fabric,
silk fber paper. Tease your fbers
M A T E R I A L S
Silk velvet
Procion

MX dyes
An assortment of bers: tussah silk
tops, mulberry silk tops, silk noils,
and soybean bers
Nylon or plastic mesh, or pieces of
polyethylene
PVA glue, diluted (You can also use
cellulose paste.)
Burnishing tool, spoon or other
Sewing machine and threads
Bits of chiffon and other sheer fabrics
Scissors (I use little stork scissors.)
Optional
Syringes (for applying dye)
Hair dryer or other drying tool
Stabilizer
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
out and spread them in a layer
on nylon or plastic mesh, or on a
piece of polyethylene, and apply
an adhesive. I prefer using diluted
PVA glue because the fnished
paper is more durable.
5. When the fbers are wet right
through, cover them with another
piece of mesh and use the back of a
large spoon to smooth them into a
fat sheet.
6. Gently peel the sheet from the
mesh and place it on a dry piece of
plastic or mesh to dry. Heat from a
hair dryer or heater can be used to
hasten the drying, but it will cause
the paper to wrinkle up. If this
!oa| !:j|:cs !cci:rg - 7
1

4
" u 7
1

4
" (unmounted)
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
happens, fatten the sheet under
a pile of books or other heavy
weight.
ASSEMBLY
When the velvet is dyed and the
paper is ready, all I need is my sewing
machine, some luscious threads, some
bits of chiffon and other sheer fabrics,
my little stork scissors, and Im off.
1. Cut the velvet pieces into desired
shapes and sew them to your
background paper, stitching
around them by machine and
adding a little chiffon here and
there. I use my machine to draw
in extra details, sometimes varying
the stitch width to create little
blocks of color. I use variegated
threads because the different
shades on each spool give me
variety without too much thread
changing. The ones I use are
slightly shiny and gleam nicely
against the velvet. I also use a
matte thread that is thick and
woolly. It makes a good companion
to the shiny threads, especially
where I have used it to create
outlines and then flled in with the
variegated or vice versa.
NOTE: Occascnally, | usc a bachng tc
stabl,c my vcrh bccausc thc vspy
slh jbcr papcrs arcn`t alvays cncugh
tc hcl thc sttchcs. As vth cvcrythng
clsc, | am a lttlc hapha,ar n ths.
Scmctmcs | usc a prcuct cspccally
csgnc jcr thc purpcsc, such as
Pellon

Sttch-N-1car

, cr | mght jn a
bt cj papcr cn my tablc, an scmctmcs
| usc apcr-lncr jabrc. |j | am mahng
brccchcs | usc a mcrc substantal
matcral such as 1mtcx`, vhch alsc
acts as a stjjcncr.
2. To fnish, take several small pieces
and add them to the design,
working intuitively, cutting,
layering, and adding as you go. I
continue to add pieces, growing
the work, until I feel its fnished.
I rarely plan pieces, except for
deciding I will have a number
of motifs or rows, but even that
often changes before its fnished.
Keep adding until you feel your
composition is complete.
These samplers look beautiful
mounted on mat board, placed on
cards, and on journal covers. Enjoy!
1c scc mcrc cj jachc`s vcrh, vst
cgasychans.blcgspct.ccm.
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
PAINTING
WITH
pattern
stitches
EXPLORING
STITCH SHAPES
When you stitch parallel butting rows
(blocks) of one pattern, the results are
often very surprising; the character
of the block of stitching can differ
dramatically from the single unit on
your sewing machine menu. I assign
these blocks different categories or
characteristics that help me use them
more effectively when I stitch them
over a fabric collage. An example
of this is the stitches that resemble
netting. When these are stitched as a
block they obscure the fabric beneath;
too many of them and the fnished
piece appears fat and lifeless.
1. Cut an 8
1

2
" u 11" piece of both
black poly-cotton and heavyweight
stabilizer. Sandwich them together
to prepare for stitching.
W
hen I bought my frst Husqvarna Viking

sewing machine in the 1970s, I fell
in love with all the pattern stitches. They
whispered romantic nonsense about faraway
places, carried echoes of ethnic embroidery
with small repeating motifs, and enticed me
to stitch small hearts on everything. I used the
stitches to decorate fabric, couching over ribbon and yarn
with pattern stitches, then extended this into braids and
braid fabric. Many of my early works feature these. As time went by
I became more interested in the pattern shapes themselves and observed
that some Impressionist work was composed from small repeating
marks. I began to experiment, focusing particularly on the effect of the
stitch shapes rather than their intended uses and learned how to create
Impressionist-style fabric where there is a lovely interplay between the
stitch shapes and the base fabric collage.
ADAPTED FROM
QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE
FALL 2005
BY CAROLE REDLICH
M A T E R I A L S
8
1

