Monday, April 23, 2012

making lumpy letters

The other day I had an OK idea about making a little fabric sign for Yardage Design. So I traced the letters "y" and "d" in my favourite font on to some linen


Windows are great lightboxes ...


The idea was coming together. Now to the fun part ~ thread sketch the letters to give them definition. I don't know why I started with the "d" and not the "y" ...


In my enthusiasm, I launched into the thread sketchery with sewing abandon. Actually, in my haste I realised that I probably should have stiffened the back of the fabric with some interfacing or tear-away. I had neither of these things, so I just winged it and hoped for the best. This is what I got ...


There will be another attempt at a later date ... when I work out how to ask for tear-away in Spanish (everything is over the counter here so you have to know exactly what you want). 

The idea still works for me, but the lesson learned ~ none really. Just have a go and see what happens. You can nearly always have a do-over with sewing and it's good to learn through experience. That's how ideas evolve.

Have a creative week everyone!


7 comments:

by marie-nicole said...

Great idea Nic. Not sure if this will help but I remember my mum (who was a seamstress) used to put paper behind button holes when she sewed them it could have been to stop this problem you are having. May be worth a try on a smaller scale to begin with.

Good luck!
:-)

Christina Lowry said...

It looks like a fabulous idea. I say if you can't work out how to ask for it you could always make your own version. Baking paper and glue stick anyone? :)

Jackie @ Fred-and-Cissy said...

I've used greaseproof paper to stitch around outlines before, but I wonder if it would be too fiddly to tear away afterwards with all your different lines of stitching? Might depend if you're planning on laundering your letters.

Kylie said...

I have done freestyle machine embroidery before and found an embroidery hoop helps. Love the idea!

Mary said...

I second the hoop. It will stop the majority of the collapse.

Starch is a really good stiffener, too.

Plastic bags (store or cleaners) can be used as backing in a pinch.

Paper would work and the amount trapped in the stitches should dissolve when washed. It works really well as a top layer, too, to sew your design outline onto the fabric in the first place. Stitching through it perforates it and you can easily tear it off before you sew the fill.

Have fun!

Jennie said...

Some great ideas there!

The only trouble with thread sketching is that theres no way you can unpick all that!!lol

With linen, I'd think iron on interfacing would be the way to go.XXJ

lisa stubbs said...

Ah fab! what a great lesson, just have a go and see what happens...you've nothing to loose!, great idea nic love Lisax