I have been wanting to try Crewel embroidery for a while now, but how to transfer my small designs onto fabric, well freezer paper seemed to be the answer, BUT it wasn't quite as easy as I thought. My printer wasn't very happy with this strange stuff I was trying to send through and either refused or scrunched everything up, eventually I managed the first print but it was not square to the fabric so I tried again.
BAD,BAD,BAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And this after a few tries with fabric jamming etc, I almost thought my printer was gone too!!!!! Oh, by the way my printer prints upside down, so the top comes out first.
I don't give up easily, so after thinking a bit, decided to try and fold a bit of the freezer paper to the front to give the printer hopefully a better edge to grab onto. It worked better and at least went straight through this time instead of at an angle, but the inkjet heads decided to clean themselves on my fabric.
Eureka!!!! Finally something I can use, not perfect yet but better and the printer is still alive!!!!. Now wish me luck with the Crewel, I have never done free hand embroidery before, only canvas-work, so this is big challenge!!!!
Elga
Update:
I just stitched two petals of the top design which is less than 2" square so I will probably make a Tudor floor cushion with it, I am using Pipers silk for my practice pieces, I am hoping to work even smaller in the future on a close weave fabric like lawn. The needle in the fabric is a #10 crewel needle.
I did try the pencil method of transferring the design, but especially the top one had some very fine detail that was difficult to see through the fabric.
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14 comments:
Keep at it, people with patience usually achieve their goals. You passed the first frustration hurdle, many more to come of course but you will get there.
Dear Elga.
I'm looking forward to the end results. :D
Elga my other passion is surface hand embroidery. I see that you are planning to do the crewel work in full size. It is a pretty design. I assume you are going to be using wool for your project. I have a suspicion that your goal is to try it in miniature. When that time comes... you can draw your design directly on the fabric with a pencil.
Good luck! I find transfering small prints on to fabric really tricky, but the most reliable method I have is a good old pencil! A 2B soft with a sharp point will work on most fabrics, and you can use a light box or lean against a window to show up the pattern underneath.
Call me old fashioned, but I can't get my printer to do anything vaguely out of the ordinary! ;)
Catherine, the top design is less than 2" square, just the right size for a Tudor floor cushion in 12 scale since it is an Elizabethan design. The other design is about 4" square, I reckon it will make a nice Jacobean wall hanging. I am stitching it in my favorite Pipers silk, so yes, I can't really call it crewel work.
Tu paciencia seguro que te da fantasticos resultado, estoy deseando verlos.
besitos ascension
Elga, I have done some mini crewel in silk. For any mini embroidery, I use a Pigma .005 black permanent pen. They are so fine that the final embroidery covers the lines and if you have to wash the embroidery, the ink won't run. Quilters use this particular brand for signing their work. It is really washable. The only trick is to be sure of where you want the design!
If at first you don't succeed,,,try try again... Looks like that's your motto too. lol It's looking beautiful, can't wait to see the finished product.
xoso
Sandy
Both designs are lovely and I have no doubt you will execute them with your usual perfection. :)
Beautiful model! It was worth the effort!
ANDA
Good luck, Elga. I already looks nice!
It is going to be beautiful. I look forward to seeing more. :-)
Gorgeous designs, and I know, in your hands, they will be beautifully-worked :) I was nervous going from needlepoint to surface embroidery -- at first it seemed a bit like free fall, trying to keep my stitches even. But I think it's even more satisfying than needlepoint :)
I would love t be able to do anything so beautiful with a needle, but I'm affraid I'm not very good at all! I did manage a small tapestry in one-twelth scale, but I don't think embroider is quite the same thing!
well done on persevering with the printing, it's so easy to just give up!!I think the pattern is lovely, would make a nice chair cover too.
regards
Andy x
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