Gold n' Stitches

Enchanted Forest Tutorial – Getting Started

I started the Enchanted Forest over 12 months ago – it isn’t finished yet.  I keep adding little bits and pieces to it every now and again.  Kind of like growing a garden!

 

Once again it was the fabric that caught my attention first.  This fabric is batik – if you look really closely you can see the shape of trees in the fabric.  The blues, purples and teal colours were so rich and inviting.  That is the downside of working at a quilting and embroidery store – temptation is always lurking.  The upside is I am surrounded by fabulous threads and fabrics and exposed to wonderful creations from both customers and co-workers. 

I let this piece of fabric lie around on the coffee table taunting me to just pick it up and do something with it.  And then...

... It happened and I was inspired to “plant a garden”.    I had been fascinated by a few projects I had seen in issues of Stitch magazine, the UK Embroiderer’s Guild publication. 

The first one was in No 32 Dec Jan 2004/05, a piece titled Sunset through the Trees by Jennifer Rochester. I kept coming back to this project and finally gave it a go using even weave linen as the background fabric and silk threads.  It only measured about 5cm square and I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the freeform nature of the project.

A later edition of Stitch magazine (No 49 Oct/Nov 2007) featured two more projects that caught my attention.  The first was a hard anger and casalguidi pouch by Via Laurie of Chameleon Threads and a machine embroidered forest titled Enchanted Wood by Tracy Curtis.

 

That was it – I just had to give it a go.  So I set to work.

Here’s how I approached it. 

I searched the internet for a forest scene I liked.

I then went about simplifying the scene, sketching the main elements of the picture the large tree on the right, some background trunks and foliage, the pond, and some foreground bushes. 

Now remember I am NOT an artist, by any means and really can’t draw to save myself.  So if I can do it so can you!  The unicorn was way too complex for both my drawing skills and embroidery skills, so it had to go!  I put in another tree trunk on the left hand side to balance the scene.

Give it a go.  Find a picture that you like and have a play with it.  You just might surprise yourself.

I will do a clearer picture of my forest for you to trace if you are not happy with any you find.  I will post it with the next edition of the tutorial.

Oh and If you've got time check out the UK Embroiderer's Guilds Projects Online. Encrusting Calico, also by Jennifer Rochester,  is a great project to get you started with freeform stumpwork.

Christmas Holly Stumpwork (Final Part)

Golden Holly Stumpwork (Final Part)& PDF of full Instructions

Here is the final part of the instructions.  I have included a PDF of the full instructions as a printable version as this might make it easier when you are stitching your project.

Finishing – Mounting your embroidery on the lid of the satin covered box

 

Remove your piece from the hoop and trim back the fabric leaving a 2.5cm (1”) edge around the design border.  Using a double strand of strong thread, work a double row of tacking stitches approximately 1/2" from the outside boundary of your design. You may find it useful to clip out small “v”s of fabric from the gathered area to reduce the bulk.  Take care not to cut the tacking thread.

 

 

Place embroidery face down onto a clean gentle surface e.g. a towel. Remove the lid insert from the box. Place it face down and centre it on your embroidery. Use the tails of your tacking stitches to gather in the tacking stitches, smoothing and evening as necessary, until the embroidered fabric is closed firmly over the lid insert.   

 

 

Use a double knot to tie the ends of the thread together.   Glue or silicone the lid insert into the box top.

 

Hope you enjoyed this little piece of Christmas Cheer

 

Regards Sandy

Download Christmas Holly Stumpwork Instructions

Christmas Holly Stumpwork (Part 3)

Golden Holly Stumpwork (Part 3)

Now you are ready for the surface work.  Here we go.

Place the square of silk dupion over the square of quilters muslin, aligning the grain of the fabrics.  Place the fabric in the hoop and tighten until drum tight.  Transfer the design in the same manner as before.

 

Couch No 1 Gilt twist along each line using the Daruma silk thread or Gutermann thread.  For the large scrolls, cut a piece of Twist approximately 20cm long.  Fold in half.  Starting at the tip of the scroll i.e. closest to the outside edge of the design, place the fold on the end of the line and make a couching stitch at right angles over the folded end.  Hold the doubled Twist threads along the marked line and continue to work couching stitches at 3mm (1/8”) intervals.  When you reach the end, leave a 2.5cm (1”) tail on both pieces of the twist. 

 

 

Sink the threads, one at a time, to the back of the work.  It is helpful to unravel the threads to reveal the cotton core before sinking by gently pulling the gold wire until it is approximately 2-3 cm from the fabric.   Insert a size 18 chenille needle at the end of the stitched line. Push the needle down until just the eye is above the fabric.  Thread the tip of the unravelled twist into the eye of the needle and gently pull the needle through from the back of your work.  Secure the metal threads on the back of your work using whip stitch.

