Hand Stitching

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From Scraps

It’s amazing what you can do with scraps and leftovers. This little quilt (approx 18×12) was put together from samples and scraps leftover from a surface design workshop I recently taught.

Included in this sample is

• tyvek (green squares in middle)
• color washed brown paper (prairie points and leaves)
• paper fabric with some cheesecloth attached (main pink square)

The color washed brown paper was fused onto some peltex and cut to shape. Then I added some machine wrapped cording around the edge of the prairie points to define them against the background.

Since the paper fabric looked very organic, I quilted organic type lines that look like flowing water and pebbles.

The tyvek was also fused to some peltex and cut to shape. I then handstitched the edges to finish them off.

Everything was layered onto a machine quilted background and the end result is very three dimensional. I have yet to add a few more embellishments (it’s not finished till it’s embellished!) and then it will be done.

All in all - a cute little art quilt.

Surface Design

The Freedom of Hand-Stitching

I love to do handwork when I can find the time. French knots in particular hold a fascination - they can blend and twist and turn at will. Rayon threads and metallic threads look amazing done in french knots.

Free-form embroidery, for me, is relaxing, creative and meditative. Just to let your hand go where it wants, stitch what it wants and how it wants, is a very freeing creativity exercise.

Stitch Magazine is a UK based magazine for lovers of hand-stitching and embroidery. Their website has a number of small, innovative embroidery projects, a gallery of embroidered textiles, and a stitch directory.

Even if you don’t subscribe to the magazine, the projects alone are worth a look.

http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/index.html

Stitch