what if ?

#185: common ground applique

Sometimes needle turning a small applique with a complex shape is too much of a challenge.  But i really liked this little beast on a sheer silk print.  So what if   I lazy cut (a more relaxed approach than fussy)  the shape and just lay it on a base cloth (ground) with common color and melt it in with little stitches ?  The sheer silk makes it work even better,  the figure will stand out just fine as the backgrounds merge together.  And I also like how you can sort of see the background through the border of the cutout...helps the integration even more. 

This technique is related to this. and this.

And the print was a gift. thank you !

 

#186: pattern play applique

Besides the fact that pattern play applique rhymes, ha,  I have been asking myself what if i do a variation on the embroidered magic feather and try it in applique. i am playing with fussy cut sections of prints, manipulating pattern sections into the cutouts to use them as feathers. 

flannel, linen and cotton on indigo dyed silk velvet.

i like the way applique works on velvet, sinks in and becomes part of the cloth, not raised up like flat on flat applique.

the fabric, velvet, always seems to be in motion, so it is a bit tricky to place a motif exactly where you want it.  and car must be taken to make sure the needle catches the back of the fabric...

i like that i can make the feathers a bit bigger and not worry about the length of the floats for the embroidery...

THis technique is continued here, with a little video tutorial....

Positive negative stippling

Stippling, the use of little dots for shading and design, has been in my head  for a while.  The term has been used for other stitching techniques, but to me it goes back to my love of dots.  My reference to stipple goes back to the origin of this blog,   like what if #2... and I have a library filled with reference.  I even have a category for it.  I love the little dots that appear in antique prints. many of my drawing use these little dots, like maybe this one.  So recently,  I asked myself, what if)  I do stippling with holes ?....  and maybe combine it with my more common form of stitch dots, the thread bead.  Positive Negative dots. 

Random cut holes in silk velvet with an over cast edge.  And thread bead, 2 strands floss, 3 stitches in place. A nice range of 3D texture. And still dots to define an edge.

Pieced Applique Feathers.

So  what if  (?)  I machine piece the patterns, manipulate them to the right angle.  Fussy cut to shape, applique... I love these,  I will do a little video tutorial when  I get a chance.   Cotton on linen.   Indigo tip detail.   Continued from here.

I did do a little tutorial for the Magic Feather Project .

 

You can read about the project here.

jude- fussy tearing

playing with prints is nice, but i like the yarn dyed woven patterns as well. what id nice is that yarn dyes can be torn along pattern lines to isolate color areas. you always get a straight line.  stripe work particularly well. and it is a great way to recycle old men's shirts into new designs.