2
" u 11" (A4) piece of iron-on,
heavyweight stabilizer such as Vilene
(for the stitch sampler)
8
1

2
" u 11" (A4) piece of black
poly-cotton or cotton fabric
Tailors chalk
11" u 17" (A3) piece medium weight
non-iron stabilizer (for the collage)
Small pieces of patterned fabric for
the collage (patterns, spots, stripes
etc.)
Machine embroidery thread to match
fabric
Pins
Sewing machine with built-in pattern
stitches
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
2. Mark 10 equal-sized boxes onto
the fabric with chalk.
3. Look at the frst category listed
below. Stitch a single row of a
number of stitch shapes that ft this
category. Look again at the rows
of stitches, keeping in mind you
are looking for the effect produced
when stitching close, parallel rows
of a single pattern. Check whether
the stitches you selected still ft
into this category.
4. Repeat the exercise for each
category.
The remaining boxes are for you
to select other interesting stitches
that dont ft any specifc category
and stitch them in blocks to see the
resultant character.
Stitch shape categories
WavyThese stitches have a fuid
movement and when stitched in
blocks add a vibrant informality.
BlockThese stitches have strong
positive/negative areas and are very
static.
NetThese are deceptive stitches that
look interesting as a single unit but
interlock when worked as a block to
give the appearance of a net overlay.
The smaller the stitch pattern the
more the resultant block of stitch will
mask the background fabric.
ZigzagThese stitches have a strong
zigzag character and have less
movement that a wavy stitch.
LaceThese stitches create the
appearance of blocks of lace and can
be used in combination for pretty
effects. The smaller the pattern the
more it will act as a net stitch.
IntermittentThese leave most of the
background showing but add a splash
of stitching at regular intervals.
Cant work out which category a
stitch fts? Sometimes stitch shapes
can fall into a number of categories or
they are diffcult to assign. It doesnt
matter, the idea is to use whatever
stitch shapes you have; the categories
are just a general guide. If you have
a sewing machine with maxi stitches
or a stitch creator, use these to add
more interesting shapes or categories
(such as spiky stitches or text). If your
stitch palette is a little limited, you
can create variations by altering the
stitch length and width, the direction
of stitch, layering one type of stitch
over another, or by altering the thread
tension. One of my students made a
lovely piece using mainly zigzag and
utility stitches.
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CREATING
A FABRIC
COLLAGE
This is where your knowledge of
stitch categories is vital. You are
going to create a fabric collage and
use blocks of stitching to blend and
blur the edges of the fabric pieces so
they merge together and appear to be
a single fabric. In order to make this
fabric interesting we need the stitching
in adjacent areas to have different
character and movement.
1. Cut an 11" u 17" piece of
heavyweight stabilizer.
2. Cut 6 irregularly shaped pieces of
patterned fabric, approximately
2
1

2
" wide (use colors that work
well together). Select one as a
central piece and overlap the
others around it so that no
stabilizer is showing. Pin the fabric
in place.
3. Thread your sewing machine with
a thread matching the central
piece of fabric and use a light or
dark general-purpose thread in the
bobbin. Make sure your top and
bottom thread tension is nicely
balanced so that no bobbin thread
shows on the top of your piece.
4. Set your sewing machine for
pattern stitching, use a decorative
sewing foot, and work with the
feed dogs up.
5. Select a stitch category and shape,
then stitch close parallel rows of
stitch beginning in an adjacent
fabric, stitching across the central
fabric and into the next abutting
fabric. Each successive row of
parallel stitching should not begin
or end in the same place as the
previous row. Make sure the lines
of stitch extend into the adjacent
fabric and are tightly butted up, or
the effect is lost. Stitch until the
central fabric is completely covered
with parallel lines of stitching.
6. Select an adjoining piece of
fabric and match your thread
to that fabric. Add more fabric
pieces to ensure it is completely
surrounded. Change the angle of
your stitching and select a different
stitch shape. Stitch another block
of pattern stitches, ensuring your
stitching lines extend well into the
surrounding fabric.
7. Continue to stitch, starting each
new section by matching the
thread to that fabric piece and
completely surrounding that piece
with more fabric. Change the angle
and the stitch character each time
and make sure you stitch into the
adjoining fabric areas.
Top left: The frst area of stitching, with thread to match the fabric below.
Top right: The second block of stitching fows into the frst but at a different angle.
Above: The angle of the stitch and the stitch character is changed each time with each area of
stitching fowing into the next.
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
The success of your collage depends
on the following factors:
Tightly butting up the rows of
stitching.
Selecting appropriate thread colors.
Stitching into the surrounding
fabric areas.
Varying the type of stitching.
What do you do if some areas dont
work well? Simply place another
fabric over the top and stitch over
them as before. You can also leave
some areas unstitched (there will be
stitches from adjacent areas attaching
it to the surface of the stabilizer) or
stitch using very long stitch lines
that meander over the surface of a
number of adjacent areas. This creates
extra movement and links the design
together.
Some people hate the discipline of
working parallel rows of stitch and
just want to work freely. If this is you,
go for it! Once you begin to look at
the stitch shapes as paintbrush tips, a
whole new world opens for you.
COLLAGE VEST
For a vest, you can do the following:
1. Select a vest pattern of your choice.
Draw the shape of the vest onto
medium-weight stabilizer, making
it slightly bigger all around.
2. Prepare a fabric collage using a
selection of cotton quilting fabric
for the background. (I prefer to pin
the pieces onto the stabilizer; using
fusible web makes the fabric too
stiff.)
3. Cut fabrics and pin. (You can
also choose to cut motifs such
as fowers and arrange them in a
pleasing design.) If you choose to
cut out motifs, you dont need any
background fabric under them.
4. Stitch the background collage in
the same manner as before, except
where the motifs (such as fowers)
are placed. When you block stitch
fabric you are trying to blend
and blur the edges so the fabric
pieces merge together. This
is great for the background but
to prevent the motif detail from
disappearing it is important not to
stitch too far into the next shape.
5. Hand stitch some areas to highlight
detail.
6. Pin the pattern pieces to your
fabric collage, cut it out, and sew
the vest together in the usual
manner.
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
WALL HANGING
1. Create a fabric collage using
patterns and colors of your choice.
2. Use a rotary cutter a nd cutting
mat to cut the collage into cubes
approximately 2
1

