I have known I was teaching a workshop on Lutradur possibilities for months.
So why oh why did I leave my samples and experiments right to the last minute.
Oh that’ll be because I’m a busy teacher with her fingers in to many pies!
Never mind I have plenty to keep the ladies busy tomorrow and plenty of ideas to chuck out to them for experimenting. I’m quite looking forward to a messy day. Look out ladies here I come!
When I went into guild last Thursday everyone was busy ikmaking their Xmas decs for the Christmas tree appeal to be held in the centre of Bedford shortly.
As usual I was to busy catching up and so I never even got one started and therefore have had to do homework.
These have been free machine embroidered with a splattering of beads hand stitched onto them.
I just need to pull them over a carcass template now and bead the edges and hanger. That’ll be tomorrow nights job.
I made theses boxes as a cut work needle project for Husqvarna but have since realised they work beautifully with my organza and soldering iron technique if not better.
They’re only a prototype at the moment but if I can sort everything out with assembly and decoration they will become a new kit for Alexandra Palace next week . I hear myself say “no pressure then” ha ha!
Mind you those who know me well know I leave all my good ideas until the last min and even though I complain about the extra pressure it always gets done
I am running a class at Tudor Rose Patchwork shop soon on Lutradur and how to use if and what can be done to it to aid textile work. I have spent a really pleasant day experimenting with it. I like the way you can use it to create the most wonderful raised texture by applying a heat gun to its surface and making it lacy or you can cut it out using my “Best Friend”, the soldering iron. That’s without printing on to it with stamps or putting it through an inkjet printer and the million and one other things that can be done to it. Shame I don’t have the luxury of playing with it a little longer as I was just getting into it.
Never mind I will have to come back to it when I break for the Xmas holidays.
The ladies at Patchwork Corner worked really hard yesterday machining their small casket boxes. They painted their pelmet vilene at home and came to class ready to go for it. They drew their pattern out and settled straight into adorning it with either programmed decorative stitches or those who were more confident set about free motion embroidery.
I always enjoy working at Patchwork Corner as all the ladies are great to work with and try everything with great eagerness. The day was successfully with a number of finished boxes at the end of it all of which were very nickable
Well the big day has finally arrived and I have been down to London and had great fun sharing my Best Friend’s 50th birthday present. I was quite nervous about the whole thing because I don’t do heights and movement but it was so much fun and so stable that I hardly knew I was moving. It was so good that I want to do it again. Just stopped for coffee and then it’s time to fight my way home on the train.
Spent a bright sunny day with the LOVLEY ladies from Tudor Rose Patchwork shop stitching layers of organza on to pelmet vilene with decorative stitches. They then heating the organza causing the layers to melt together and create stunning texture for their folder fabric.
They worked so hard all morning creating their new fabric, each being very different and unique to its maker. The good bit came after lunch when they nervously applied heat and waited to see what happened as it melted and merged together. We then painted lutradur and soldered out leaves and flowers to apply as decoration. It was hard work and takes a lot of time to create your own fabrics but it was well worth the invested time to get the finished result.
It seems like ages since I last blogged and caught up. That’s because I’ve become a mummy at the right old age of 49.
You may laugh but when I picked Fudge up from the breeder last Tuesday it was just like having a new born again. “You can’t understand them, they howl all night long, they eat and drink followed by peeing on the floor or worst doing the other”.
You’re on duty 24/7 and it’s so tiring. But he is so cute and adorable that I have been distracted from my sewing which I shouldn’t allow because Ally Pally is only 6 weeks off and I have a stack of things to make and organise.
Never mind I here myself say followed by “You work well under pressure”. One more day playing with the puppy won’t hurt.
Who am I trying to kid. Panic will set in shortly followed by artistic blockage and several days of bad tempered mood swings as I try to get myself organised and in the swing of it.
But just for now I would like to introduce Fudge the golden Cocker Spaniel who is the most adorable distraction ever.
What a fantastic exhibition and show.
The quilts were out of this world and the craftsmanship so impressive. I felt quite inspired to come home and relive my patchwork days and make a quilt.
The heat zapped books that I taught on the learning curve went down well although I nearly died of embarrassment because I had the time of my second class in my head for 1.30pm and it was infact 1pm. (Moral of the story is I should of checked after teaching the first class) I was ten mins late and could have really kicked myself.
The long and short of it was that the keen ladies stitched like they had the wind behind them and luckily for me, caught up to achieve fab little book covers (I owe them all and thank them for their understanding). I won’t be making that mistake again as my teaching nerves won’t stand for it.
I spent a great day demonstrating on the Husqvarna sewing machine stand where I showed people how they could use this smart little needle that is really a sharp little knife to cut out fabric. It is so much fun and will cut through felt, paper, leather, angelina, silk papers, Lutradu, tissue tex and so much more. It’s fantastic for reverse appliqué and negative and positive work and can be simply pieced or extra stitching in the form of machine embroidery can be worked on to it to give texture and interest.
All you need to remember is that each part of the design has to have two rows of stitching (tram lines) then the cut work needle is used to cut out between the stitching and between the tram lines. Also remember to reset the stitch length closer together on 0.5 instead of the general 2.5.
Once cut round the piece can be removed neatly and both pieces are usable to appliqué or layer up to give relief to the design.
The only problem is that the needles were marketed for the embroidery machines that use software designs to stitch out and the four needles all cut a different angle with the machine stopping for you to change them as the design is worked round curves . I am using only one of the needles, the blue one that cuts straight which allows me to use it in a similar way to a ordinary sewing machine needle. Therefore it’s quite expensive @ £30 for a set of four that you only use one of. The plus side is that I have been using the same needle for over a year now and it has cut all types of fabric while still remaining sharp. Therefore over that time it hasn’t really cost me that much and I have had a Hugh amount of fun with it creating my own designs and not having to use someone else’s software designs.
If you are looking for something new to get your teeth in to this little needle knife could be it. Give it a go and have fun.