 

 

To couch the short scrolls, a single strand of twist is used.  Lay the gilt twist along the marked line, leaving a 2.5cm (1”), and couch along the line.  When you reach the end leave a 2.5cm (1”) tail.  Sink the tails to the back of your work and secure.

 

Attaching the Leaves and Berries

 

The leaves are attached in a small circular area in the centre of the design (leave enough space for the three berries). Use the photograph as a guide when placing the leaves.  Insert the size 16 Chenille needle.  Push the needle down until just the eye is above the fabric.  Thread the wire tail of the leaf through the hole created by the needle.  Gently pull down from the back.  Pull the needle all the way through.  Pull the wire firmly and position the leaf in the desired position on the front.  On the wrong side of the fabric, bend the wire tail so that it sits under the leaf and secure the tail using whip stitch.  Repeat for the other two leaves.

 

To attach the berries, thread the 5cm tail of thread into a crewel needle and use this thread to stitch the berries in place.  Place each berry at a different angle to add character to your piece.

 

I will post the final part of the holly project tomorrow.  Enjoy

 

Christmas Holly Stumpwork (Part 2)

Ready to start the next part of your Holly project?  Here are the instructions.

Golden Holly Stumpwork (Part 2)

Holly Berries

 

Using DMC 666, cover each pony bead.  Using the size 10 crewel needle, Take a long strand of thread through the bead.  Leave a 5 cm (2”) tail to hold onto.  This tail will also be used to secure the bead to the fabric.  Take the thread around the outside of the bead and through the hole in the same direction as before.  Pull the thread firmly and continue taking the thread around the outside of the bead and through the hole until the bead is completely covered. 

 

 

 

Secure the thread on the inside of the bead by taking the needle through the wound threads a couple of times.

 

There is more to come so stay tuned

Christmas Holly Stumpwork - Free Pattern

I have been busily stitching Christmas bits and pieces.  Here is one that I thought I would share with you.

Golden Holly Stumpwork (Part 1)

You will need:

Materials:

• DMC Stranded Cotton 666 986 988
• 1 metre Gilt No 1 Twist
• 3 red pony beads
• 2 pieces green 30 gauge covered wire
• 10 3mm flat gold sequins
• 5cm gilt No 6 rough purl/No 6 bright check
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square green cotton fabric
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square black or royal blue dupion silk
• 15-20cm (6-8”) square quilters muslin/calico
• 9cm Round satin covered

box in black or blue

Other Requirements:

 10cm hoop (4”)
Size 10 crewel needles
Size 18 chenille needle
Size 16 chenille needle
Thread for couching eg Matilda’s Own Daruma Silk 149, Gutermann polyester sewing thread 968
Transfer paper
Stylus or spent pen
Small sharp scissors
Bees wax (optional)
Sticky tape (I prefer Scotch™ Magic Tape)

Pattern - Download Christmas Holly Stumpwork Pattern

Getting Started

Here is the first part of the instructions:

Detached Holly Leaves

A size 10 crewel needle and a single strand of thread are used throughout unless otherwise indicated.

Place the green cotton fabric into the hoop and tighten until drum tight.

Trace the detached leaf patterns onto your tracing paper/ baking paper.

Transfer the detached leaves to the fabric by placing the tracing paper over your fabric and then slip the transfer paper, coloured side down, between the fabric and the tracing paper.  Tape in place if desired.  Place a support underneath your hoop to give a firm surface to work on.   Using the stylus, trace over the leaf designs.

Starting at the tip of the leaf, couch the green covered wire along the centre vein of the leaf.  Turn at the base of the leaf and couch the wire around the outline of the leaf. When you reach the base of the leaf, make a couching stitch over both wires and leave a 2.5 cm (1”) tail.

 
   

Using DMC 986, embroider over the wire with buttonhole stitch around the outline of the leaf only.  Start with a chain stitch - bring the needle up on the inside of the wire shape and take it down in the same place forming a loop with the thread.  Come up on the outside of the wire bringing the needle up through the loop.  Continue in buttonhole stitch - take the needle down on the inside of the wire shape and up on the outside of the wire and through the loop. 

 

 

 

Overcast stitch over the wire along the centre vein.

Fill the leaf with padded satin stitch, using DMC 986 on the darkest side of the leaf and DMC 988 with the other side.

When all leaves have been completed, carefully cut out the leaves and set aside.