2
" in diameter.
3. Rotate and reassemble the cubes so
they look nicely balanced.
4. Select a thread that will blend with
the collage.
5. Set your sewing machine for a
small triple zigzag and sew all the
cubes together, going over all the
seams twice.
6. Apply a cord of your choice over
the joins and around the outside
using a small zigzag stitch (I used
stitched-over wire, but cord is
easier). This piece may be framed
or stitched onto a backing fabric
for use as a wall hanging.
OTHER
VARIATIONS
Use lots of glitzy fabric and metallic
thread.
Use very subtle colors and patterns.
Stitch over a collage using blocks of
pattern stitches but only one color
thread.
Carefully select the fabric pattern
and the collage shapes, then with
tailors chalk or water-soluble pen
draw in specifcally designed areas
to apply the stitch blocks. This will
create a less spontaneous, more
designed result.
Work blocks of stitch over
transferred images.
Work over yarn and fber in a
water-soluble fabric sandwich.
Use single stitch blocks onto
vanishing muslin to create lace;
onto Kunin felt and burn out
sections; or onto painted Tyvek
paper for variety.
1c scc mcrc cj Carclc`s vcrh, vst
thcthrcastuc.ccm.
P.:r|s .j L:go| - 12" u 16"
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
thread
PAINTING 101
BY TERRY WHITE
ADAPTED FROM
QUILTING ARTS MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2009
Pca Appics .r |oc Lagc - 17" 17" - S|:|.oca .r i:rcr
I obtained a Fabric Collage bundle from Judy Gula of Artistic
Artifacts and inside was a lovely coral, hand-dyed, vintage
handkerchief. It has hand-stitched eyelets and a scalloped border.
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
M A T E R I A L S
Lightweight linen (I used a vintage
linen handkerchief.)
Green background fabric
Medium-weight stabilizer (Use
a medium-weight, non-woven
stabilizer. A medium-weight
tear-away stabilizer is ne, but dont
tear it away; it needs to stay in the
work to stabilize it after the work is
nished.)
A variety of threads, including reds,
rose, deep orange, greens, and a
yellow/green/orange variegated
Bobbin thread (Use a regular sewing
thread. I use Dual Duty

by
Coats & Clark in white.)
90/14 embroidery needIe (If this
needle is too small, use a 100
topstitch.)
No-slip embroidery hoop (I use a 9"
Morgan.)
Marking pen (I use a Pigma

Micron

01.)
Sewing machine
Darning foot, open-toe stippling foot,
or free-motion foot
Cotton machine-quilting threads
stitch out thick, so there is excellent
coverage with less stitching required.
When stitching open designs, the
cotton machine-quilting thread shows
up boldly. Size-12 threads are very
thick and create lovely embroidery.
Its possible to achieve the same effect
as a 12-weight by using two thinner
threads (40- and 50-weight threads)
through the eye of the needle. By
using two threads you can create your
own color mixes, expanding your
dozen or so colors of thread to many
more color combinations!
At times, when Im working with two
colors individually, Ill reach a point
when I need a color between the two
Im using. This is when Ill put the
two colors together for a special effect
or to create a third, blended color.
THREAD
PAINTING
NOTE: A hncvlcgc cj basc thrca
pantng an machnc qultng s
rcqurc.
1. Drop the feed dogs and decrease
the top thread tension. The ideal
tension is different for every
machine; essentially you need the
top thread to fow freely.
2. Trace your embroidery design onto
the linen with a bold line. The
pattern for the apple is included
on the following page.
3. Layer the linen on the stabilizer
and place it into the hoop. Place
the large hoop on the bottom and
the small inner hoop on the top
so that the fabric will be down
against the sewing machine bed.
The fabric must be very taut in the
hoop.
4. Thread your sewing machine.
If you are using two threads,
thread the machine with the two
threads as if they are one, and then
thread the single needle with both
threads. If you use two variegated
threads, you will create a mottled
twist thread of your own design.
5. Place the hoop under the sewing
machine needle. Start with the
main shape of the apple. Bring up
the bobbin thread by taking one
V
ariegated, colored cotton threads are toys for thread painters. The
many effects one can achieve by paying some attention to the color
changes are magical. The mix of these threads can add complexity and
interest to a simple shape.
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
thread
pantng
T I P S
Get your needle going before
you move your hands.
In general, make your
free-motion quilting stitches
long; this will give a more
painterly effect than short
stitches. When I use thick
threads, I create longer
stitches; thin threads, shorter
stitches.
When thread painting, good
tension means that the top
thread is pulled to the back.
You should see the colored
threads on the bottom of the
work.
stitch
and pulling
up the bobbin
thread. Hold the top
thread and the bobbin thread
together and take a few short
stitches. Cut the thread tails. Hold
the hoop gently and start to stitch.
6. Run your sewing machine at a
medium pace to get the feel of the
work. Stitching from side to side
is a good way to practice and gain
the freedom of movement. Start by
flling in the deep red portions of
the apple.
7. Fill in the open area on the left
side of the apple. If you dont have
a color like the orangey-red I used,
you may wish to use two threads
through the eye of the needle, such
as a deep orange and a red.
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
1hs samplcr jcaturcs a grcup cj thrcas. Star Mult-cclcr Ccttcns by Ccats c Clarh. | lhc tc play vth thc ntcrcstng cclcr mxcs by
sttchng thrcas n a varcty cj vays. cpcn sttchng, smccth ccntcur sttchng, an spccjc sttchcs lhc scc sttch an crcsshatch."
4 FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES: SEWING IDEAS TO EXPAND YOUR STITCHERY AND SEWING MACHINE TECHNIQUES
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FINE SEWING TECHNIQUES SEWING IDEAS FOR STITCHERY
NOTE: Lcavc unsttchc channcls n
thc csgn. Latcr, t vll bc casy tc qult
thc prcjcct n thcsc channcls nstca
cj tryng tc qult thrcugh thc hcavy
sttchng.
8. Sew the shape in the right side of
the apple. Again, you can always
create a color combination with
two threads.
9. Add the green details.
10. Stitch the little table in a small
clamshell pattern with a
yellow/green/orange variegated
thread, and then outline it with a
deep green. Add the fowers with
the yellow/green/orange variegated
thread. I stitched the fowers to
cover holes in the handkerchief.
11. Appliqu the linen to the green
fabric background using a machine
bar tack stitch in the widest
setting. I used a deep rose thread.
12. Decorate the edge of the linen. I
used my machines programmed
decorative stitches and green
thread. Tatting was stitched to the
border with the bar tack stitch.
TI P: 1hc prc-prcgrammc cccratvc
machnc sttchcs arc grcat jcr ang
extra details easily.
FREE-MOTION
STITCH
SAMPLERS
A great way to practice stitching and
to see what the various threads will
do is to make stitch samplers. Just
draw some simple shapes and begin to
stitch.
I like to use linen when I make my
samplers. Its open weave receives the
stitches well, with little puckering or
distortion. I usually dont quilt these
pieces.
I never know what my samplers will
look like because they arent planned.
This is the play place where I try out
background flls, overstitch various
colors of threads, and experiment with
new design or stitch ideas.
Quite often, an idea is sparked from
this work (play) and it becomes
the focal point of a planned work.
Samplers can also show me things that
dont look very good; of course you
wont be seeing those elements in my
work.
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thrcapant.ccm.
Icr ths samplcr, a snglc mctj vas
sttchc n scvcral jjcrcnt vays. 1hc
lttlc blcchs lcch lhc thc bcgnnngs cj
a jcral qult."